Wow.. super friendly and efficient service! I was really amazed at how happy and courteous everyone was! Did they all just get a raise today? I was here to get an extra birth certificate, and yeah you do have to wait a few minutes (10-15) but it's nothing like the DMV where you set up camp for a few days it seems! 1) Once through the double doors, meet with the friendly receptionist FIRST to get a form to fill out for the birth/death/marriage certificate or license you are trying to get. 2) Fill out the form, go back to the receptionist and give her your completed form. You'll then get a number. PRO TIP: Bring your own ID, and your own pen or pencil to fill out the form for a birth/death/marriage certificate! The tiny pencils here just barely get the job done. lol 3) Wait 5-10 minutes for your number to be called. 4) Go up to the window you are assigned and the clerks will get you what you need. On my way out, a different receptionist was just as friendly as the first one I met earlier! I'd never thought I'd say this, but Great job, Alameda County Clerks! Getting here: Super easy as it is just across the street from AC Transit bus lines. The Lake Merritt BART Station is just two blocks away. Street parking and a big county-run parking garage is next door too. read more

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I'm pleasantly surprised with how easy it was so get a marriage license. We applied online, set up a zoom interview, and received our license in the mail with clear instructions on how to return. You're able to return it by mail but I wanted to hand it in so I can have the license right away. Parking can be a challenge but it's not too bad a block away from the building. The place is clean and organized. I came at around 930 on a Friday. Greeted quickly and handed a number. Sat for about ten minutes and had my license! read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

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I got married here very professional you can also get your birth certificate here as well.. read more

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Heather Solis is exceptional. She treated me with respect, patience, and genuine kindness during my visit. She helped me navigate my reasonable accommodation needs without judgment or frustration. She made a stressful process feel simple and human. People like her represent the best of public service. I'm grateful for her professionalism and compassion. read more

The gentlemen at the front/check in was super nice. Service was fast and convenient. Got what I needed, in and out only took 20 minutes.

Birth Certificate Pick-Up Review (since there can be multiple reasons to come here) As you may have noticed from the high 5-star review for this place, they do a FANTASTIC job of getting you in and out as quick as possible for whatever you need. After filling the application online and opting for pick-up, I got a confirmation e-mail that the documents are ready and off I went. Some helpful steps: 1.) Parking can be difficult as most of the parking around the building was full and I had to park a couple streets away. ($2/hour for street parking) 2.) There are a TON of signs directing you to the 11th street patio where the pick-up is located and I highly doubt you will get lost. Really huge props to whoever put the signs up as they are very clear. 3.) The "patio" is huge and has waiting chairs and a ton of tables and pencils in case you need to fill out forms for whatever you are doing. It's "DMV" style in case you need to wait your turn for whatever you are doing. They will issue you a ticket. For birth certificate pick-up, I was serviced immediately once I got to the front of the line. 4.) The line may seem long but from when I started waiting to when I got helped was a grand total of 5 minutes. I was super impressed on how quickly they went through the queue and either helped people immediately or issued them a ticket so not to hold up the line. If you live close, this is an easy recommendation to do the pick-up yourself. Since I'm based in Fremont, this was quite a long drive but I was very happy to have such quick service. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Line (only took 5 minutes to get to the front). So quick! - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

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Wanted to add a quick review with some recent photos in case anyone else is considering getting married here! We had a great experience and were pleasantly surprised by the wedding room itself. There are wooden benches for guests and lovely, fresh flowers on either side of the backdrop. Everything here was a breeze, from making the appointment to getting our license and having the actual ceremony. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

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My fiancé and I expected applying for our marriage license to be a draining and frustrating experience, mainly because so much of planning our wedding was much harder than expected! To be fair, most of this was because we'd never done it before, but Alameda County came through for us in the most unexpected way - it actually became one of our favorite memories. We witnessed a beautiful bride and groom dressed to the nines in the middle of the day, photo shoots on the courthouse steps, laughter and tears, and everything you'd expect to see at a wedding - only there were many couples, not just one! We were lucky enough to have Aaron process our application, and he was just the kindest, most fun person to walk us through the necessary steps. He even agreed to take a selfie with us (we were feeling particularly giddy, and he was 100% supportive - big love to Aaron!) We don't think we'll be tying the knot again, but for any future couples or anyone looking towards a visit, let us assure you that you'll be in good hands. Also, our wait line number was "B008," which my now-husband(!!!) was particularly stoked on. Thank you, Alameda County Clerk-Recorder, for being an honorary part of our celebration! read more

