San Francisco Assessor-Recorder

I am super impressed with how quickly I was in and out with my marriage license! I had the form pre-​filled and waited about 5 minutes in line. The nice gentleman who helped me took a couple minutes to take my payment and print out my marriage license! Can’t believe how quick and easy it was! Definitely would recommend to go in instead of mail. Quick tip if you decide to go the mail route: beginning August 3^rd, 2015, you are only allowed to request one copy from the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.learned that one the hard way.

So efficient! Got married at city hall on 12÷23÷14, picked up our certificate on 1÷5÷15. The lady at the counter was super delightful and clearly loved her job. Awesome!

I agree with everyone else, don’t wait as long as it says to get your marriage license, you can walk in and out in 10 minutes and get it! We went 1 month after our wedding (we got married in a church not at city hall) and it was ready. It was super easy to get the copies.

In and out in 5 minutes, incredibly pleasant people. Like other reviewers said, don’t listen to anything/​anyone regarding how long to wait after you got married, I was done in no time 5 days after my wedding

Amazing. After stressing for months about needing to get a copy of our marriage license and feeling I didn’t have the time to deal with it, my husband and I walked over to City Hall this morning a little after 8am with the form from the internet filled out — we were in and out with two copies in under 10 minutes. I was also relieved that we were able to pay by credit card — saved us the hassle of getting money orders. Really great experience.

This is perhaps the most cynical department in the entire city government, and that’s saying a lot. Basically they pride themselves on collecting as much tax as possible, which means they will max out your assessment regardless of whether the market bears it or not. And they tell you to go to court if you disagree. No big deal, right?

Perfect experience.
I agree with previous reviewers.
Got my certificate within 5 minutes.

Super friendly and pleasant people man the desks here. They must go through some sort of efficiency charm school or something.
We walked in, were handed a form to fill out, filled it out, turned in the form, were directed to pay at another desk, returned to the first desk, and left shortly with our requested document copy.
Did I remember what was so darn cheery about our conversation? No. But we left with a good and happy feeling, which is a rare thing when dealing with bureaucracy.

I have become so desensitized to bad «customer service» from San Francisco public employees, all I could do is dread my trip to get a copy of my marriage certificate. Perhaps it was my low expectations, or perhaps its just true; but the assessor-recorder’s office in San Francisco is really good! Almost makes me happy to pay my taxes! Come on, i said «almost»!! The other posters have actually made the process sound more complicated than it is… and it sounds really easy based on their posts! Here are my abbreviated instructions:
1. Walk in, approach counter that says «information»
2. Fill out the form that the polite and pleasant gentleman at info counter requests
3. Give them $ 14
4. Leave with your certificate of title to your spouse (at least that is what it looks like)
I was in and out in less than 10 minutes, including filling out the form.

Being that I am a county worker, I was very impressed with the efficiency of this office. I needed a marriage certificate to amend my passport and I was expecting long lines and an even longer wait. I went on my lunch hour with my fingers crossed. I arrived at the clerk”s office and was told it would only take a few minutes. After completing the form and paying the fee, the woman pushed a button and BAM the certficate came right out of the printer. I appreciated the quick service and I still had time to grab lunch before heading back to work.

Got a marriage certificate for immigration purposes in & out within 4 min. As others stated, don’t listen to the websites or the marriage officiant. The County Clerk says 4 – 6 weeks, the Assessor-​Recorder says 10 days from when its handed in.
The date of acceptance listed on the certificate was dated one day after being handed in. So, it’s most likely that you can pick-​up your certificate two business days after handing it in (or if you do a city hall wedding, two business days after the marriage). You could probably chance it next day, but you might end up losing a $ 14 search fee if they can’t find it. I came in four business days after marriage, and I ran into no problems.
I filled out/​printed the online request form for public license beforehand, which is a little hard to find on the Assessor-Recorder’s website
Public License Request Form
Confidential License Request Form
Walked into the Assessor-Recorder’s 10am in the morning. There’s a large central service counter when you walk in. There was no line and 2 – 3 workers at the desk to help you. Handed my application, gave my ID, and signed the form in front of the clerk. Was instructed to go to the payments desk to the left (2 steps away).
Payment desk was quick. I saw a Visa/​Mastercard sign there, so perhaps they take credit cards now. I paid $ 14 cash.
Brought back receipt to the same person and was given my official certificate in a used fedex envelope with a smile. Kudos for reusing materials and kudos for being so nice.
The certificate is literally a scan of your license application printed on official paper with signatures. So it is essential that whatever you had put on your application before the marriage is exact because it will be forever printed exactly on the official certified copy (including your signatures and witness’s hand writing quality).
In/​out of the Assessor-Recorder’s office within 4 minutes with my official marriage certificate in hand. There were no lines at the time I went in. Surprised at the government efficiency. Should be like this everywhere.

