Form VIT720, the Marriage Certificate Application, is the form the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk uses to order a copy of a marriage record. It is not an application for a San Diego County marriage license: it applies only after a marriage license issued in San Diego County has been registered. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF. The county publishes the original at sdarcc.gov, and the request itself is made in person, by mail or, for online orders, through VitalChek.
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What is VIT720?
The Marriage Certificate Application is the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk form (VIT720) for requesting a certified copy of a marriage certificate, a certified informational copy, a Letter of No Record, or a Letter Confirming the Existence of a Confidential Marriage.
The printed title is Application for a Marriage Certificate, Letter of Confirmation of Marriage, or Letter of No Record. The same two-page form is used for requests made in person and by mail. What you receive depends on the box you mark and on whether the law authorizes you to receive the record, under California Health and Safety Code, Section 103526(c):
- Certified Copy of a Non-Confidential marriage record, for authorized persons who state their relationship to the people named on the certificate.
- Certified Informational Copy of a non-confidential marriage, or a Letter of No Record, which needs no relationship and no Statement of Identity. The informational copy is marked "INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY."
- Certified Copy of a Confidential marriage record, or a Letter Confirming the Existence of a Confidential Marriage for people who are not authorized.
A certified copy is the version the county page says you need to change your name on a driver's license, passport or Social Security card, claim insurance benefits, or use for other identity-related services. The form is not a marriage license application, and the county can process it only when the marriage license was issued in San Diego County. If no record is found, state law requires the county to keep the fee and issue a Letter of No Record.
Who needs to file VIT720?
Anyone who needs a copy of the record of a marriage whose license was issued in San Diego County uses this form. Which copy you can receive depends on who you are.
For a Certified Copy of a non-confidential marriage record, you must be one of these authorized persons:
- one of the two persons on the certificate (a registrant), or a parent or legal guardian of one of them;
- a child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of a registrant;
- an attorney representing a registrant or a registrant's estate, or a person or agency empowered by statute or appointed by a court to act for a registrant or the estate (include a copy of the power of attorney if you apply under one);
- a party entitled to the record by court order (include a certified copy of the order);
- a member of law enforcement or a representative of another governmental agency conducting official business (a company acting for an agency must provide the agency's authorization).
For a confidential marriage record, only a registrant or a person entitled by court order may receive a certified copy.
Anyone else may request a certified Informational Copy or a Letter of No Record without selecting a relationship. People who are not yet married need a marriage license instead, and marriages licensed outside San Diego County cannot be ordered from this office.
When to file VIT720
Submit the form once the marriage license has been registered with the County Recorder; the county can then issue a copy of the marriage certificate. The form asks you to wait 2 weeks from the date of the event before submitting your request. The county's marriage certificate page asks you to allow 10 business days from the time the marriage license was returned to the office for registration. If you are unsure which applies to you, the later date is the safer choice.
The form sets no expiration or renewal cycle: you file it whenever you need a copy. Each request carries a fee that is non-refundable, even if no record is found, so check the names and the date of marriage before you send it.
Documents you need
- Valid government-issued photo ID, presented when you submit the request in person; the form lists driver's license, military ID, passport or other ID.
- Notarized sworn statement, completed on page 2 with the Certificate of Acknowledgment, when you mail a request for a certified copy; it is not required for an informational copy.
- Certified copy of the court order, when you are entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order.
- Copy of the power of attorney, when you request a certified copy under a power of attorney.
- Authorization from the government agency, when a company is requesting the record on behalf of that agency.
How to fill out VIT720
Choose the type of copy
Mark one box on the left side of page 1: a Certified Copy of a Non-Confidential marriage record, a Certified Informational Copy or Letter of No Record, or a Certified Copy of a Confidential marriage record (or a Letter Confirming the Existence of a Confidential Marriage).
Select your relationship
If you chose a certified copy, mark one box under I am: that describes your relationship to the people on the certificate. You do not need to select one for an informational copy or a Letter of No Record.
Enter the first person's name
Under MARRIAGE INFORMATION ON CERTIFICATE, print or type the first name, middle name, last name and birth last name of the first person.
Enter the second person's name
Complete the same name fields for the second person listed on the certificate.
Enter marriage date and copies
Write the Date of Marriage and the # of Copies you want. The form charges a per-copy fee printed on it.
Sign the Statement of Identity
For an in-person request, print your name, add the day, month, year, city and state, and sign in the presence of a County Clerk. Leave the For Official Use Only boxes to the office.