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Walked in on a tuesday to help my Auntie with getting a marriage license. Got lucky with no lines. People are friendly there and helpful with all the questions we had. Explained all the process and requirements to us clearly. Me and my husband got married here back in 2006 and I definitely recommend this place. read more

Don't think I've waited more than 5 minutes the several times I've been here to pick up personal documents...and easy to park at a meter if you go early ..public parking is about a block away as well...you enter on the right side of the building on 11th street through the gate..not the main entrance read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Gate entrance on 11th street ..side of building - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

Walked in this morning to pick up some official documents. Was assigned my ticket number (like the dmv) and was called up to the window within 5 minutes (not like the dmv). Melissa W. was the employee behind window #3. She was nice and respectful the entire encounter. I was out of the building literally within 5 minutes. I thought this process was going to be a bit bumpy, but it was smooth sailing. read more

Clerk #2- Alisha is excellent! She is fast and efficient, polite, professional. Big thank you for assisting me at the end of the day!

I had one of the best customer services of my life with Demetrius. He was incredibly professional and intelligent, balanced with super kind. I wish Oakland can clone him. He is the best in Oakland Public service. read more

In and out in less than 20mins. No lines! Great service as well! Very surprised they're not crowded here.

Update: I upgraded from 3 stars to 4 stars because the lady did actually forwarded my message/contact info to dba department like she said she would, they emailed me 2 days later so thank you. Old review: Called about my DBA application. Called 5 times. Waited 15 minutes, someone picked up they spoke and then hung up right as I started speaking, maybe it was a disconnection. So I called back, 15 minutes wait, someone picked up, said nothing and hung up right away. Called back, 15 minutes wait, talked to someone and they said they couldn't search my dba for me I would have to search it myself. I searched and couldn't find any indication of my filing, so I have to call back right. I call back waited 15 minutes and I get the same pick up and hang up. So I call back again 15 minutes later finally someone helps me alittle. She got my info and said she wasn't able to find my dba and would forward my contact to the dba department. I had one last question and she straight up said thank you for calling and hung up on me. My mouth dropped I was so surprised to work so hard to talk to someone and to be hung up like that was appalling. So if I don't recieve any message from that department I would have to refile my dba and send payment again. It's been a month... read more

I went there a few weeks ago. They helped me right away and in Spanish because I feel more comfortable talking in Spanish.

super rude and not at all helpful. the man and woman at the front desk where so disrespectful and inconsiderate as well as impatient. They talked down to us, in a disrespectful tone as if we were stupid. We took off work to be able to come and it was for nothing. won't be returning. we will be going to a different office in hopes for better customer service and just kinder people in general. Zero stars if I could. read more

MARRIAGE LICENSE REVIEW: Due to the executive stay-at-home order, you can now apply for a marriage license online and be interviewed via zoom for your license. Previously, you must apply in person. My daughter submitted her marriage license application with Alameda County, and got an email indicating it would take 4-6 weeks to process. After 4 weeks, she called their office for an update, and was met by a very unfriendly clerk that gave no more information than it would take 4-6 weeks. With her wedding day approaching, she decided to apply at another county. Luckily, she called Sonoma County and was met by a very friendly clerk who said she could definitely get a zoom interview in a couple weeks. The zoom interview with Sonoma County was quick and easy, and she got her marriage license in time for her wedding. After almost 8 weeks, she finally gets an email from Alameda County asking if she was still interested in getting a marriage license. The worst part is they already charged her for the license. Hopefully she can get a refund. She would have had to postpone her wedding if she didn't check around with other counties. I get that times are tough, but the difference between the Alameda County and Sonoma County recorders offices are night and day. Both are operating under the same tough circumstances, but Sonoma County is so much more efficient and pleasant. read more

Got married in December 2023. Friendly staff and beautiful rooms where you can have family and friends (unlike the one in sf where they had a limit of 6 people and it's more expensive), very affordable if you plan on doing elopement and just have a simple small ceremony read more

If you've never had bad customer service please take a walk to this destination. Bare minimum speech, bare minimum on any clarification needed, so this is the tax I be paying for? read more

I have to give both clerks that checked us in and performed our marriage ceremony a 100 stars!!!! They were so polite, excellent communication, understanding and professional. Give them a raise and a vacation. Our receipt had a Melissa Wilk and it was at Window#1 and I totally forgot the other clerks name (sorry). Thank you Alameda County Clerks Office for making our day extra special with no added stress. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

