The California Vs116 form is a vital document used to declare a marriage that has taken place in California. This form collects essential information about both parties, including their names, birth dates, and details of previous marriages, if applicable. Completing this form accurately is crucial for ensuring that your marriage is legally recognized in the state.
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The California VS116 form plays a crucial role in the marriage process within the state, serving as both a license and a declaration of marriage. This form must be completed with care, as it requires accurate and legible information from both parties involved. Key sections of the form include personal data for both the groom and bride, such as full names, dates of birth, and birthplaces. Additionally, it asks for details about previous marriages, if any, and the names of parents, which are essential for verifying identity and lineage. The form also includes a declaration under penalty of perjury, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness in the information provided. After the marriage ceremony, the form must be signed by both parties and two witnesses, confirming that the marriage took place according to California law. Furthermore, the VS116 includes options for couples wishing to change their names post-marriage, allowing them to select new middle or last names. It is important to note that this form has specific requirements and deadlines, including the necessity to return the completed document within ten days to ensure proper registration with the local registrar. Understanding the California VS116 form is essential for couples looking to formalize their union legally and to ensure that all legal requirements are met efficiently.
Groom Bride
FIRST PERSON DATA
LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE OF
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
MUST BE LEGIBLE – MAKE NO ERASURES, WHITEOUTS, OR OTHER ALTERATIONS
STATE FILE NUMBER
USE DARK INK ONLY
LOCAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
1A. FIRST NAME
1B. MIDDLE
1C. CURRENT LAST
1D. LAST NAME AT BIRTH (IF DIFFERENT THAN 1C)
2. DATE OF BIRTH (MM/DD/CCYY)
3. STATE/COUNTRY OF BIRTH
4. #PREV. MARRIAGES/SRDP
5A. LAST MARRIAGE/SRDP ENDED BY:
5B. DATE ENDED (MM/DD/CCYY)
DEATH DISSO ANNULMENT TERM SRDP
N/A
6. ADDRESS
7. CITY
8. STATE/COUNTRY
9. ZIP CODE
10A. FULL BIRTH NAME OF FATHER/PARENT
10B. STATE OF BIRTH (IF OUTSIDE U.S. ENTER COUNTRY)
11A. FULL BIRTH NAME OF MOTHER/PARENT
11B. STATE OF BIRTH (IF OUTSIDE U.S. ENTER COUNTRY)
12A. FIRST NAME
12B. MIDDLE
SECOND PERSON DATA
AFFIDAVIT
12C. CURRENT LAST
12D. LAST NAME AT BIRTH (IF DIFFERENT THAN 12C)
13. DATE OF BIRTH (MM/DD/CCYY)
14. STATE/COUNTRY OF BIRTH
15. # PREV. MARRIAGES/SRDP
16A. LAST MARRIAGE/SRDP ENDED BY:
16B. DATE ENDED (MM/DD/CCYY)
DEATH
DISSO ANNULMENT TERM SRDP
17. ADDRESS
18. CITY
19. STATE/COUNTRY
20. ZIP CODE
21A. FULL BIRTH NAME OF FATHER/PARENT
21B. STATE OF BIRTH (IF OUTSIDE U.S. ENTER COUNTRY)
22A. FULL BIRTH NAME OF MOTHER/PARENT
22B. STATE OF BIRTH (IF OUTSIDE U.S. ENTER COUNTRY)
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT THE FOREGOING INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF. WE FURTHER DECLARE THAT WE ARE PRESENTLY MARRIED TO EACH OTHER, THAT A CALIFORNIA MARRIAGE LICENSE WAS OBTAINED PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY, AND THAT THE CEREMONY OCCURRED IN CALIFORNIA. WE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FAMILY CODE SECTION 358 AND HEREBY APPLY FOR A LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE OF DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE.
