Form CC501 is the application a notary public submits to the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) for approval to issue confidential marriage licenses under Family Code Section 531. It is one of the forms behind the San Diego County marriage license program, and it is meant for notaries, not for couples. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form is published by the County at sdarcc.gov and must be delivered in person.
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What is CC501?
The Authorized Notary Public (Confidential Marriage) Application, Form CC501, printed as "Application for Approval to Issue Confidential Marriage Licenses (Family Code Section 531)," is the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk form a notary public completes to be approved as an authorized notary for one year.
In California, notaries may apply for approval to issue confidential marriage licenses, and each county clerk uses reasonable discretion in approving applications. The San Diego Recorder/County Clerk approves and monitors authorized notaries under Family Code Sections 530-536. The County describes the authority as a privilege, not a right, and it can be revoked.
The four-page form has three parts: the application page (identity, notary commission, residential and issuing addresses, employer, languages and a question about Government Code Section 8214.1), the Authorized Notary Requirements and Violations pages, and a signed acknowledgment and declaration.
The approval is valid for one year and must be renewed. Notaries must complete a course of instruction of no more than six hours each year before authorization, keep an error rate of 5% or less, and purchase a minimum of 12 confidential marriage licenses a year. The form is not a marriage license application; couples do not use it.
Who needs to file CC501?
Notary publics who want to issue confidential marriage licenses in San Diego County use Form CC501, both for a first approval and for renewal. The County's program page lists the conditions:
- be an active notary public in San Diego County;
- reside in San Diego County;
- be ordained to perform ceremonies and in good standing (the form asks for your title and denomination under Family Code Section 400);
- serve all qualified couples;
- complete the Recorder/County Clerk course of instruction and pass the test (closed book, 80% or better); renewing notaries attend a renewal course virtually and must meet the prior year's guidelines.
Notaries who are not commissioned in San Diego County or do not live there do not meet the declaration on page 4. Couples seeking a confidential marriage license do not file this form. Authorization is non-transferrable, so each notary applies in their own name. The form has no section for a representative to sign for the applicant.
When to file CC501
Submit Form CC501 when you want approval to issue confidential marriage licenses, and again each year to renew. An approval is valid for one year, and the acknowledgment on page 4 makes it your responsibility to apply for renewal prior to or on each expiration date. Issuing licenses after the approval has expired is listed as a critical error that can lead to restrictions, suspension or revocation.
The County also requires you to complete its course of instruction each year before authorization, so plan the course and the test together with the application. The form prints no other deadline. Notaries who meet the requirements and want to apply are directed to email [email protected].
How to fill out CC501
Enter your name and date of birth
Write your name as it appears on your Notary Oath, then your full name and your date of birth in the //_______ format. The top block labeled for county use is completed by the County, not by you.
Enter notary commission details
Fill in "My notary commission number is" and the date on which it expires, written //_______.
Give your residential address and contacts
Enter your residential address, telephone number and e-mail address. The form asks for your actual home address.
Enter your issuing location
Write the telephone number and the address where you will issue confidential marriage licenses. Use your actual business or home address.
State your employment
Answer Y or N to "Self-employed," and give the full name of your employer if you have one.
Answer the Government Code question
Answer Y or N to whether you have engaged in any of the acts specified in Gov. Code Section 8214.1. Answer accurately, because the form ties revocation to these acts.
List your ceremony languages
Write the languages in which you can perform marriage ceremonies on the lines provided.
Read the requirements and initial pages
Read the Authorized Notary Requirements and Violations pages, and enter your initials in the Applicant Initials space in the footer of each page.
Complete the acknowledgment and declaration
On page 4, print your name in the acknowledgment, check every declaration box, and enter your title and denomination for the Family Code Section 400 line.
Sign and date the application
Enter the execution date and the city and state, then sign above "Signature of Applicant."
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every line for accuracy, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and take it to the County Administration Center as described under How to submit.
How to submit CC501
Form CC501 can only be submitted in person at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101. The form names no mail or online channel.
- In person: bring the completed and signed application, with your initials on each page where the form asks for them, to the address above.
- Payment: an annual fee applies. If you pay by check or money order, make it payable to "San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk." Ask the County for the current amount, using the contact details below.
- Questions: email [email protected], or call (619) 237-0502.
Do not mail the application to the P.O. Box printed in the County letterhead; that line is not a submission channel for this form. Misplacing a payment is listed among the County's critical errors, so keep proof of what you hand in. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the County's in-person channel above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mailing the application, or sending it to the P.O. Box in the County letterhead; the form says it can only be submitted in person at the County Administration Center.
- Leaving any box in the declaration on page 4 unchecked; the form states that all boxes must be checked.
- Applying when you are not an active notary in San Diego County or do not reside there; the declaration requires both.
- Making a check or money order payable to anyone other than "San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk."
- Omitting the Applicant Initials that the footer of each of the four pages asks for.
- Answering the Government Code Section 8214.1 question carelessly; the form says the approval is revoked and the fee retained if you engaged in any of those actions.
- Letting the approval lapse and still issuing licenses; renewal must be applied for prior to or on each expiration date.
- Not telling the Recorder/County Clerk about a change of name, address, telephone number, issuing address or employer, which the acknowledgment makes your responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form CC501 used for?
Form CC501 is the San Diego County application for a notary public to be approved as an authorized notary who issues confidential marriage licenses under Family Code Section 531. Approval lasts one year and must be renewed with the same form.
Can a notary issue a San Diego County marriage license?
Only a notary approved by the San Diego Recorder/County Clerk as an authorized notary can issue confidential marriage licenses. A notary requests that approval with Form CC501 and must meet the program requirements, including the training course and test.
Who qualifies to become an authorized notary in San Diego County?
You must be an active notary public in San Diego County, reside in the county, be ordained to perform ceremonies and in good standing, and serve all qualified couples. You also complete the County's course (up to six hours) and pass its test.
Can I mail or email Form CC501?
No. The form states that the application can only be submitted in person at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92101. You can email [email protected] with questions.
Is there a fee, and how do I pay it?
Yes, an annual fee applies for the one-year registration. If you pay by check or money order, make it payable to "San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk." Ask the County for the current amount at (619) 237-0502 or by email.
How long is the approval valid and how do I renew?
The approval is valid for one year. You are responsible for applying for renewal prior to or on each expiration date, and you must complete the course each year before authorization. Renewal uses the same application and fee.
How many licenses must an authorized notary purchase?
A minimum of 12 confidential marriage licenses each year. The notary is responsible for tracking the count, and the authorization may be revoked if the minimum is not purchased.
Can I fill out Form CC501 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the application; you deliver it in person to the County.
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