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It's was quick and easy to get my birth certificate ! It was great service. I needed a birth certificate to move read more

Our recent visit was so my best friends got married! We came here on a Thursday so it was a quick and easy visit. We probably spent less than an hour here. That included filling out the paper work, meeting with one of the workers, having a ceremony and taking photos. The judge who performed the ceremony was professional and courteous. All the workers were helpful and super nice. Parking can be a bit of a pain to find especially with the construction going on. There is a parking garage but it fills up pretty quick. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

Went in on a Wednesday morning at 10:00 am for a marriage license and ceremony and we were in and out in under an hour. Melissa was super nice and accommodating and the marriage license took about 30 minutes. Our scheduled ceremony wasn't until 12:30 but Vera was able to take us earlier so we didn't have to wait 2 more hours. read more

Before arriving here, I called this office to find out their business hours and how much is a copy of my marriage certificate. Automated keypad instructions lead to the responses that I was searching for. Business hours: M to F, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Cost for a copy of marriage certificate: $16.00 cash; otherwise, $18.00 with a credit card ($2.00 fee). Same day request, same day service. However, if the marriage occurred before January 1970, then it takes more than a day to find and print a copy of the certificate. The service was amazingly quick and efficient. No long lines and/or long wait. I was totally impressed. Wow, comparing this agency with a few (ahem) other government agencies (like County Welfare Office, DMV and IRS), the employees here were friendly and I like it when service is provided with a smile, and with utmost courtesy and respect. There's no grumbling, no grunting, no drama, no "bitch and moan" sessions, no offensive language being used, and believe me I heard plenty of that type of noise in certain state agencies. I filled out the paperwork for a copy of my marriage certificate, was given a ticket by an employee at the reception desk. There was no waiting as another employee helped me immediately. All I had to do was show my ID, paid the fee and waited less than five minutes for the document. In and out of there in less than 15 minutes. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

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Got here so early that the employees hadn't shown up yet! (wanted to avoid traffic) Parked around the corner, threw a couple bucks worth of plastic in to the meter for a couple hours and went inside. Unfortunately I entered via the employee entrance and was told to go back outside. Gathered out front were a number of folks with the same idea, so we waited patiently outside while the employees were let in the building. When the guard let the rest of us in, a stampede (a mini-stampede) towards the desk got me a DMV-style number (letter & 3 digit number) to wait in the queue. Well, as we were the only ones in that office, my number was the first one called. A computer survey-ish form, a short interview and a crisp hundred dollar bill later, my visit lasted about 20 minutes. Something tells me that this is near light speed for a government office. I'll take it. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

Simple affordable marriages and you pay for and get your official certified copy of your marriage license immediately after the wedding ceremony. Do your marriage application on line, and make your ceremony appointment same day. Pick your own appointment day and time. So far, they still only allow 8 guests so total 10 people. Don't park across the street if you plan to leave around 3:00 pm because it turns into a double parking situation, with people picking up their kids from a nearby school. They park in the green bike lane, and you will be blocked from getting out of the curb parking. read more

BIRTH CERTIFICATE REVIEW: I had to order an original copy of my birth certificate from here today. I ordered it in person. You have to go around the corner (patio entrance) to get a number, fill out the paper work, and wait for them to call your number (then go back to the main entrance). I was satisfied with their fast and friendly customer service. TIP: for in-person orders, they only accept debit card and cash. read more

I was stressing out because I had an expired ID, and no other documents. I was able to go in and out in 10 minutes without providing any documents, just an application and a signature. Really took the pressure off. Thank you! read more

I had to pick some official documents and the process was easy and simple. The staff direct you on what to do and clearly explain everything to you. The only bad part is that parking is tough to find. And be sure to bring cash check or debit card. They do NOT take credit card at all. read more

WOW -- I'm impressed! So, long story short, I can't find my passport for an upcoming trip. Can't find my birth certificate to order the passport. Don't have time to run across the bay to the clerk's office, and getting really worried about the timing. NO PROBLEMS! Faxed over a notarized request form, and followed up by email to explain the urgency. The kind clerk had my certified birth certificate to me the NEXT DAY by FedEx! EVEN EMAILED TO ADVISE OF A CHEAPER OPTION FOR DELIVERY (i.e., since they were getting it turned around on the same day - Thursday - I didn't have to pay for the higher Saturday FedEx charge). THANK YOU COUNTY CLERK!! MY HERO! read more

