Form ACR 845, the Affidavit of Inability to Appear, is the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder form used when one or both people applying for a California marriage license are physically unable to come to the County Clerk's Office. It is part of a packet that also contains the ACR 848 instruction sheet and the Application for License and Certificate of Marriage (ACR 206). On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official packet is published by the agency at rivcoacr.org.
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What is ACR 845?
Form ACR 845, the Affidavit of Inability to Appear, is the Riverside County Clerk form on which a marriage license applicant who cannot come to the office declares why, and asks that the license be issued to the officiant.
The affidavit is titled as an affidavit and request for issuance of a marriage license. At the top you check one license type: Confidential Marriage License (pursuant to Family Code Section 502) or Public Marriage License (pursuant to Family Code Section 426). The statement of facts names the person or persons unable to appear, gives the reason, names the person solemnizing the marriage and lists both parties with their dates of birth. Everyone signs under penalty of perjury, certifying that the person unable to appear is mentally competent and not presently under conservatorship. A Certificate of Acknowledgment for a notary public is printed on the form.
The form is issued by the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, and the packet it belongs to also holds the ACR 848 instruction sheet (Rev. 08/2025) and the Application for License and Certificate of Marriage, ACR 206, with a Spanish version, ACR 206(S). The affidavit does not replace that application: both are brought to the County Clerk's Office.
This is a County Clerk marriage document. It is not a Riverside County property tax form.
Who needs to file ACR 845?
Couples applying for a Riverside County marriage license where one or both parties are physically unable to appear in person at the County Clerk's Office. The affidavit lists three reasons: confined to a health facility or hospitalization, incarcerated in prison or the county jail, or another reason proved to the satisfaction of the County Clerk.
The ACR 848 sheet sets the qualifications for each license type:
- Public marriage license: both parties are 18 or older, at least one witness attends the ceremony (the minister cannot be a witness), and all required documents are provided.
- Confidential marriage license: both parties are 18 or older, were residing together at the time of hospitalization, marry within the state of California, and provide all required documents. The older text printed on the affidavit says the couple must be married in the county where the license is issued, so confirm this point with the County Clerk.
Commissioners for the Day may not purchase any license that requires an Inability to Appear.
Who acts: the person unable to appear signs the affidavit before a notary public or court. The person solemnizing the marriage signs too and must present the affidavit in person. The notary cannot be the person who performs the ceremony.
When to file ACR 845
Complete the affidavit when you apply for the marriage license and one party cannot appear at the County Clerk's Office; it is presented on the day the license is issued, together with the application. The ACR 848 sheet requires the physician's letter to be dated within 10 days of the application.
Timing rules in the packet:
- License issuance hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you arrive after 4:30 p.m., you must return another day.
- A marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. The marriage must take place on or after the issuance date and on or before the expiration date, or the license is void.
- After the ceremony, the person who performed it must return the license to the County Clerk's Office for registration within 10 days.
Documents you need
- Affidavit of Inability to Appear (Form ACR 845), notarized by a notary public who is not the person performing the marriage; the signatures of those unable to appear may also be authenticated by a court.
- A letter from the attending physician of the incapacitated person, on the physician's letterhead with an original signature, stating the reason for inability to appear and that the person is of sound mind to enter into a marital contract. It must be dated within 10 days of the application.
- Proof of incarceration, when the reason checked on the affidavit is incarceration in prison or the county jail.
- Certified copy of the birth certificate for both parties; it must be a full copy, not an abstract.
- Final decree of divorce or dissolution of state registered domestic partnership for either party who was previously married or in a state registered domestic partnership, however long ago it became final.
- Valid government ID for both parties, with picture, name and date of birth, such as a driver's license, state identification card, passport, military ID or resident alien card.
- Completed Application for Marriage License (ACR 206), including front, back and all signatures where applicable.
How to fill out ACR 845
Check the license type
At the top of the affidavit, check one box: Confidential Marriage License (Family Code Sect. 502) or Public Marriage License (Family Code Section 426). The form also has a Marriage License Number line.
Name the person unable to appear
Under the Statement of Facts, print the full legal name(s) of the person(s) unable to appear in person at the County Clerk's Office.
Check the reason for inability
Check one: confined to a health facility/hospitalization (physician's letter attached), incarcerated in prison or the county jail (proof of incarceration), or Other, with a written reason proved to the satisfaction of the County Clerk.
Name the officiant
Print the name of the person solemnizing the marriage, to whom the license will be issued.
List both persons and birth dates
Print the full legal name of the first and second person, each with a date of birth in MM/DD/CCYY format.
