How to Get Legally Married in SLO County in 2024
Howdy there friends! I had some extra time today and I was trying to come up with things that could be useful to people getting married, and I thought about how confusing it was for us to actually figure out how to legally get married in San Luis Obispo County. Recently, I helped a friend of mine navigate this path that for whatever reason is somewhat unclear, and I thought, we can’t be the only ones with this issue, right? I decided to gather all the steps in one place for you!
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer or attorney or anything of legal gumption! I have just been fortunate to witness a large number of gorgeous marriages as a wedding photographer in San Luis Obispo, and through this have gotten to learn the ropes ;)
Getting Your Marriage License
In order to get your marriage license to be signed on the actual day of your marriage, you need to visit our good friends at the SLO County Clerk Recorder’s Office. First, you need to head to this form to apply for your marriage license. Once you fill the form out, you’ll be able to make an appointment, at which you must both be present, at the actual office. You will be given your license that day and will be released to go celebrate your marriage within 90 days!
You can also get married by one of their ordained ministers at the courthouse, or have the marriage solemnized at your wedding or elopement ceremony out in the big bright world :)
Who Can Marry Us?
Anyone who is ordained is allowed to marry you. You can have a rabbi, priest, pastor, or your sister in law! If whomever is marrying you is not ordained through a religion, they can get ordained easily through the Universal Life Church. San Luis Obispo County accepts this legally :)
Where Can I Get Married?
Short answer: wherever the heck you want! Choose a venue to have your ceremony & reception (there are so many good ones around here!!!!), or just go do it in nature! Some public areas within San Luis Obispo County do require you to have a permit in order to get married there! Here is a list of who to contact for a number of the more popular locations in SLO County!
How Do We Make it Official?
You, your officiant, and at least one witness will sign the most precious document once you’re done getting married! Make sure you follow all the instructions they tell you when you go pick up your marriage license (aka sign within the lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Then you, or whomever you designate responsible, must mail the license back to the Clerk Recorder’s Office within 30 days of it being signed!!!! Once it is mailed back to the clerk recorder’s office, it takes a few days to process, and then BOOM you are legal!!!
How Do I Change My Name?
A bonus section for all my name changing people out there! So your name is legally changed once the SLO County Clerk Recorder’s Office processes your signed marriage license, however, there are a couple additional steps for you to take to get a fancy new license and all that good stuff!!!
First, you must head back to our good friends at the Clerk Recorder’s Office and pick up a copy of your marriage license. You must fill out this application and email it back to them (the email is at the bottom of the application form) before you head in and acquire your copy! You do not need an appointment to pick up the copy :)
After you acquire your marriage license copy, you then have to bring it to the Social Security office to change your name with the Social Security Administration! There is another application you must fill out, as well as presenting your required legal documents, in order to have your name changed. All of that information as well as the application can be found here. As I was a COVID bride, I mailed the application and my documents to my local office, and a few weeks later they returned my documents, along with my new social security card with my new name!
Once you have your new Social Security cards, you’re off to the DMV! But don’t think you’re off without filling out, yep, another application! This one can be found here! Once you fill out that application, gather all your legal documents again, and head on over to everyone’s favorite place to take a sub par photo that will bless you for years to come!
Lastly, don’t forget to re-register to vote with your new name! Here is the last application you’ll have to fill out in this process full of applications! Senior year of high school me thought applying to college was bad ;)
Cheers to Being Legal!!!!
But not in like an “I just turned 18” kinda way. This one’s way better in our opinion! Anyway, I hope this was helpful for you!!! If you know someone getting married in San Luis Obispo County soon, share this with them to make their lives sooooo much easier!