What is the cheapest of the courthouse and city hall ceremonies in San Francisco Bay Area?

Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony in Martinez, at $50 to $75. Rental fees do not include the marriage license, an officiant, or anything you bring in.

Which parts of San Francisco Bay Area have courthouse and city hall ceremonies?

The 7 listings here sit across 6 cities in the San Francisco Bay Area area, including San Jose, Martinez, Redwood City, Oakland, Dublin, and San Francisco. Some rates are lower for residents of the city or county that owns the site, so check whether a resident rate applies to you.

Are these San Francisco Bay Area venues indoor or outdoor?

Both. 2 of the 7 have an outdoor ceremony or reception area and 7 have indoor space. Outdoor sites almost never include a rain backup, so ask what happens to your fee if the weather turns.

Are these prices current?

Each listing shows the date its price was checked against the source, most recently August 2026, and links straight to that source so you can confirm it yourself. Fee schedules change, peak-season and weekend surcharges are common, and nothing here is a quote. Confirm with the venue before you book.

Courthouse weddings in San Francisco Bay Area: 7 published fee schedules

Illustration of courthouse and city hall ceremonies in the San Francisco Bay Area area — Illustration. Not a photograph of any venue listed on this page.

Civil ceremonies performed by a court or clerk are the cheapest legal way to get married, and the fee is published in a public schedule rather than quoted by a salesperson. Every listing below is a real San Francisco Bay Area area site with a price published by the venue itself or in a public fee schedule, checked in August 2026. We do not publish estimates, and we do not take a cut of what you book.

Listings: 7
Cheapest: $50 to $75
Median start: $75
Highest start: $174

Cheapest is Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony at $50 to $75. Prices last verified against their sources in August 2026.

The mix here is 7 courthouse & city hall, spread across 6 cities in the metro. Filter by price tier, guest count, indoor or outdoor, and ceremony versus reception below, then open any listing to see its source link.

7 of 7 venues

Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony

$50 to $75

Martinez, CA

Courthouse & City HallOutdoorIndoorCeremony only

Contra Costa County Clerk Division Fee Schedule (Effective January 1, 2026): "Civil Marriage Ceremony - With Appointment $50.00 / Walk-in $65.00 / After Hours $75.00". Also published: "Outdoor Ceremony $75.00"; "Vow Renewal - With Appointment $55.00 / Walk-in $70.00"; "Bring Your Own Officiant - With Appointment $40.00 / Walk-in $50.00"; "Expedited Ceremony at the Window $35.00". The range spans the appointment rate to the after-hours/outdoor rate.

San Mateo County Chapel Civil Wedding Ceremony

$65

Redwood City, CAUp to 25

Courthouse & City HallIndoorCeremony only

San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder (ACRE) Marriage Fees table, "Ceremony: Standard - 65.00". The civil ceremony page adds: "The cost of $65 to reserve the County Chapel includes: a reserved time of 30-minutes from the reservation time, a small private room, and a Deputy Marriage Commissioner to perform the civil ceremony."

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony

$75

Oakland, CA

Courthouse & City HallIndoorCeremony only

Alameda County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder, Marriage Ceremonies page: "Civil Ceremony: $75.00". The county's own Clerk-Recorder Fee Schedule PDF independently lists "Performing Civil Marriage Ceremony $75.00" (authority GC 26861; GC 54985, Ord 2010-34).

Alameda County Express Marriage Ceremony (Tri-Valley Office)

$75

Dublin, CA

Courthouse & City HallIndoorCeremony only

Alameda County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder, Marriage Ceremonies page: "Express Ceremony: $75.00". The same page states "Express Marriage Ceremony is available in the Oakland and Tri-Valley offices", so this fee covers the Dublin location as well.

Santa Clara County Wedding Chapel Civil Ceremony

$112

San Jose, CAUp to 20

Courthouse & City HallOutdoorIndoorCeremony only

Office of the County Clerk-Recorder, Plan your marriage ceremony, REQUIRED CIVIL MARRIAGE FEES: "Civil ceremony in chapel with commissioner (indoor or outdoor, reservations only) $112.00". Two chapel options are offered, indoor or outdoor (weather permitting), both by reservation only.

