Plan a Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding Ceremony
A Practical Guide to Planning a Civil Ceremony Wedding in Beverly Hills Courthouse plus City Hall Photography Permit Fee and Parking Cost
Either you're thinking of getting married fast and loose at the Beverly Hills Courthouse and taking pictures at City Hall across the street, or you're in the middle of planning said Beverly Hills elopement/civil ceremony wedding but can’t seem to get a simple, straightforward answer on what to do next, you’re in the right place.
Because having photographed a handful of confidential marriages at the Beverly Hills Courthouse, I can tell you it’s not easy to pull off. However, if you need to get married quickly or don’t want to deal with extra paperwork and tight deadlines, just get married in either of the six other courthouses—just keeping it 100. Because most Los Angeles County courthouses allow walk-ins, though appointments are recommended just as with your local DMV office, you'll walk out married the same day.
But before we dive into the laborious process of getting hitched in the Beverly Hills Courthouse, let’s clear up two very common misconceptions.
Beverly Hills City Hall vs Beverly Hills Courthouse
Even though they are often mentioned together, the Beverly Hills Courthouse and the Beverly Hills City Hall are not, I repeat, they are not the same building. And it doesn’t help that if you search for images of "Beverly Hills Courthouse" or "Beverly Hills Elopement," you’ll find photos of newlyweds in front of the Beverly Hills City Hall. Which in fact, no one gets married there (unless you apply for a permit), and you’ll be heartbroken to know that the actual Beverly Hills Courthouse looks like any other DMV office out there, both in and outside the building. And as you can see from the screenshot for images of the Beverly Hills Courthouse, only two are of the actual courthouse. Bottom left.
Bringing us to misconception number two.
Getting hitched at the Beverly Hills Courthouse does not, I repeat, DOES NOT automatically give you access to take pictures across the street at the Beverly Hills City Hall. As the City of Beverly Hills requires a filming permit to take "professional" wedding or family photos at City Hall/Palm Court, the Civic Center Plaza, Rodeo Dr., Beverly Gardens Park (across the street from City Hall), and even outside the Courthouse itself. Unless it’s a quick tourist photo, if you show up looking like a bride and groom even with a cell phone, you will be asked to leave.
And you’d be surprised how many couples go through the lengthy process of applying for their marriage license in Beverly Hills, show up, and assume they can then take pictures across the street, only to be told they didn’t apply for the permit ahead of time. So again, if you’re planning on getting married in Beverly Hills and are not going to bother with the filming permit at the same time, you might as well get married elsewhere because the inside of L.A. courthouses all look exactly the same.
Also, really quickly, a courthouse does not marry anyone. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office handles marriages, some are stand-alone offices, with the majority located inside their respective courthouses. There are seven offices in Los Angeles County: Norwalk, LAX, Beverly Hills, Van Nuys, Lancaster, East L.A., and Florence. However, just as people often mix up the names of the Beverly Hills Courthouse and Beverly Hills City Hall, they also tend to use "courthouse" and "county clerk office" interchangeably.
Find hours for all seven County Clerk offices and marriage requirements HERE.
Beverly Hills Courthouse Wedding Appointment and Cost
Alright, so if I haven’t discouraged you from getting hitched in Beverly Hills, here is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process and the requirements for scheduling your appointment at the Beverly Hills Courthouse. Surprisingly, it’s not much different from the other six County Clerk offices in L.A. County.
However, as I mentioned earlier, while some L.A. County Clerk offices allow walk-ins, like those in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, the "courthouse" inside the city limits of Beverly Hills, while technically an L.A. County courthouse, will only see you by appointment.
Apply for Your Marriage License: The cost is $90 for a public license or $85 for a confidential license, and you can apply online HERE or in person at any of the seven county clerk offices.
Schedule Your Civil Ceremony: After purchasing your marriage license, you can schedule your civil ceremony for an additional $35 online HERE, in person at your office of choice, or by calling the Los Angeles County Registar-Recorder/County Clerk directly at (800) 201-8999.
Now, this is where the first complication kicks in. Because the Beverly Hills Courthouse is a sought-after venue, you can only schedule your ceremony no more than three weeks in advance only AFTER you have purchased your marriage license. Dates fill up quickly, especially in the summer, so try to get married in the winter or early spring. And I’m not saying you can get everything done in one day in the winter, but I have seen some couples do it.
Pro Tip: In the summer, it might take anywhere from two to four weeks to purchase your marriage license and schedule the ceremony at the Beverly Hills Courthouse plus the extra trips to the courthouse to apply and pick up your marriage license before the ceremony. So, as I keep repeating, if you’re not gonna go through the trouble of applying for the filming (photography) permit, it might not be worth the extra trouble of sitting in slow hot summer traffic for two or even three separate days, plus the cost of parking. Do this in winter or early spring if possible.
How to Get a Film (Photography) Permit in Beverly Hills
This is by far the biggest complication and the one thing many "how to get married in Beverly Hills Courthouse" blogs fail to mention: the actual cost and process of applying for and acquiring a filming (photography) permit in Beverly Hills. Which again, I must repeat, is NOT automatic simply because you get hitched at the Beverly Hills Courthouse.
Alright David! Damn! How much does this dang permit cost? Get to the point already!
The cost of the Beverly Hills filming (photography) permit for either wedding or family photos is $80 per hour, with a maximum of two hours, totaling $160 and it takes about five business days for processing. You can apply for the photography permit HERE or by calling the Beverly Hills Film and Photography Permit Office directly at (310) 285-2408. And get the two hours, because here’s where the wacky policies kick in:
Advance Application
You can apply for the permit a minimum of 7 business days in advance of your requested date, but no more than 60 days in advance.
Late Application Fees
If the application is submitted within 2 to 6 business days of the requested photo date, a $289.40 fee will apply.
If the application is submitted within 2 business days of the requested photo date, a $289.40 fee will apply, plus a $129 late permit fee.
Beverly Hills may not grant you a permit if you apply less than 2 business days in advance of the requested photo date.
Insurance Requirement
You or your photographer MUST provide a certificate of insurance (COI) reflecting proof of general liability (or general aggregate) insurance coverage of $2 million, naming the City of Beverly Hills as additional insured.
Additional Things to Keep in Mind
Witness Requirement: A witness for the civil ceremony is mandatory. One can be provided for an additional $20, but your photographer can serve as the witness if they bring a photo ID.
Guest Limit: The guest limit inside the Beverly Hills Courthouse is 20. However, it's best to keep the number of guests to an absolute minimum for a smoother experience.
City Hall/Palm Court Ceremonies: While I mentioned earlier that people don’t typically hold their civil ceremonies at City Hall/Palm Court, some couples do choose to do so. This option comes at an additional cost however, which I don't have at the moment. Check back for updates.
Parking Cost: Street parking in Beverly Hills is $1 per hour. Public parking structures offer the first 2 hours free and then charge $1 per 30 minutes, with daily maximums of $15 to $20.
Is It Worth the Extra Steps?
As a photographer, I'd say yes for the unique photos you'll get. The process isn't that difficult, just time-consuming—three to four weeks during the summer, plus two or three visits to the courthouse before the ceremony assuming you have all your paperwork in order and your chosen date is available. And despite it being a sought-after location, many don't bother with the process, which is good news for you.
However, if you're flying in, do it in winter or early spring, when the process might be condensed to a week or two, again, assuming all paperwork is in order and your date is available. Lastly, if you book me as your photographer, I have my insurance up to date and the city has my paperwork on file, so that’s one less thing you have to worry about, and yes, I can even be your witness as well.