The Office of Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen has been recognized with a 2026 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for the department’s innovative program, 

“Clerk-Recorder on Wheels: Reimagining Access to County Services.” The award honors forward-thinking, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

“I am honored to receive this award and proud of what Clerk-Recorder on Wheels has achieved for our community,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “We heard from parents, working residents, and community members who could not easily visit one of our offices because of transportation challenges, work schedules, or limited time during the day. This mobile unit allows us to bring essential Clerk-Recorder services directly to residents throughout Orange County at times and locations that better serve them. Thanks to the dedication of our outstanding staff, we remain committed to serving with innovation, integrity, and our community always in mind.”

Since its March 2025 launch, Clerk-Recorder on Wheels has transformed access to county services by delivering a fully equipped mobile unit directly to cities and communities across Orange County. The mobile unit has traveled 584 miles, completed 44 events, interacted with more than 1,700 members of the public, and provided 1,667 completed services, including 998 passport applications and photos, 645 vital records, and two dozen marriage services and business filings.

Clerk-Recorder on Wheels is designed to make services more convenient for residents facing challenges related to distance, transportation, work schedules, or language access needs. The mobile unit partners with government agencies, schools, community organizations, and local groups to bring certified copies of vital records, U.S. passport acceptance, passport photos, marriage services, property record copies, and fictitious business name filings to trusted community locations.

Each year, NACo’s Achievement Awards recognize outstanding programming in 18 categories aligned with the broad range of services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, libraries, management, information technology, health, civic engagement, and more. Launched in 1970, the program celebrates innovation in county government, and each nominated program is judged on its own merits.

Clerk-Recorder on Wheels welcomes opportunities to collaborate with new partners to expand its reach and better serve local communities. For more information on Clerk-Recorder on Wheels’ upcoming events, or to request collaboration, please visit OCCLERKRECORDER.GOV/CROW.

For more information about NACo’s Achievement Awards, visit www.naco.org.

For questions, please call the department’s call center at (714) 834-2500 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except County holidays. Visit OCCLERKRECORDER.GOV for more details. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department is excited to celebrate 20 years of service at its Laguna Hills Branch Office, a milestone that reflects the department’s continued commitment to providing convenient access to Clerk-Recorder services for South County residents and customers throughout Orange County.

“Our Laguna Hills Branch Office has proudly served South County residents for two decades, and I am excited to celebrate this special occasion with the community we serve,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “For many couples, this location is where a new chapter begins. Our team is honored to help make that special moment simple, welcoming, and memorable.”

Located inside the Laguna Hills Civic Center, the Laguna Hills Branch Office offers marriage licenses, civil marriage ceremonies, renewal of vows, passport services, passport photos, birth, death, and marriage records, fictitious business name filings, and official record copies. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except County holidays.

As the department celebrates this milestone, Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen reminds couples that appointments are preferred for marriage services, but walk-ins are always welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. Outdoor ceremonies are available upon request when staffing, weather, and location permits.

Couples may choose from several ceremony options through the Clerk-Recorder Department, including indoor civil ceremonies, outdoor ceremonies upon request, renewal of vows, and live-stream ceremonies for loved ones who cannot attend in person. The Laguna Hills location also offers a beautiful South County ceremony room setting, along with outdoor areas near the Civic Center that may serve as a memorable backdrop for photos, including outdoor photos with pets when appropriate.

The department also offers Special Saturday Openings throughout the year, with dates and service information posted on the department’s website. Couples attending a Special Saturday Opening may ask about indoor and outdoor ceremony options when visiting the office.

To ensure couples receive the most accurate and up-to-date information, the department encourages the public to rely on official Clerk-Recorder sources. Information shared by third parties, including vendors, social media accounts, or online posts, may be outdated, incomplete, inaccurate, or potentially misleading.

For questions, please call the department’s call center at (714) 834-2500 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except County holidays. Visit OCCLERKRECORDER.GOV for more details. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen continues to strengthen efforts to protect homeowners from real estate fraud through the ongoing use of Real Property Fraud Prevention Courtesy Notices - a trusted program that alerts property owners whenever documents are recorded on their property. 

To further support homeowners, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office continues its partnership with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, providing direct reporting options for suspected fraud. Homeowners who receive a notice and believe a transaction may be fraudulent are encouraged to contact the Real Estate Fraud Unit directly at REFraud@ocdapa.org.

“These notices have been critical in helping property owners spot suspicious activity early,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “With countywide support, we are ensuring that fraud prevention remains a top priority.”  

Courtesy notices are automatically mailed to property owners when certain documents - such as grant deeds, quit claim deeds, trustee’s deeds, or notices of default - are recorded on their property. Each notice includes a copy of the first page of the recorded document so homeowners can quickly confirm whether the transaction is legitimate.

Over the years, the program has expanded to include a broader range of document types and remains one of the most proactive fraud-prevention tools offered by the County Clerk-Recorder.