Complete the sworn statement for mail
For a mailed certified copy, use page 2: print your name, the name of the person listed on the certificate, your relationship, the number of copies, the date, city and state, and sign.
Have the statement notarized
For a mailed certified copy, a notary public completes the Certificate of Acknowledgment. Only one notarization is required per requester, even with different relationships on different requests.
Enter the mailing details
In the Mail Marriage Certificate to block, give name, address, city, state, ZIP code, email and phone. Multiply # of Copies by the per-copy fee and enter the total.
Review and download the PDF
Check names, date of marriage and number of copies, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Submit it through one of the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit VIT720
You can submit the request in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek, the only third-party vendor the county authorizes for online marriage certificate orders.
- In person: go to the downtown San Diego, Chula Vista, Santee or San Marcos office. The service is not available at the Kearny Mesa office, and no appointment is required. Bring valid government-issued photo ID; the application is signed in the presence of a County Clerk. Payment is by cash, check or money order, or credit/debit card, and a surcharge applies to card payments.
- By mail: send the completed application with a check or money order to San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, ATTN: Vital Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-1750. The form's payment block says the payee is "San Diego County Recorder," while the county page says San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, so confirm the payee with the office. Do not send cash. A certified copy request by mail needs the notarized sworn statement on page 2.
- Online: go to VitalChek.com, select "San Diego County Recorder" as the government agency, and choose "Authorized Copy" for a certified copy. VitalChek charges a handling fee, and optional expedited delivery costs extra.
Ask the county for current fee amounts. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Requesting a copy for a marriage whose license was not issued in San Diego County; the county can process certificates only for licenses it issued.
- Submitting the request before the wait period has passed (2 weeks from the event on the form, 10 business days from license registration on the county page).
- Mailing a certified copy request without a notarized sworn statement; the Certificate of Acknowledgment on page 2 must be completed by a notary public.
- Signing the Statement of Identity for an in-person request anywhere other than in the presence of a County Clerk.
- Sending cash in the mail; mail payment must be a check or money order.
- Marking a certified copy without being an authorized person, which results in an informational copy or a confirmation letter instead.
- Leaving out the court order or power of attorney when you rely on one to qualify as an authorized person.
- Expecting a refund when no record is found; the fee is non-refundable and the county issues a Letter of No Record.
- Going to the Kearny Mesa office, where marriage certificate requests are not available.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form VIT720?
Form VIT720 is the Marriage Certificate Application of the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk. You use it to request a certified copy of a marriage certificate, a certified informational copy, a Letter of No Record, or a letter confirming a confidential marriage. It is used for in-person and mail requests.
Is this the form for a San Diego County marriage license?
No. Form VIT720 orders a copy of a marriage record after the marriage license has been issued and registered. The county's marriage certificate page directs people who are not yet married to its marriage license information instead.
Who can get a certified copy of a San Diego County marriage certificate?
For a non-confidential record, authorized persons: a registrant, a parent or legal guardian, a child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner, an attorney or court-appointed representative, a court-ordered party, or a government representative. For a confidential record, only a registrant or a person entitled by court order.
How long after the wedding can I request a marriage certificate?
The form asks you to wait 2 weeks from the date of the event. The county page says to allow 10 business days from when the marriage license was returned to its office for registration. Requesting before the license is registered may mean no record is found.
Do I need a notary to request a marriage certificate by mail?
Yes, for a certified copy. Complete the sworn statement on page 2 and have a notary public complete the Certificate of Acknowledgment; the notary verifies only your identity. A certified informational copy needs no sworn statement or notarization.
Where do I mail the marriage certificate application?
Mail it with a check or money order to San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, ATTN: Vital Records, P.O. Box 121750, San Diego, CA 92112-1750. Do not send cash. The form names the payee as "San Diego County Recorder" and the county page names San Diego Recorder/County Clerk, so confirm the payee with the office.
Can I order a San Diego County marriage certificate online?
Yes, through VitalChek.com, the only third-party vendor the county authorizes for online marriage certificate orders. Select "San Diego County Recorder" as the agency and "Authorized Copy" for a certified copy. VitalChek adds a handling fee to the county fee.
What happens if the county cannot find my marriage record?
State law requires the county to keep the fee and issue a Letter of No Record. The fee is non-refundable, so confirm the names, the date of marriage and that the license was issued in San Diego County before you apply.
Can I fill out Form VIT720 online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of San Diego County and does not submit the request; you deliver it to the county in person or by mail.
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