I followed ‘Hannala Sparkle Pants T.’ advice to the T… and getting my marriage certificate was SO easy!
I need (ed) mine for Immigration Purposes, so I sort of had a fit when I read online that it’ll take 6 – 8 weeks in the mail. Buuuuuut, what the internet doesn’t tell you is that if you just go to the Assessor Recorder’s office (in City Hall) in person, bring $ 14 in either cash or cheque & photo ID… and you can pick it up in less than 10 minutes.
They literally print it out right there on special paper, stamp it, give it the ‘raised seal’– et voila. You’re good to go.
So if you’re like I was– stressing out because you need the Certificate NOW and you can’t wait 6 – 8 weeks for it to come in the mail… Just head on down to City Hall. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezie!

Let’s say you got married and need to get certified copies of your Marriage Certificate ASAP — because you’re changing your name, or because you’re moving to France and need it for your French visa application, OR you’re changing your name AND moving to France because life is TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE!
= The County Clerk will tell you that it takes AT LEAST 4 – 6 WEEKS.
= The Recorder-​Assessor will tell you that it takes AT LEAST 10 DAYS.
= Vital Check will tell you that it takes AT LEAST 20 DAYS
+ I’m telling you it takes LESS THAN A WEEK. (please see instructions below)
HOW TO GET COPIES OF YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME
By Hannala «Sparkle Pants» T.
Step 1: Ignore ANY instructions to wait 10 days after marriage ceremony. This includes (but is NOT limited to):
= The instructions on the San Francisco County Clerk’s website
= The San Francisco Assessor-Recorder’s website
= The Marriage Certificate Request Form that you receive from the San Francisco County Clerk when you get your Marriage License
= The Deputy Marriage Commissioner who performs your City Hall ceremony, AND
= The nice girl behind the counter at the San Francisco County Clerk’s office.
Step 2: Do not MAIL in your request. Do not CALL in your request (it’s $ 5 additional anyway). Do not ORDER it through Vital Check (it’s $ 5 additional anyway)
Step 3: About FOUR working days after your City Hall marriage, go to the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder’s office with a completed Request For Marriage Certificate Form (it will be given to you by the nice girl behind the counter at the San Francisco County Clerk’s office when you get your Marriage License). Make sure you list the bride’s and groom’s names as they were BEFORE they got married.
Step 4: When you walk into the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder’s office, the layout can be quite confusing. As you enter from the door immediately to the right of the City Hall security check, go straight to the main counter. There are little signs telling you to go to Desk C (which is off to the left. DO NOT DO THIS *YET*!) You may end up waiting in line about 5 min. Hand the VERY NICE person behind the counter your form and tell them how many forms you need (get at least two — TRUST ME ON THIS. Changing your name AND getting a French visa takes a lot of certified Marriage Certificates)
Step 5: While you are waiting for your certified copies, go to Desk C. ALL SIGNS POINT TOWARDS IT. Honestly, if you can’t find this desk, I can’t help you. You will wait in line for SEVEN MINUTES. Not five minutes and not ten minutes. SEVEN. Once it’s your turn, tell the VERY NICE person behind the counter that you are paying for X number of copies of your Marriage Certificate (X should match the number that you requested at the main counter). Make a check out to San Francisco Assessor-​Recorder.
Step 6: Take your payment receipt BACK to the main counter. (You might have to wait in line for 30 seconds if they’re SUPER busy). Once you reach the counter, hand the VERY NICE person your receipt. They’ll give you the number of copies of your Marriage Certificate for which you paid AND they’ll offer you a large 10’x13’ envelope to take them home in (note: said envelope may or may not have been previously used and have some scratched out label on it — honestly, it’s FREE so just smile and thank the person)
Et, Voila!!! You are now the proud possessor of certified copies of your Marriage Certificate. Enjoy!
(minus one star for the confusing layout of the office, which lead to me standing in line at Desk C for SEVEN MINUTES only to be told that I had to go to the main counter FIRST. Otherwise, these people are CRAZY nice — especially for a government office!)