23. SIGNATURE OF PERSON LISTED IN FIELDS 1A-1D
24. SIGNATURE OF PERSON LISTED IN FIELDS 12A-12D
LICENSE TO MARRY
CERTIFICATION
OF MARRIAGE
TO THE MARRIAGE
REQUIRED)
WITNESSES
(TWO
I, THE UNDERSIGNED, DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE-NAMED PARTIES HAVE PERSONALLY APPEARED BEFORE ME AND PROVED TO ME ON THE BASIS OF SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE TO BE THE PERSONS CLAIMED, HAVE DECLARED THAT THEY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, AND HAVE PAID THE FEES PRESCRIBED BY LAW. THESE REQUIREMENTS HAVING BEEN MET, I HEREBY ISSUE THE LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE OF DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE.
25A. ISSUE DATE (MM/DD/CCYY)
25B. EXPIRES AFTER (MM/DD/CCYY)
25C. NAME OF COUNTY CLERK
25D. SIGNATURE OF CLERK OR DEPUTY CLERK
BY
25E. MARRIAGE LICENSE NUMBER
25F. COUNTY OF ISSUE
25G. RETURN COMPLETED MARRIAGE LICENSE TO (INCLUDE ADDRESS):
WE, THE ABOVE-NAMED PARTIES, DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THAT WE WERE JOINED IN MARRIAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS INDICATED BELOW.
26A. DATE OF MARRIAGE (MM/DD/CCYY)
26B. CITY/TOWN OF MARRIAGE
26C. COUNTY OF MARRIAGE
27. SIGNATURE OF PERSON LISTED IN FIELDS 1A-1D
28. SIGNATURE OF PERSON LISTED IN FIELDS 12A-12D
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THAT WE WERE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF THE ABOVE-NAMED PARTIES, THAT WE WITNESSED THE ABOVE-NAMED PERSONS COMPLETE THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY, THAT THE CEREMONY OCCURRED IN CALIFORNIA, AND THAT THE FOREGOING INFORMATION IS TRUE AND CORRECT TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF.
29A. SIGNATURE OF WITNESS
29B. NAME OF PERSON WITNESSING MARRIAGE (TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY)
29C. ADDRESS, CITY, STATE/COUNTRY, AND ZIP CODE
30A. SIGNATURE OF WITNESS
30B. NAME OF PERSON WITNESSING MARRIAGE (TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY)
30C. ADDRESS, CITY, STATE/COUNTRY, AND ZIP CODE
NEW NAMES (IF ANY)
NEW MIDDLE AND LAST NAME OF PERSON LISTED IN 1A-1D (IF ANY) FOR USE UPON SOLEMNIZATION OF THE MARRIAGE (SEE REVERSE FOR INFORMATION)
31A. FIRST – MUST BE SAME AS 1A
31B. MIDDLE
31C. LAST
NEW MIDDLE AND LAST NAME OF PERSON LISTED IN 12A-12D (IF ANY) FOR USE UPON SOLEMNIZATION OF THE MARRIAGE (SEE REVERSE FOR INFORMATION)
32A. FIRST – MUST BE SAME AS 12A
32B. MIDDLE
32C. LAST
LOCAL
33A. NAME OF LOCAL REGISTRAR
33B. SIGNATURE OF CLERK OR DEPUTY CLERK
33C. DATE ACCEPTED FOR REGISTRATION
REGISTRAR
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS
VS-116 (01/01/2010)
INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION
Refunds CANNOT be given after a marriage license is issued.
You will not be notified that your license has been registered. You do not automatically receive a certified copy. You must request and pay for a certified copy from the local registrar of marriages (County Recorder) in the county where the license was issued.
SRDP = State Registered Domestic Partnership as registered with the Secretary of State. Pursuant to Family Code, Section 298.5(c), no person who has filed a Declaration of Domestic Partnership may enter a marriage with someone other than their registered domestic partner unless the most recent domestic partnership has been terminated or a final judgment of dissolution or nullity has been entered, or the domestic partnership terminated due to death of one of the domestic partners.
