City will stop providing marriage license service in city hall

Thousand Oaks residents thinking of getting married should make up their minds quickly to save themselves a trip to Ventura County offices.

Beginning July 1, Thousand Oaks couples will no longer be able to obtain a marriage license from city offices. Instead, they’ll have to travel to county offices to obtain a license to marry.

The marriage license service is one of several cuts the city is making as part of its 2005-06 and 200607 fiscal year budgets.

Since the 1970s the city had offered the service as a satellite courtesy for the county and as a convenience for residents. At one time, all of the cities in the county offered similar service. The only holdout is the city of Fillmore, according to Linda Lawrence, deputy city clerk.

Lawrence offered several reasons for ending the service. For one thing, Thousand Oaks charges more than the county. Of the $143 charged by the city, $76 goes back to the county. The rest covers staff time. The county only charges $97 and offers marriage ceremonies, too.

The screening process has become more stringent, with tougher rules involving previous marriages and immigration status. Couples must bring in more backup paperwork than previously required.

“It’s a more complicated and time-consuming process that takes time away from our city services,” Lawrence said. “The county has access to more government records than we do.” Fewer people are requesting licenses from the city. Over a 10month period in 1993, the city issued 459 marriage licenses. In fiscal year 2004-05, only 136 licenses were issued.

The county offers licenses five days a week to anyone. The city offers the service only two days a week and only to Thousand Oaks residents or to those who are employed in the city. Licenses are good for 90 days.