Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen will be offering virtual marriage services to the public by appointment only effective January 18, 2022. This will help reduce crowds at the department’s offices and help couples minimize exposure to COVID-19, allowing them to obtain marriage services from the comfort and safety of their homes. These services are also geared towards helping first-responders and military personnel tie the knot without having to take time off from their busy work schedules. The department will offer virtual marriage appointments only from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, and on a first come, first served basis. Appointments will be limited so schedule your appointment soon! Couples must purchase a marriage license and have a virtual civil marriage ceremony performed during their appointment. To complete a marriage license application and to make an appointment, couples must visit the department’s online appointment system at https://cr.ocgov.com/portal_OC/emarriage/. For more information, please call the department’s information line at (714) 834-2500 or visit OCRecorder.com.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is proud to announce that his department is a recipient of a 2021 Innovation Award from the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) for its Hitched at Honda Center Program in the Disaster and Emergency Response/Management category and rural population category. The award is the most prestigious presented by CSAC and is awarded to programs deemed the most innovative and effective entries received in 2021. This year CSAC received a record setting 433 entries, the most in the history of the program.

This week, Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen reaffirmed his commitment to fraud prevention by gaining approval from the Orange County Board of Supervisors to continue mailing Real Property Fraud Prevention Courtesy Notices to current property owners when a transfer deed such as a deed, grant, grant deed, quit claim deed, or trustee’s deed has been recorded on a property. The courtesy notices are also sent when a notice of default has been recorded on a property.

The courtesy notices are mailed to property owners a few days after a deed affecting the ownership of their property is recorded. Notification is sent to the current owner(s) of record to inform them of any unauthorized transfer of property. Previously, the department sent notices to owners when a grant deed was recorded on their property. The program will now cover more types of deeds and notices of default.

Today, October 13, 2021, the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department achieved a milestone in electronic recording history by reaching 10 million electronically recorded documents. This accomplishment keeps the department as the nationwide industry leader and is a testament to the department’s commitment to bringing the residents of Orange County fast and efficient services.

Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen attributes much of the success to the vision of the late Gary Granville who was the Clerk-Recorder from 1994 to 2002. Under his leadership, Clerk-Recorder Nguyen was part of the team that implemented the first electronic recording system in the nation in 1997. While recording real property documents electronically is a common service today, Orange County changed the industry by implementing the first electronic recording delivery system in the nation.

WASHINGTON – The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department has been recognized with a second 2021 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

NACo recognized “COVID-19: Hitched with Virtual Wedding Services” in the award category of Information Technology. Dedicated to offering as many safe options as possible, Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen began offering virtual marriage services following Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order allowing marriage services through videoconference. The creative joining of the department’s existing technological resources and online services allowed it to construct a process that was operationally effective, cost effective, and simple. More importantly, this creative use of technology allowed high risk individuals, first responders, and many others who were unable to visit the department’s offices in-person to access essential government services.

WASHINGTON – The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department has been recognized with an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

NACo recognized “COVID-19: Hitched at Honda Center through Marriage Services”, in the award category of County Administration and Management. The Hitched at Honda Center program allowed the department to reimagine the marriage services process. Through thoughtful planning, training, and management, staff worked from inside ticket booths at Honda Center in Anaheim, California that had all the resources needed to be fully functional despite operating from a remote location. This allowed the department to continue rendering essential marriage services to its customers in a totally reimagined manner despite the pandemic.

After being forced to halt passport services due to pandemic closures, COVID-19 numbers drastically falling, and demand for travel increasing daily, Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is pleased to announce the resumption of passport services at his department, signaling a steady return to normalcy. One year after halting services due to COVID-19, the department is excited to get passport services up and running again. In what is considered a milestone achievement, effective Monday, May 17, 2021, the department will be offering appointments only for new passports at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and at its North County branch office in Anaheim. Again, only new passport applications will be accepted. No passport renewal services will be available. Service is by appointment only. No passport services available at Laguna Hills office.

To complete a passport application and to book an appointment, customers must visit OCRecorder.com. Appointments are filling up fast, so book yours now! Applicants must complete their application online and make an appointment prior to visiting the offices. The Old County Courthouse is located at 211 West Santa Ana Blvd. in downtown Santa Ana and offers appointments from 8 am to 4 pm. The North County branch office at 222 S. Harbor Blvd., Ste. 110 in Anaheim, inside the Wells Fargo Building and is offering appointments from 9 am to 4 pm. No walk-in service will be available at either location. For those looking to renew a passport, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website at travel.state.gov/content/travel.html. 

Effective April 1, 2021, Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is pleased to announce the following service updates to the department’s document recording and marriage services:

• Document recording services will resume at the department’s branch offices in Anaheim and Laguna Hills. Please note that document recording services open at 9:00 a.m., close from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch, and close at 4:00 p.m. at the department’s branch offices.
• Marriage services will be available to walk-in customers at the department’s branch offices in Anaheim, Laguna Hills and at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana. Services will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the branch offices and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana.

Customers MUST complete an online marriage application at OCRecorder.com prior to visiting any office location. An appointment is highly recommended and can also be made online. Passport services will not be available at any of the department’s locations until further notice. The department will be implementing social distancing guidelines and steps recommended by local and state health authorities at all locations.

Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is excited to announce the resumption of walk-in service at the department’s office locations in Anaheim, Laguna Hills, and Santa Ana. Appointments will no longer be needed to obtain the department’s services, except for marriage services. Real property document recording services will only be available at the department’s County Service Center office location in Santa Ana. Passport services will not be available at any of the department’s locations until further notice. The department will continue to implement social distancing guidelines and steps recommended by local and state health authorities at all locations. 

Marriage services will be available by appointment only at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana and the department’s North and South County branch offices in Anaheim and Laguna Hills until further notice. Customers MUST complete an online marriage application and make an appointment at OCRecorder.com prior to visiting any office location.

Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen will offer virtual marriage services for the first time on what is considered the most romantic day of the year by many. Although Valentine’s Day lands on a Sunday this year, that is not stopping Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen from making it memorable for couples looking to tie the knot from the comfort and safety of their home. The department will offer virtual marriage appointments from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on a first come, first served basis, so schedule yours soon! Couples must purchase a marriage license and have a civil marriage ceremony performed during their appointment. For more information, please call the department’s information line at (714) 834-2500 or visit OCRecorder.com.