“New Name(s)”—Law applying to middle and last names (items 31B, 31C, 32B, and 32C) OPTIONAL: Pursuant to Family Code Section 306.5, at the time of application for a marriage license, one or both parties to the marriage may elect to change the middle or last names, or both, by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage by entering that information on the marriage license application. Parties may adopt any of the following middle names: the current last name of either spouse; the last name of either spouse given at birth; a hyphenated combination of the current middle name and the current last name of the person or spouse; a hyphenated combination of the current middle name and the last name given at birth of the person or spouse. Parties may adopt any of the following last names: the current last name of the other spouse; the last name of either spouse given at birth; a name combining into a single last name all or a segment of the current last name or last name of either spouse given at birth; a hyphenated combination of last names. NOTE: The first name of the parties may not be changed on the marriage license. An amendment to the new name fields may only be issued to correct clerical errors, and that amendment must be signed by one of the parties to the marriage and the county clerk or his or her deputy.
PURCHASE OF A LICENSE
All persons must purchase a License and Certificate of Declaration of Marriage from the County Clerk in the parties’ county of residence in order to declare a California marriage which has been solemnized, but for which no official record exists (Family Code Section 425).
To Persons Declaring Their Marriage
The License and Certificate of Declaration of Marriage expires 90 days after date of issue in Item 25A and cannot be used after the “Expiration Date” shown in Item 25B. A declared marriage is a public record. If you are declaring a marriage that originally used a Confidential Marriage License, using this License and Certificate of Declaration of Marriage would then make it a public record.
1.Complete the marriage license using DARK INK ONLY.
2.Enter date and place of marriage in Items 26A, 26B, and 26C.
3.Sign your names in Items 27 and 28.
4.Have two witnesses to the marriage sign Items 29A and 30A and complete Items 29B, 29C, 30B and 30C.
The completed LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE OF DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE must be returned within 10 days of completion by either of the parties declaring the marriage to be registered by the local registrar of marriages (County Recorder) of the county where the license was issued at the address in box 25G. It can be mailed or delivered in person.
PRIVACY NOTIFICATION
Civil Code Section 1798 et seq. requires each state agency to provide this notice to individuals completing this form. The information is being requested by: State of California, Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records, MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899- 7410, Telephone (916) 445-2684.
The information requested on this certificate is authorized and required by Division 102 of the Health and Safety Code, and related provisions within the Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Family Code, and Government Code.
The completion of all items requested on this form is mandatory. Health and Safety Code Section 103775 provides that, “Every person, except a parent informant for a certificate of live birth, who is responsible for supplying information who refuses or fails to furnish correctly any information in his or her possession which is required by this division, or furnishes false information affecting any certificate or record required by this division, is guilty of a misdemeanor.”
The principal purpose for this record is:
1.To establish a permanent record that is legally recognized as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein for each marriage occurring in the State of California.
2.To provide individuals with certified copies from the records to serve their personal needs, such as securing passports and applying for social security or death benefits.
3.To provide information to health authorities and other qualified persons with a valid educational or scientific interest, for demographic and epidemiological studies for health and social purposes.
4.This information is also provided to the National Center for Health Statistics for compiling national statistical reports.
This record shall be open for examination during regularly scheduled office hours, except when access is specifically prohibited by statute or regulations.
For Official Use Only
Filling out the California VS116 form is a crucial step in the process of declaring your marriage officially. Once completed, this form serves as a declaration of your marriage, which must be submitted to the local registrar of marriages. The following steps will guide you through the process of accurately filling out the form.
Once the form is filled out, it must be returned within 10 days of the marriage ceremony. This can be done by mailing or delivering the completed form in person to the local registrar of marriages in the county where the license was issued. Following this, the marriage will be officially recorded.
What is the California VS116 form?
The California VS116 form is a License and Certificate of Declaration of Marriage. It is used to declare a marriage that has been solemnized in California but does not have an official record. This form must be completed and submitted to the local registrar of marriages to ensure that the marriage is legally recognized.
Who needs to fill out the VS116 form?