For questions, please call the Clerk-Recorder’s information line at (714) 834-2500 during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Visit OCClerkRecorder.gov for details. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at 714-834-2248. 

For the third year in a row, Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is partnering with the California Secretary of State to bring Apostille services closer to residents in Orange County and surrounding counties. The one-day Apostille Pop-Up Shop will take place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the County Administration South Building, 601 N. Ross St., Santa Ana, CA 92701. No appointments are required. Services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year, the Apostille Pop-Up Shop will also offer Registered Domestic Partnership services through the California Secretary of State, giving eligible couples another convenient service option.

“Over the past two years, our Apostille Pop-Up Shops have helped thousands of residents save time and money by bringing this valuable service closer to home,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “We are pleased to once again partner with the California Secretary of State to offer Apostille services on-site in response to continued high demand.”

An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the signature of a California public official on a document intended for use outside of the United States. Common documents requiring an Apostille include birth, marriage, single status certificates, educational records, and other official or notarized documents. Normally, individuals seeking in-person Apostille services must travel to the California Secretary of State’s offices in Los Angeles or Sacramento, or mail their request to Sacramento for processing.

To ensure a smooth experience, please bring the following:

• A document signed by a California public official or an original notarized and/or certified document. Photocopy is not acceptable. 

• A completed Apostille Pop-Up Shop Request Cover Sheet found at:

  https://notary.cdn.sos.ca.gov/forms/apostille-request-apus.pdf

• California Secretary of State processing fee is $20 for each apostille document, along with a $6 special handling fee for every public official’s authentication signature. Payments for apostille services can be made using Visa, Mastercard, checks, or money orders. No cash accepted.

• Notary public services will be available on-site from the OC Clerk of the Board office for $15 per signature, payable by cash or personal check only. Make check payable to the County of Orange. 

For more information about obtaining an Apostille or domestic partnership registration, visit the 

California Secretary of State’s website.

For any questions, please call the department’s information line at (714) 834-2500 during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays. 

Visit OCRecorder.com for details. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at 714-834-2248. 

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY: March 13, 2026

CONTACT for Supervisor Janet Nguyen: Tori Richards (714) 834-5887
                 for Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen: Billy Le (714) 834-2096

Community Passport Event

WHAT:

Supervisor Janet Nguyen and Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen, in partnership with Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein, will host a Community Passport Event offering residents convenient access to passport services so they can apply early and avoid last-minute travel delays. 

WHEN:

Saturday, April 11, 2026

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE:

Garden Grove Courtyard Center

12732 Main St., Garden Grove

“This event is about making passport services quick, convenient, and accessible,” said Supervisor Janet Nguyen. “Residents in the First District can take care of their passport needs close to home.”

"It is a great pleasure for me to bring our Clerk-Recorder on Wheels mobile services directly to our community without them losing a day of work or their children missing school to come to our offices" said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen.

“As Mayor of Garden Grove, I am proud to partner with Supervisor Janet Nguyen and Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen to help provide passport services to community.  Whether planning travel, education, or new opportunities aboard, we want to make the process as easy as possible for our residents”, said Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein. 

Applicants must apply in person and bring proof of U.S. citizenship (certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or U.S. passport), valid photo identification, Social Security number, and a check or money order for passport fees (two separate payments required: U.S. Department of State and Orange County Clerk-Recorder).

Appointments are recommended due to anticipated demand; walk-ins are welcome. 

To save time, applicants may complete the passport application online in advance at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html and bring it to the event. 

Appointments/ Information: (714) 834-3110             Passport Questions: (714) 834-2248

###

Supervisor Janet Nguyen represents the First District of Orange County Board of Supervisors, which is the cities of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Westminster and the unincorporated areas of Midway City and Rossmoor. Supervisor Nguyen served in the California State Senate, California State Assembly and as Orange County Supervisor and Garden Grove City Councilmember.

(Santa Ana, CA) Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen announced today that CRBot, the department’s interactive chatbot on OCRecorder.com, is now available in multiple additional languages to better serve Orange County’s diverse communities. Customers can now use CRBot in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese, in addition to English.

CRBot provides fast, convenient answers to common questions about Clerk-Recorder services, including vital records, marriage licenses and ceremonies, passport services, and property recording. By helping customers get quick answers online, CRBot also reduces phone calls to the Clerk-Recorder call center, allowing staff to focus on more complex requests that require live assistance. The new language options are designed to help more residents get accurate information at any time, without having to wait for office hours.

To use CRBot in another language, customers should switch their device or computer keyboard to that language (or use their device’s language input feature) and type their questions in the language they prefer. CRBot will respond in the same language.

“Language should never be a barrier to accessing county services,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “This update is about respect and real-world convenience, especially for working families, seniors, and residents who feel most comfortable communicating in another language.”

CRBot is available 24/7 and works on smartphones and mobile devices. When needed, customers can also be directed to live chat support during business hours for more complex questions.

