San Francisco City Hall hosts about 8,000 weddings a year, and the County Clerk issues about 25,000 marriage licenses annually (KTVU, February 13, 2026). Two sets of fees matter to those couples: County Clerk fees for licenses and civil ceremonies, which changed on July 1, 2026, and City Hall event rental fees for larger weddings, which were reset by ordinance in 2025. All figures below are as of October 2026. Always confirm on the official pages before quoting a client.
County Clerk fees, effective July 1, 2026
For fiscal year 2026-27, per the County Clerk fee page, with the prior year's fee from the July 1, 2025 schedule in parentheses:
- Public or confidential marriage license: $129 (was $128)
- Civil ceremony at City Hall during office hours: $113 (was $111)
- Offsite, weekend or holiday ceremony: $336, made up of a $186 reservation plus a $150 commissioner fee (was $332)
- One-day deputy marriage commissioner: $186 (was $182)
- Confidential license amendment: $37
Marriage record fees changed earlier, on January 1, 2026: a confidential record search with a certified copy is $19, and a souvenir certificate is $9.
City Hall wedding rental fees: Ordinance 125-25
On July 22, 2025, the Board of Supervisors gave final passage to Ordinance 125-25, which reset the fees for short-term use of City Hall (ordinance text):
- One-hour wedding, 1 to 100 guests: $1,200
- Two-hour wedding, 1 to 200 guests: $6,000, plus $4 per guest over 200
The part planners should note: starting in fiscal year 2026-27, these fees adjust each year for inflation without a new Board vote. Expect them to move each year, and check the current figure when you quote.
What the City Hall packages include
The City Hall Events Office listed these starting prices when we read it in October 2026:
- One-hour weddings for up to 100 guests, weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., from $1,200. This is private use of either the Mayor's Balcony or a Fourth Floor Gallery for one hour, and couples bring their own officiant (package details).
- Two-hour weddings for up to 200 guests, Saturdays in the Rotunda at 9 a.m. or 12 p.m., from $6,000.
- Evening weddings for up to 499 guests (not Tuesdays), from $12,000.
The small civil ceremony
For six guests or fewer, couples can book a civil ceremony with the County Clerk. It takes place in City Hall Room 160, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only, and walk-ins are not allowed. A commissioner performs the ceremony. You need one witness with a public license and none with a confidential license, and you must bring the original license, which cannot be bought on the ceremony day (sf.gov).
License appointments cannot be rescheduled, and fees are not refunded on cancellation. Larger groups, and weekend or holiday ceremonies, book through City Hall Events (sf.gov step-by-step guide).
How San Mateo County compares
For couples marrying on the Peninsula or the coast, the San Mateo County Clerk in Redwood City is an alternative. As of October 2026, a public license is $79 and a confidential license $80 (fee page). A 30-minute civil ceremony in the County Chapel is $65 (civil ceremonies), and the Clerk can deputize a friend to perform a ceremony anywhere in California for $60 (deputize a commissioner). A license from either county is valid anywhere in California.
Planner checklist
- Book the license appointment early and remind clients it cannot be moved.
- Quote City Hall rental fees with an as-of date, since they now adjust every year.
- For a friend officiating, compare San Francisco's $186 one-day deputy fee with San Mateo County's $60 option.
City Hall in the morning, the coast in the afternoon
Some couples do the legal part at City Hall and the celebration somewhere else. Ocean View Stables is a working horse ranch on the coastal bluffs of Daly City, one of the closest horse ranches to San Francisco with views of the Pacific, about 15 minutes from downtown. We host receptions for up to 150 guests on the lawn and in the hay barn, with eight pods on the bluff for an overnight wedding party. Book a site visit, see packages, or ask about trade rates.
Sources
- City of San Francisco: Fees for County Clerk services
- City of San Francisco: County Clerk fees effective July 1, 2025 (PDF)
- San Francisco Board of Supervisors: Ordinance 125-25 (PDF)
- City of San Francisco: City Hall Events Office
- City of San Francisco: One-hour wedding package at City Hall
- City of San Francisco: Have a civil marriage or commitment ceremony at City Hall
- City of San Francisco: Step by step, get married in San Francisco
- KTVU: Love is in the air at San Francisco City Hall (February 13, 2026)
- San Mateo County Clerk: Marriage fees
- San Mateo County Clerk: Civil wedding ceremonies
- San Mateo County Clerk: Deputize a marriage commissioner