I am seriously in awe at the service I received. I live in San Diego, but needed a copy of my birth certificate for my passport application, so I had to request one via mail. I filled out the form, printed it, got it notarized at postal annex and dropped it in the mail on a Saturday. It is now Friday, and my birth certificate was waiting for me in the mail. That was a 4 business day turn around time, via mail, ON A SHORT HOLIDAY WEEK. Did I mention they sent me email notifications when they 1) received my request, and 2) after it had been processed and put in the mail? No having to wonder where my request was or if they even got it. Seriously, way to go guys, that was the most efficient and painless government interaction I have ever had. Keep up the good work. Also, shout out to my parents for birthing me in a competent County. read more

They were not very friendly and they gave me a redacted copy of my birth certificate when I went and asked for an unrestricted copy with no redactions. There's supposed to be a state file registration number starting with 104 and then a string of numbers to indicate the registration of my birth certificate. However, that section has been completely removed so that the string of numbers directly stating the filing of my birth certificate have been redacted and so that information has been withheld from me even though I paid for an unrestricted copy which is supposed to be a true copy. I looked at it and I told them hey there's stuff missing and they got very snippy and angry and said that you're not getting any other form and you're not getting anything else. We're not gonna give it to you. I told him well what if there is another version that is more complete and you're just refusing to give it that wouldn't be fair. They said well we don't have anything else and we're not gonna give you anything else. For the process which I need to do I need that state file number which is the registration number and it's just totally missing. They were not knowledgeable about if this is the long form or the book copy or just a short version copy, or else they didn't want to tell me for some biased reason. They were not knowledgeable about birth certificates to be able to answer my question about the CUSIP number of my birth security bond, which appears to be on the left-hand side vertically but I'm not sure if that's it. They were not able to confirm or deny that. Just the hostility toward someone who just needs their vital information was a real obstruction for me. It is your duty it is your requirement to give me this information not to redact it and hide it from me and refuse to give we the people of Alameda county our own documents. In fact it is possible that they even deliberately are withholding this information from those who live in Alameda county. And if they're doing it universally well then they're harming everyone and if they're doing it individually well then they're deliberately targeting natural people. read more

Alameda County Clerk -Recorder - Courthouses Near Me - Oakland, California

My wife and i applied for our marriage license online in August and set an appointment for our ceremony for September 24, 2021. Since we were a little worried about not getting our license before our ceremony i called the office and the lady i spoke to said we were both able to come in during their business hours with our reference number to get our license right away. We went in on September 10th to get our license and it was really quick and easy. All you need to bring is you&your partner, reference number, and IDs. We were able to get married on sept 24th ( exactly one week ago ) and it was such an amazing experience. The man at the ticket window, the security guard, and the woman ( desk 3 i believe) that completed our marriage license were all helpful and welcoming. Also wanted to give a big shout out to the woman who performed our ceremony named Myrna. She was so accommodating and wanted to make sure our ceremony was perfect by asking us if we preferred or wanted anything in particular. My in laws are Spanish speaking so Myrna offered to translate for them throughout the ceremony which i thought was really sweet of her. Thank you to all there that made our day very special. read more

We couldn't make it to attend a friends' destination wedding, but they asked us to stand witness when they *really* got married in Oakland. After their paperwork was done, we waited around for about 15 minutes and was then escorted upstairs to a small non-denominational little room with benches and an archway. The recorder's office needs marriage deputy volunteers and to promote a KCBS story, Mike Sugerman officiated their wedding. The whole thing took less than 2 hours ... during what appeared to be the busiest time of day and after getting my marriage license from SF City Hall - while this location isn't nearly as ornate, the service was definitely friendlier. read more

In my business I deal with every county in California and this has got to be one of the most inefficient counties in California. When you mail something in for recording it can take a month to get it recorded and if you send in a copy and self-addressed, stamped envelope to get a copy of the recording back don't hold your breath.....I rarely get that back. I asked one of the employees in the recorders office why things were taking so long (and this was BEFORE COVID) and he said they were a week out. HA! I mail recordings in regularly and it's always been this slow. Come one Alameda County.....you're one of the bigger counties around. Hire more people so that you can get the job done better and quicker. read more

