Clerk's Office

You may request a hearing date to be changed by sending a letter to the Washoe County Clerk specifying the reason(s) why you need the date changed at least five (5) days prior to your hearing date. The final decision as to whether or not a hearing date can be changed will be at the Board's discretion. All business of the County Board must be concluded by February 28^th.

The Board may ask questions at any time during the hearing. Hearings are scheduled to commence at 9:00am. Hearings are called based on the petitioners present at the hearing in the order they sign in with the Clerk. Any particular petition on the agenda may be heard at any time during the day and may not be heard in the order it appears on the agenda. Hearings can sometimes run into the evening hours.

All hearings before the Board of Equalization proceed as follows:

1. Assessor describes and locates the subject property
2. Petitioner's (property owner) presentation of value
3. Assessor's presentation of value
4. Petitioner's rebuttal

The Board may continue the hearing to a future date. In the event that the Board takes action on the petition, the Board may ask questions at any time. The Board's action may consist of denying the petition, upholding the petitioner's value, or deciding a different value for the property.

Action taken by the Board of Equalization on any appeal may include adding thereto or deducting therefrom a sum from any other property assessed by the County Assessor as is necessary to make it conform to the taxable value of the property on appeal.

For information related to this question, please review the information contained in the Board of Equalization Evidence Exhibits section.

The Board of Equalization may hear a petition with or with out the petitioner present. If you can't attend the hearing, but want the Board to consider your written evidence, please review the information contained in this section.

Petitions must be filed with the County Assessor of the county in which the property is located, not later than January 15^th.

The Clerk needs this documentation ahead of time so it can be copied and provided to the Board of Equalization. The Board has requested that they receive the information to review three (3) days prior to the scheduled hearing. If you are unable to provide the documentation to the Clerk five days before your hearing, please bring eight (8) copies of the documentation with you to the hearing and the Board will review it at that time.

The certificate will expire five years from the file date.

Publishing is not required in Nevada. Our office does not submit any information to the newspapers regarding fictitious firm name certificates.

The filing of this certificate does not prevent someone else from using the same business name. You can file a "Trade Name" with the Nevada Secretary of State. Please call (702) 486-2880.

The certificate must be refiled with each change of legal ownership, change of residence address of any legal owner or at five years from the file date.

You will need to contact the Nevada Department of Taxation, as well as the business license office(s) for their requirements. Any business that is regulated by a State agency must comply with those specific requirements as well.

The statute states a physical address must be used and prohibits the use of a public or private mailbox. We have provided space for an alternate mailing address.

When the business name is in any way different from the legal name of the owner(s) of the business, or a corporation is doing business under a name different than the legal entity name, a fictitious firm name certificate is required by state law. Please refer to NRS 602.

When filing this document, the Clerk's office does not mail anything to your home. You will be notified of the expiration of your certificate at the five-year expiration period.

We are not able to accept faxed copies of any of the forms. We must have the originals.

Yes, just make sure to include the special instructions when you submit your application. Please note that we cannot express or priority mail certificates unless it is through the post office using a self-addressed, pre-paid Express Mail or Priority Mail envelope that is provided to us with your application package.

Removal of a minister, church or religious official authorized to solemnize marriages is accomplished by an Affidavit of Removal of Authority to Solemnize Marriages which needs to be completed by someone authorized to speak on behalf of the church or religious organization. We will also accept a letter from the minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages if he or she wishes to voluntarily notify us. 

A notary public authorization will be revoked upon notification from the Secretary of State that the notary public is no longer in good standing and/or upon written notification or request from the notary or a court-appointed personal representative on behalf of the notary public.

Our office cannot provide instruction to individuals on how to become a minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages. Each of the various churches and/or religious organizations has their own standards and requirements. Our office is only involved with authority to solemnize marriages. If you have any other questions regarding Certificates of Permission to Solemnize Marriages in the State of Nevada, feel free to send us an email.

All clergy will need to reapply if they change to Retired Status. There is a separate application for a Retired Status Certificate. To obtain a Retired Status Certificate you must have had active charge of a church or religious organization in the State of Nevada for a period of at least (3) three years.  There is no retired status authorized for a notary public.

