Post # 1
Member
3617 posts
Sugar bee
We did a civil ceremony at city hall. At the time the lady told me the certificate (license? same thing right?) would be available in 2 weeks for me to obtain to legally change my name. It’s been 2 weeks so I wanted to find out how/where I go to get it. But the website for my county says it takes 6-8 weeks. Is there anyway I can check if it’s ready? Did they mail you one anyway or notify you? I’m in Orange County, CA if anyone has had experience with that.
Post # 3
Member
11533 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
Ours was signed by the pastor immediately after our ceremony, so we had the original, signed marriage certificate that very day. The pastor then simply had to mail the appropriate copy of the form to the county in which we were married, but we did not need to wait for this to happen for our marriage certificate to be considered valid.
Post # 4
Member
3617 posts
Sugar bee
@Brielle: Thanks! Sorry, I think I worded it wrong or maybe I have the whole process wrong. Once your pastor mailed it in though the county needs to process it into their system and I’m assuming put some sort of stamp on it and you need that document to change your name. Is that correct? Or am I misstaken? When the lady at city hall signed our paper work she told me to come back in 2 weeks to get the copy of the marriage certificate to change my name. Which means I could not have just asked for a copy of that signed document then and there for some reason. And now I want to find out if our marriage certificate has been processed before I drag myself down to city hall again since their actual website says to allow 6-8 weeks for it to be processed and available. I think I may just have to call them to find out.
Post # 5
Member
492 posts
Helper bee
This can vary a lot locally – but yes we needed the certified copy made by the county, not “our” original (our certificate had three originals). Our county govt has a marriage bureau and that is where we went to get the marriage license. That is also who we needed to go to to request the certified copy of the certificate. That office has a website with a phone number and instructions for ordering the certificate. In my case, I could call that number with questions. They did tell me that they overestimate the time needed because it depends on how quickly the officiant mails in the county copy – so that might be the difference between 2 weeks and 6-8 weeks that you are being quoted.
Post # 6
Member
11533 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@yellowshoe: We didn’t need anything other than the original, signed marriage license/certificate for me to change my name, but it definitely sounds as if the process is different where you are. I’m sure
@ahavah: is right. It does vary by state and perhaps even by county.