Both parties intending to declare their marriage must fill out the VS116 form. This includes the groom and bride, who must provide personal information such as their names, dates of birth, and details about previous marriages, if applicable. It is essential that all information is accurate and legible, as any errors could cause delays in processing.
How long is the VS116 form valid after it is issued?
The VS116 form expires 90 days after the date of issue. This means that the completed form must be returned to the local registrar of marriages within this timeframe to be registered. If the form is not submitted within 90 days, a new application for a marriage license will be required.
Can I change my name on the VS116 form?
Yes, the VS116 form allows for optional name changes. At the time of application, either party may choose to adopt a new middle or last name after the marriage is solemnized. However, the first names cannot be changed on the marriage license. It is important to follow the guidelines provided for acceptable name changes to ensure compliance with California law.
What happens if I make a mistake on the VS116 form?
If there is a mistake on the VS116 form, it is crucial to address it promptly. Corrections can be made, but they must be signed by one of the parties and the county clerk. Avoid using whiteout or erasures, as these alterations may lead to complications. It’s best to fill out the form carefully to prevent errors in the first place.
What do I need to do after filling out the VS116 form?
After completing the VS116 form, it must be signed by both parties and witnessed by two individuals. The form should then be returned to the local registrar of marriages within 10 days of the marriage ceremony. This can be done either by mailing the form or delivering it in person to the designated office. Make sure to keep a copy for your records.
Filling out the California VS116 form can be straightforward, but many people make common mistakes that can delay their marriage license. One frequent error is using light ink instead of dark ink. The instructions clearly state that dark ink is required for legibility. If the form is not readable, it may be rejected, forcing couples to start over.
Another mistake involves the date of birth. People sometimes forget to format their date correctly. The form requires the date in MM/DD/CCYY format. A simple oversight in this area can lead to complications. It’s essential to double-check this detail to avoid unnecessary delays.
Some individuals also fail to provide complete names for their parents. The form asks for the full birth names of both parents, and any omission can create issues. If a parent’s name is not listed correctly, it could affect the validity of the marriage license.
Additionally, not indicating the number of previous marriages can lead to confusion. Couples often overlook this section or fail to provide accurate information. It’s crucial to be honest and thorough in this area to ensure compliance with California laws.
Lastly, many couples forget to sign the form. Both parties must sign in the designated areas. Without these signatures, the application is incomplete and cannot be processed. This simple step is vital to ensure the marriage license is issued without delay.
The California VS116 form is an essential document for couples declaring their marriage. However, there are several other forms and documents that may be used in conjunction with it. Each of these documents serves a specific purpose in the marriage process, ensuring that all legal requirements are met. Below is a list of these additional forms and documents.
Understanding these documents can help couples navigate the legal aspects of marriage in California more smoothly. Each form plays a role in ensuring that the marriage is recognized and that all legal obligations are fulfilled.
The California VS116 form serves as a vital document in the marriage process, but it shares similarities with other important forms. Below are four documents that are comparable to the California VS116 form, along with explanations of their similarities.
When filling out the California VS116 form, it is important to follow specific guidelines to ensure accuracy and compliance. Here are some key points to consider:
There are also things to avoid when filling out the form:
This form is also used for couples who are declaring a marriage that has already taken place. It serves as a record for marriages that may not have an official record yet.
While you cannot change your first name, you can choose to adopt a new middle or last name after the marriage. This is an optional part of the form.
The VS116 form is required to declare a marriage that was solemnized without an official record. It is essential for legal recognition of your marriage.
After submitting the VS116 form, you must request and pay for a certified copy separately from the local registrar of marriages.
You must use dark ink only. This requirement ensures that the information is legible and meets official standards.
The completed form must be returned within 10 days of the marriage ceremony to be registered properly. Failing to do so may result in complications.
Filling out the California VS116 form is a crucial step for couples wishing to declare their marriage. Here are some key takeaways to ensure a smooth process:
Following these guidelines can help ensure that your marriage declaration is processed correctly and efficiently.