The turnaround time for a permanent authorization is 2-3 weeks, depending on the results of the background check. If everything is in order, the certificate will be mailed to the home address of the applicant. If there is a problem with the paperwork, there will be a delay in issuing the certificate until any and all issues are resolved.

MINISTER OR CHURCH OR RELIGIOUS OFFICIAL

According to NRS 122.066, it is valid until:

(a) The county clerk has received an Affidavit of Removal of Authority to Solemnize Marriages stating that the minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages from the church or religious organization is no longer authorized to solemnize marriages for the church or religious organization;

(b) The county clerk has received a written statement that the minister to whom a certificate of permission was granted is no longer a minister;

(c) The county clerk has reason to believe that the minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages is no longer in good standing within his church or religious organization, or that he is no longer a minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages, or that such church or religious organization no longer exists. The clerk may require satisfactory proof of the good standing of such minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages. If such proof is not presented within 15 days, the county clerk shall revoke the Certificate of Authority to Solemnize Marriages; and

(d) If any minister to whom a Certificate of Authority to Solemnize Marriages has been issued servers ties with his church or religious organization or moves from the county in which his certificate was issued, the certificate shall expire immediately upon such severance or move and the church or religious organization shall, within 5 days after the severance or move, file an Affidavit of Revocation of Authority to Solemnize Marriages. If the minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages voluntarily advises the county clerk of the severance with his church or religious organization, or that he has moved from the county, the certificate shall expire immediately upon such severance or move without any notification to the county clerk by the church or religious organization.

Authorization for a Single Ceremony Certificate of Permission to Perform A Marriage is issued for one specific ceremony. The minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages must obtain a separate authorization for each marriage performed, and may not perform more than five marriages in this State in any calendar year.

NOTARY PUBLIC

A Certificate of Permission issued to a notary public expires at the end of the notary’s current notary commission with the Nevada Secretary of State, unless renewed within 90 days of its expiration.

There is no provision in Nevada law allowing for an out-of-state judge to perform a marriage.

NRS 122.062 states that a licensed, ordained or appointed minister, or church or religious official may be authorized to perform a specific marriage in the county where the ceremony is to take place if he is in good standing with his church or religious organization. The authorization must be in writing and a separate authorization is required for each marriage performed. Such a minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages may perform not more than five marriages in this state in any calendar year. You may apply by completing the application for a Single Ceremony Certificate of Permission to Solemnize Marriages.

There is no provision in Nevada law allowing for an out-of-state notary public to perform a marriage.

Nevada law does not provide for retired judges to perform a marriage. However, a Nevada senior justice or judge may perform routine ministerial acts, including the solemnization of marriages and the administering of oaths, during his/her term as a senior justice or judge. (Nevada Supreme Court Rule 10, Section 9)

NRS 122.062 states that a licensed, ordained or appointed minister, or church or religious official may be authorized to perform a specific marriage in the county where the ceremony is to take place if he is in good standing with his church or religious organization. (There is no residency requirement for this minister or religious official for a single ceremony certificate).  The authorization must be in writing and a separate authorization is required for each marriage performed. Such a minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages may perform not more than five marriages in this state in any calendar year. You may apply by completing the application for a Single Ceremony Certificate of Permission to Solemnize Marriages.

NRS 122 provides that the form be signed by an individual authorized to speak on behalf of your church or religious organization. It could be someone such as a member of the board, an officer of the organization, or someone else within your organization who has authority to speak for your church or religious organization. You cannot sign on your own behalf.

Yes.  Effective July 1, 2019 there is a $30 fee for all Applications.  In addition, background checks are performed on all applicants, with the exception of single ceremony applicants and U.S. Armed Forces Chaplains.  The fee for the background check is $54 which goes to the third-party vendor conducting the investigation.  Details regarding payment of these fees are included in the application instructions.

Local ministers, church or religious officials or notary publics should submit their paperwork at least 3-4 weeks in advance of the wedding to allow time for processing and the required background check. Applicants applying for a Single Ceremony Certificate of Permission to Perform A Marriage should submit their applications 3-4 weeks prior to the wedding in case there are delays for corrections to the paperwork. Unfortunately, if the application is not received timely, there is a chance that your application will not be acted upon prior to your intended ceremony.