Sign and date the declaration
For the first person, the second person and the person solemnizing the ceremony, enter the execution date, city/state and signature in black or dark blue ink. The signatures certify under penalty of perjury that the information is true.
Have the signature notarized
A notary public completes the Certificate of Acknowledgment (county, date, officiant's name and title, name of the person acknowledged, signature and seal). The notary cannot be the person performing the ceremony.
Complete the marriage license application
Fill out the Application for License and Certificate of Marriage (ACR 206): license type, who performs the ceremony, ceremony date and city, and fields 1 to 22 for both persons. The person unable to appear completes the portion that applies to them.
Add signatures and new names
Sign in fields 23 and 24. Enter new middle and last names in 30A to 30C and 31A to 31C only if wanted; the name entered cannot be changed by the County Clerk after issuance.
Review, download and gather documents
Check every entry, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Add the documents listed under required documents and bring the package to the County Clerk's Office.
How to submit ACR 845
The affidavit is presented in person at the Riverside County Clerk's Office by the person who will solemnize the marriage, together with the rest of the application package. The agency's forms page says its forms cannot be submitted online and must be delivered by mail or in person; for this affidavit the form itself requires the officiant to present it physically when the license is issued.
- In person: bring the completed Application for Marriage License, the signed and notarized affidavit, and documents 2 through 5 listed on the ACR 848 sheet, with the authorized person who will perform the ceremony. The officiant signs the affidavit in front of the Deputy County Clerk and shows valid identification.
- Issuance: the license is issued to the officiant, who keeps it until after the ceremony and returns it for registration within 10 days.
- Fee: a license fee applies, different for public and confidential licenses, payable to Riverside County Clerk by cash, check or debit. Ask the County Clerk for the current amount. Refunds are not given for licenses purchased in error, lost or destroyed.
- Contact: County Clerk-Recorder (951) 486-7000, www.rivcoacr.org; the mailing address printed on the packet is P.O. Box 751, Riverside, CA 92502-0751.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Having the affidavit notarized by the same person who will perform the marriage ceremony; the notary and the officiant must be different people.
- Signing with ink other than black or dark blue; the ACR 848 sheet says all signatures on the affidavit and the marriage license must be in black or dark blue ink.
- Bringing a physician's letter dated more than 10 days before the marriage license application, or one without letterhead and an original signature.
- Submitting an abstract birth certificate instead of a certified full copy for each party.
- Leaving out the divorce or dissolution decree when either party was previously married or in a state registered domestic partnership.
- Sending someone other than the person solemnizing the marriage to present the affidavit; the officiant must present it and sign before the Deputy County Clerk.
- Arriving after 4:30 p.m. on a weekday, which means returning another day for license issuance.
- Leaving the license type unchecked, or choosing a confidential license when the couple was not residing together at the time of hospitalization.
- Forgetting to return the license for registration within 10 days after the ceremony.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit of Inability to Appear (ACR 845)?
It is the Riverside County Clerk form on which a marriage license applicant who cannot come to the office states why, requests that the license be issued to the officiant, and certifies the facts under penalty of perjury. It is used for public or confidential marriage licenses.
Is Form ACR 845 a Riverside County property tax form?
No. ACR 845 is a County Clerk marriage-license affidavit. Property tax matters are separate; the agency's forms page at rivcoacr.org is organized by department area, so look for those documents there.
Who has to sign Form ACR 845?
The first and second person and the person solemnizing the marriage all sign. The signature of the person unable to appear must be authenticated by a notary public or a court, and the notary cannot also be the officiant.
Who presents the affidavit to the County Clerk?
The person solemnizing the marriage. The form says that person must physically present the completed affidavit at the time the license is issued, sign it in front of the Deputy County Clerk and show valid identification.
What documents do I need with the affidavit?
A physician's letter dated within 10 days, certified full birth certificates, divorce or dissolution decrees if previously married, valid photo ID for both parties, and the completed marriage license application. For incarceration, the form calls for proof of incarceration.
How long is the marriage license valid?
Ninety days from the date of issuance. You must marry on or after the issuance date and on or before the expiration date; a license not used in that time is void. The officiant must return it within 10 days after the ceremony.
Can I fill out Form ACR 845 online?
You can complete the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file the affidavit with the county: the officiant presents it in person at the County Clerk's Office.
Is there a fee for a marriage license that needs an Inability to Appear?
Yes. A license fee applies, with one amount for public and another for confidential licenses, payable to Riverside County Clerk by cash, check or debit. Call (951) 486-7000 for the current amount; purchased licenses are not refunded.
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