San Francisco City Hall Civil Marriage Ceremony

$113

San Francisco, CAUp to 6

Courthouse & City HallIndoorCeremony only

Office of the County Clerk, Fees for County Clerk Services (new fees effective July 1, 2026), "Civil Marriage Ceremonies": "Civil Marriage Ceremony..........$113 (City Hall, office hours, by appointment)". A separate "Civil Marriage Ceremony, offsite, weekends, holidays" costs $336 ($186 at reservation plus a $150 commissioners fee at the ceremony).

Santa Clara County Express Marriage Ceremony

$174

San Jose, CA

Courthouse & City HallIndoorCeremony only

Office of the County Clerk-Recorder, Plan your marriage ceremony, REQUIRED CIVIL MARRIAGE FEES: "Express marriage ceremony at service window $174.00".

Not finding the right fit in San Francisco Bay Area?

Tell us your date, guest count, and budget. We'll email you the San Francisco Bay Area venues under $5,000 that fit, each with its published price and source. We don't book or hold anything, you contact the venue yourself.

Common questions

How much do courthouse and city hall ceremonies cost in San Francisco Bay Area?: Across the 7 San Francisco Bay Area listings on this page, published starting prices run from $50 to $174, with a median starting price of $75. The cheapest is Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony in Martinez at $50 to $75. Every figure comes from the venue's own pricing page or a public fee schedule, checked in August 2026.
What is the cheapest of the courthouse and city hall ceremonies in San Francisco Bay Area?: Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Civil Marriage Ceremony in Martinez, at $50 to $75. Rental fees do not include the marriage license, an officiant, or anything you bring in.
Which parts of San Francisco Bay Area have courthouse and city hall ceremonies?: The 7 listings here sit across 6 cities in the San Francisco Bay Area area, including San Jose, Martinez, Redwood City, Oakland, Dublin, and San Francisco. Some rates are lower for residents of the city or county that owns the site, so check whether a resident rate applies to you.
Are these San Francisco Bay Area venues indoor or outdoor?: Both. 2 of the 7 have an outdoor ceremony or reception area and 7 have indoor space. Outdoor sites almost never include a rain backup, so ask what happens to your fee if the weather turns.
Are these prices current?: Each listing shows the date its price was checked against the source, most recently August 2026, and links straight to that source so you can confirm it yourself. Fee schedules change, peak-season and weekend surcharges are common, and nothing here is a quote. Confirm with the venue before you book.

Guides that go with this list

What Happens at a Courthouse Wedding: Step by Step, What to Bring, How Long It TakesA courthouse wedding is two errands: get the license, then have a judge or clerk perform a short civil ceremony. Here is exactly what happens at each step, what you need to bring, who has to be there, and how long the whole thing takes.How Much Does a Small Wedding Cost? Real Numbers for 20, 30, and 50 GuestsThe average cost of a small wedding depends almost entirely on the guest count and the venue. Here are worked totals for 20, 30, and 50 guests built on published venue prices from 1,000+ real listings, plus the line items that actually move the number.What a Civil Ceremony Is, Who Can Perform One, and What It CostsA civil ceremony is a legal, non-religious wedding performed by a judge, clerk, or other authorized officiant. It can happen at a courthouse, a park, or your living room. Here is who can perform one in the states we cover, what it costs, and how it differs from a religious ceremony.21 Questions to Ask a Cheap Wedding Venue Before You BookThe questions that decide whether a low published price is actually low: minimums, deposits, surcharges, what is included, alcohol rules, rain policy, and vendor restrictions.

Narrow it down in San Francisco Bay Area

Under $1,00036 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Parks and pavilions13 venues in San Francisco Bay Area State parks3 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Gardens13 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Outdoor33 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Indoor21 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Ceremony only13 venues in San Francisco Bay Area Small and micro9 venues in San Francisco Bay Area 50+ guests28 venues in San Francisco Bay Area

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