To explore CRBot and get instant answers, visit OCRecorder.com. For additional assistance, call the Clerk-Recorder’s information line at (714) 834-2500, Monday through Friday from 

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen invites families and individuals to get a head start on travel plans at the 10th Special Passport Day on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Old Orange County Courthouse (211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92701), where residents can apply for a new U.S. passport and have passport photos taken onsite in one convenient stop.

The milestone event marks a decade of Special Passport Day service in Orange County as demand for passport services continues to grow. In 2025, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office accepted 20,197 passport applications, a nearly 30 percent increase over 2024, and took 15,766 passport photos, up more than 38 percent from the year prior. Staff have also heard from families applying for passport cards as a convenient form of identification for their children. 

The Saturday timing is especially helpful for families, since both parents are required to be present when applying for a passport for children under age 16. For applicants ages 16 and 17, only one parent needs to be present.

“Special Saturday Passport Day is one of the ways we’ve helped families take care of passport needs without missing school or work,” said Clerk-Recorder Nguyen. “As travel continues to rebound and major global sporting events approach in 2026, we encourage residents to plan ahead and avoid last-minute stress.”

Due to high demand, appointments are highly recommended. Walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details on requirements for obtaining a new passport and to book an appointment, please visit OCCLERKRECORDER.GOV. For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

Due to the significant rainfall this week, the Orange County Clerk-Recorder’s Office is cancelling the planned Clerk-Recorder on Wheels appearance at Irvine Pony Baseball Opening Day.

The mobile unit was scheduled to visit Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harvard Community Park (14701 Harvard Ave., Irvine, CA 92606).

The Clerk-Recorder’s Office appreciates the community’s understanding and looks forward to bringing Clerk-Recorder on Wheels to Irvine at a future date. Updated scheduling information will be shared when available.

For more information or to request Clerk-Recorder on Wheels for a community event, visit OCRecorder.com, or call (714) 834-2500 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays). For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen announced that the department’s mobile unit, Clerk-Recorder on Wheels, will visit Irvine for the first time during Irvine Pony Baseball Opening Day. The mobile unit will be on-site Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harvard Community Park (14701 Harvard Ave., Irvine, CA 92606).

Clerk-Recorder on Wheels helps families access services that often come up at key moments, like the start of a new school year or sports season. This includes vital records that may be needed for school enrollment and youth sports registration, such as obtaining a child’s birth certificate to participate in programs and activities.

“Opening Day is a perfect example of why we have Clerk-Recorder on Wheels,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “Parents are juggling a lot, and when a birth certificate is needed to register a child for school or sports, we want to make it easier to start that process close to home. We’re excited to bring this mobile unit to Irvine for the first time and support families right where they are.”

“Irvine Pony Baseball is proud to partner with the Orange County Clerk-Recorder´s Office to bring services directly to our community. This is exactly the kind of practical support that makes a difference for families, especially at the start of a new season,” said J.D. Hardin, President of Irvine Pony Baseball. 

"Clerk-Recorder on Wheels" will offer the following services:

• Vital Records (Birth, Death, and Marriage Certificates)

• Fictitious Business Name Registrations

• Official copies of property records (Grant Deeds, Deeds of Trust, etc.)

Customers are strongly encouraged to complete the vital records application before arriving at OCRecorder.com/vitalapp.

For more information or to request Clerk-Recorder on Wheels for a community event, visit OCRecorder.com, or call (714) 834-2500 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays). For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen announced that the department’s mobile unit, 

Clerk-Recorder on Wheels, will visit Irvine for the first time during Irvine Pony Baseball Opening Day. The mobile unit will be on-site Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harvard Community Park (14701 Harvard Ave., Irvine, CA 92606).

Clerk-Recorder on Wheels helps families access services that often come up at key moments, like the start of a new school year or sports season. This includes vital records that may be needed for school enrollment and youth sports registration, such as obtaining a child’s birth certificate to participate in programs and activities.

“Opening Day is a perfect example of why we have Clerk-Recorder on Wheels,” said Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “Parents are juggling a lot, and when a birth certificate is needed to register a child for school or sports, we want to make it easier to start that process close to home. We’re excited to bring this mobile unit to Irvine for the first time and support families right where they are.”

“Irvine Pony Baseball is proud to partner with the Orange County Clerk-Recorder´s Office to bring services directly to our community. This is exactly the kind of practical support that makes a difference for families, especially at the start of a new season,” said J.D. Hardin, President of Irvine Pony Baseball. 

"Clerk-Recorder on Wheels" will offer the following services:

• Vital Records (Birth, Death, and Marriage Certificates)

• Fictitious Business Name Registrations

• Official copies of property records (Grant Deeds, Deeds of Trust, etc.)

Customers are strongly encouraged to complete the vital records application before arriving at OCRecorder.com/vitalapp.

For more information or to request Clerk-Recorder on Wheels for a community event, visit OCRecorder.com, or call (714) 834-2500 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays). For media inquiries, please contact Billy Le at (714) 834-2248.