Click here for instructions for recording the marriage certificate after a wedding ceremony

Address changes require completion of the appropriate Change of Address form.  Religious Change of Address or Notary Change of Address.  A Notary Public moving to a different County must reapply in the new County of residence as the Certificate is only valid while they reside in the County of issuance.

Address changes for church or religious organization or the minister's home address require completion of a Religious Organization Change of Address form. Please notify us of address changes on the appropriate form and return it to the address listed above. Certificate holders will need to reapply if they change to a new church or religious organization. Applications can be obtained online.

Send it to Washoe County Clerk's Office, Clerk’s Admin, 1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A, Reno, NV 89512. If you are sending it via express mail, send to 1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A, Reno, NV 89512.

NRS 122.064, Subsection 3 (c), mandates that "…the county clerk shall, before approving an initial application, satisfy himself that: …the applicant has not been convicted of a felony, released from confinement or completed his parole or probation, whichever occurs later, within 10 years before the date of the application." A background check will be conducted by a third party vendor on Permanent Applications, and Temporary Replacement Applications. The non-refundable fee for this background check is $54 payable by the applicant. Additional information is contained in the individual Application packets.

To be legally married, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any person authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Nevada. Your options are:

• Wedding Chapels
• Churches
• Commissioner of Civil Marriages

One witness to the marriage ceremony is required by law. Chapel brochures are available in the 1st floor hallway of Building A at the 9th Street complex for your selection. You may also call the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor's Authority at (800) FOR-RENO, (888) 367-7366. The Chamber of Commerce  at (775) 636-9550. To be married at Lake Tahoe you may call the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Chamber of Commerce at (775) 831-4440.

A marriage license issued in the State of Nevada may be used anywhere within Nevada. If a Nevada license is used anywhere other than Nevada, the ceremony and the marriage are not legal. A marriage performed in Nevada with a Nevada license is a legal marriage.

Both parties must be present at the time their license is issued unless there are extenuating circumstances. Single signature licenses will only be issued with supervisor / management approval. If you feel you may qualify to be issued a single signature license, please contact our office prior to coming in so that we can discuss the specifics of your situation.

Blood tests are not required in Nevada, and there is no waiting period.

You can request a copy of the Marriage Application online. You are not requesting a license to be married. You must be present in our offices to request a Marriage License. By clicking the "online" link above, you will be taken to our secured server. When you have completed your request, you will need to click on continue to return to our site. If you do not feel comfortable submitting your request online, you may obtain a copy by mail from:

Washoe County Clerk
1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A
Reno, NV 89512

When ordering a certified copy by mail, please remit $.50 per page copy charge and $6.00 for the certification (most documents are one page in which case the fee would be $6.50 for a certified copy). You will be notified if there are additional pages.

Visa, MasterCard, Money Orders or Cashier Checks only, no personal checks. Please include the date of marriage and names of the bride and groom with your request. You may also call us at (775) 784-7287 as we do accept phone orders with a Visa or MasterCard credit card only.

You can obtain a true, legal certified copy of your marriage record (marriage certificate) from the Washoe County Recorder's Office. You can download the request form and mail or fax it to the Recorder's Office. The Recorder's Office is located in the Washoe County Administration Complex, 1001 E 9th Street, Building A, Room 150. The hours of service are Monday through Friday, 8AM to 5PM. The fee per certified copy is $15.00. When requesting certified copies through the mail from the Recorder's Office you will need to allow 10-15 working days for processing. The mailing address is WASHOE COUNTY RECORDER, 1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A, RENO, NV 89512. It is Nevada State law that within 10 days after you have had a marriage ceremony performed, that the minister must deliver the original marriage certificate to the Washoe County Recorder's Office for official recording. If you need a certified copy of your marriage certificate sooner than 10 days, check with the agency performing your ceremony, as they may be able to help expedite the processing of your certificate.

Social Security and the DMV require a certified copy of your Marriage Certificate, which will be recorded with the County Recorder after your ceremony.

You do not need to bring your divorce papers, however, if you have been divorced or your previous marriage has been annulled, the divorce or annulment must be final in the state where granted. You must know the year of the divorce or annulment and where the papers were filed.