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder (510) 272-6362 I went here last month to buy 2 birth certificates (I guess I just wanted to make sure that my son was actually born), and my wife and I got our marriage license here 6 years ago (time flies when you're beaten and whipped). The building is large and nice (it's very modern and is kept immaculate). It's also easy to find, but there's no parking lot (unless you're going to be awhile, you shouldn't have to put more than a quarter into a parking meter- there's also a parking garage across the street if you can't find any street parking). There's a large bench inside to sit on (it's to the left when you enter). There's also a small waiting area inside the main room (the seating is comfortable). The computer room is on the right. Many people use it to complete applications. The receptionists are friendly and helpful. The forms are easy to fill out, but you may want to have a pen on you. Only small pencils are provided. After you turn in your form, you'll receive a number (I believe the letter that's in front of the numbers will correspond to the type of certificate you want- I really only had to confirm to the clerk who helped me how many birth certificates I wanted). Numbers are called out over a loudspeaker. They also appear on a digital board (it's at the back of the main room, and so you're only going to notice it if you're facing it). In most cases, you won't have to wait more than 5 minutes to be called up. The clerks are friendly, capable, and somewhat quick (you shouldn't be at the counter for more than 3 minutes). The woman who served me last month, though, could have been more professional. A young woman kept talking to her (they were either good friends or related), and she should have told her to go away. Fees: Birth Certificates: $23 (they were recently $19 and then $21). Marriage Certificates: $16. Death Certificates: $16. Marriage Licences: $96 (this "includes one certified copy of the completed marriage certificate. Requests for marriage licenses must be made before 4:00 PM"). For some other matters, the Clerk's Handling Fee is $50. Although they look nice, you may feel ripped off if you buy a birth certificate (I looked at the ones I got and immediately thought, "This is it?!"). The font is small (the certificates don't take up a full page), and more information was included on them in the past. You can order a birth certificate online or by mail, but your request form will need to be notarized (when I went in, I just had to show my driver's license). There's now a food kiosk inside (it's to the immediate left when you enter the main room). It looks inviting, but I only know that a small variety of food and drinks are sold (I can also say that the cashier I saw was doing a good job). Knowing the area, expect to pay a minimum of $2 for an item. The office is run very well (you should receive great service). Don't be intimidated if you have to come here. read more

We decided to get married on a whim, and needed a proper courthouse to make it official. We called several courthouses, and looked online, and most were either completely booked for several months, or didn't have the kind of availability we needed. I called the Alameda/Oakland courthouse during the afternoon and immediately got through to a clerk. She was very helpful and informed me that they basically do walk-ins for marriages, and advised which days are best (avoid Fridays, come in Monday through Thursdays, and swing in by 3 pm at the absolute latest). We got there around 10:30 am on a Monday. The courthouse was quiet and calm, and ran incredibly efficiently. We had our ceremony performed by an incredibly kind lady named Janet Apple who was one of the most gracious people I've ever met. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful, and we were hitched by noon or so. Wonderful experience all around. Highly recommended. read more

It's kind of hard to rate a government office, I am suddenly realizing. Oh well. I'm giving it five stars because of Arlinda, the clerk who helped me the second time I went to file a fictitious business name. Yes, that's right, I've been there TWICE to file a fictitious business name. No, I did not change the name of my business. I did not have two businesses, either. You see, in order to have a valid fictitious business name, you have to publish the name in the newspaper for four weeks. Yes, this is archaic and annoying and ridiculous. Anyway, the first time, I was too cheap to pay the $60 to have the stupid Tribune run my business name. I searched for 27 days for a cheaper option, and could not find one. So on the 27th day, I went crawling back to the Tribune and asked to have my name published. They said it was too late. So back to the County Clerk I went, because if you don't publish within 30 days, you have to file all over again. Yes, my being a cheap-ass cost me an extra $29 because I had to pay to do the same thing all over again. That's where I met Arlinda. Arlinda told me to go to the Inter-City Express and have my business name published for $35. That made me happy. I just wish I'd known that the first time around, or this process would have been less expensive. Overall, this experience is not a bad one. I don't know what else people use the Recorder's Office for, but the line is not generally bad to file a fictitious business name. You're not in the same line as all the other people, and both times it's only taken me about 20 minutes to finish the whole process. Not too bad, I say, especially for a government office. Not bad at all. NOTE: this part of the process will cost you $29. read more

Getting marriage certificate copy, in and out in 20 minutes! DMV take a lot of notes, it's not that hard. read more