Effective October 1, 2019 persons under the age of 17 are prohibited from marrying (see AB 139). Nevada residents under the age of 18 and over the age of 17 may obtain a marriage license with parental consent AND a certified copy of a Nevada Court Order.

The fee for filing a Petition for a Minor Marriage with the court is $255.00.

A full packet is required to be completed and filed with the Second Judicial District of the State of Nevada. For your convenience, you may download the forms here:

• 1 of 3) Instructions
• 2 of 3) Petition
• 3 of 3) Declaration of Resident Witness

Alternatively, you may visit the Second Judicial District Court's website for more information below (navigate to "All Other Family Related Packets" and then to "MM Petition for Court Authorization for the Marriage of a Minor"):
https://www.washoecourts.com/Main/FormsAndPackets

For additional information about the process to obtain a court order, you may contact the Second Judicial District Court by phone at (775) 328-3110 or in person at 75 Court Street, Reno, Nevada 89501.

Once a court order authorizing the marriage of a minor has been entered, you must bring a certified copy of the Order to the County Clerk to obtain a marriage license.

Each applicant must provide government issued photo ID containing the person’s legal name and date of birth (see Marriage FAQs:  What Should I Bring for Identification? and What If I’m Not 18? for more information).  Your name and birth date will appear on your marriage license exactly as they appear on the ID you present.

Nevada Revised Statute 122.040(3) requires each applicant to provide the following information under oath:

1. Information about applicant:
   1. Place of residence (city and state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
   2. Place of birth (city and state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
   3. Social Security Number (documentation is not required). If a person does not have a Social Security Number, the person must state that fact
   4. Prior marriages (documentation is not required)
      1. Number of this marriage (1st, 2nd, etc.)
      2. How most recent marriage ended (death, divorce or annulment)
      3. Where most recent marriage ended (city and state, if outside U.S.A., name of country)
      4. When most recent marriage ended (month and year)
2. Parental Information
   1. Father's name
   2. Father's place of birth (state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
   3. Mother's name (maiden)
   4. Mother's place of birth (state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
3. Mailing address for the couple

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IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Except as otherwise provided in this section, before issuing a marriage license, the county clerk shall require each applicant to provide proof of the applicant’s name and age (NRS 122.040-2).

The marriage license must contain the name of each applicant as shown in the documents presented (NRS 122.050).

The following documents are acceptable as proof of age and name (NRS 122.040-2):

• Driver’s license
• Driver’s instruction permit
• State ID card
• Passport
• United States military ID
• United States military dependent ID
• United States certificate of citizenship or naturalization
• Permanent or Temporary United States resident ID card.

Additional documents containing the applicant’s age, name, photo, and/or date of birth may be accepted on a case-by-case basis with managerial approval.  If you do not have any of the documents listed above but would like to discuss if what you have will suffice, we recommend speaking with the Marriage & Business Division Operations Manager prior to visiting our office.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Your Marriage License and Certificate will be prepared with your legal name exactly as it appears on the identification presented. It is your responsibility to present the proper identification to have your name reflected as you desire. For example, if you want your Marriage License and Certificate to reflect your full middle name, the identification you present must contain your full middle name - not an initial.

Errors discovered after the ceremony may be corrected upon written request to this office. Marriage records WILL NOT be changed after the ceremony to reflect names that are different from the names on the identification presented at the time the license was issued unless extenuating circumstances exist and proof of the correct name is provided. Corrections of marriage records will be approved on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to a fee. No fee will be charged for corrections due to clerical errors made by County Clerk staff.

For road information, visit http://www.nvroads.com.

Clerk's Office location:

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Note: The Clerk's Office Marriage and Business Division is located in Building A which varies from the pin on the map. Building A is found on the south entrance of the facility located on E. 9th Street.

Commissioner of Civil Marriages location:

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Note: The Civil Marriage Commissioner's Office is located in Building E which varies from the pin on the map. Building E is found on the East entrance of the facility located on E. 9th Street.

Privacy Policy - Clerk's Office

Domestic Partnerships are administered by the Nevada Secretary of State.

Persons at least 18 years of age, not nearer of kin than second cousins or cousins of the half blood, and not having a living spouse, may be joined in marriage. Both parties must appear at the Marriage License Bureau in either Reno or Incline Village.