Santa Clara County Clerk Recorder’s Office

Came in today to get my birth certificate. The cost is $ 28. You can pay either by cash or check. If you pay w/​a card, they’ll charge a processing fee. I read that on their website so I made sure to bring my checkbook along.
Doors open at 8AM.
You come in and enter the reason you are there on the kiosk and you get a number printed out. Granted, they open at 8AM but they do not start calling people until 8:10AM.
Bring your ID. Fill out the form. Come early.
Someone that took my parking spot scored 45 minutes.
The lady that helped me was having a bad day already (the day just started) but I kept my composure and was courteous the entire time.
In and out when you come early!

I applied for a passport replacement here and the experience was awesome. Scheduled an appointment online, showed up on time the day of and was out of there in 20 mins. Couldn’t have asked for an easier transaction.
Make sure you bring some quarters for street parking and remember to bring everything on the checklist (e.g. pic, application, and checks).

FOR PASSPORTS APPLICATION. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE. If you have everything ready (application, photos, proof of citizenship)… Wait for it. In and out in 5′ Bada Bing Bada boom. Also, make 2 checks; one for Department of State ($ 110), another for Clerk Recorder ($ 25) .
Parking is limited. Prepare to park on the street. Then proceed to the main hall and all the way to the left.

I came here to get a copy of a birth certificate. First you’ll need to get a number at the kiosk. Fill out the paper that you need, then you wait for about 10 to 20 mins for you’re number to be called. I thought the wait would be forever I was wrong it was super fast. The ladies at works at this office are super nice. Thank you ladies for you’re fast friendly service.

Surprisingly speedy and very nice peeps! Got my paperwork fast and was pleasantly surprised at how smooth everything went.

Had an app for my passport got there early and got out. In time for the parking meter.

Scheduled an appointment two weeks in advance for my first time getting a passport. I was in and out of the building within 5 minutes. I brought my pictures that I took at FedEx office ($ 10 with discount), birth certificate, checkbook, driver’s license, and passport application completed.
Total costs were $ 165. $ 25 went to shipping and some other cost she mentioned, and $ 140 for the passport book and passport card.
She was helpful, joked with me and made my first time getting a passport very smooth and headache free. I parked in the bofa parking lot because I didn’t know where I was going, but would advise you not to park unless you know you will be quick like I was.

This is for the passport service. It has CHANGED, and is just unreasonably rigid. Everything is appointment only, NO STAND-​BY, even if there’s a no-​show appointment. By contrast, i got global entry interview at the airport waiting stand-​by, i’ve gotten through the DMV in record time. Yes, the freaking infamous DMV & homeland security exhibit less petty bureaucracy than this bunch of clowns.
Today i checked in, it said proceed directly to window 22. Nobody there, nobody waiting. I stood at the empty counter for 10 minutes before someone showed up. She said she couldn’t take me because it’s appointment only, she was very busy, oh so busy, busy, busy, busy, and read a printed piece of paper about appointments to me. I said this seemed unreasonably strange to not take a walk-​in when not otherwise engaged. Then her supervisor proceeded to also read the print-​out from the website to me, but in A LOUDER VOICE. Gee, thanks, that added a lot. I was very polite, but told them outright I was getting aggrieved.
In the time it took the two tweedles to do that, they could have finished my daughter’s application. I had already filled it out online and was ready to go. I hope someone there reads this and disciplines them for being flat out lazy and making the office look bad.
Notably, the website SAYS it closes at 3pm. But, they didn’t read that part out loud, because they informed me it actually closes at 2:30, which I suspect is just on summer Fridays when they’ve just had it with data entry and want to get out of dodge.
So, warning to Unilocalers. The appointments are booked 6 weeks out… that’s just to drop off your application in person and pay the fees. It’s another 4 – 6 for regular processing. Even to get an appointment directly at the same-​day government office in san francisco is booked almost 2 weeks out.
[Edited to add: the SF Passport Office is amazing. 5 stars. Too bad this office changed.]
This office USED to be a rockstar of amazing friendly staff and easy process experiences. Just last year, i rolled in one day with my expired passport, signed in, put in my paperwork, paid the expedite fee, and was out within 20 minutes. They had my passport fedexed to me inside of 5 days, which was amazing above and beyond service. Yeah, well, times have changed.
I don’t know what fairy dust they passed around the office the day of that reviewer that said they walked in to get a kids passport last month, but I wish it had been in play today. We are now screwed and have to kill a day driving up and waiting in the San Francisco office, even with an appointment.

Went there to get a passport for a child. After reading troublesome, if not horror, stories about hours of waiting in post offices and checking that the soonest Milpitas city appointment was 2 months away, I managed to get an appointment here just 2 days ahead with a couple of clicks online. Cool!
We’ve parked on a free 1-​hour lot attached to the offices and were in and out in 20 minutes. We’ve asked at the info booth where to go. They told which window. We went there and got a ticket with a number and were called 10 min later. The waiting area was comfy, not too cold, with enough chairs. The lady at the window was great too. Perfect!
Come prepared with checkbook and all the docs. You can prepare the application ahead of time online. I believe they take pictures, if the person can stand on their own. We brought ours, though.

I came here expecting for this court to be like San Francisco or Alameda county. I came in pulled a ticket and while I waited I filled out the request form. By the time I was done my ticket was call. Informed the clerk I was there to pick up a copy of my Birth Certificate. She only needed my ID and told me $ 25. I paid with card, grabbed my BC and was out! Painless and easy.

They have what I think, a very efficient system. You walk in, go to their computer and after answering a few questions you either get a number and wait or you go around the corner to a different set of computers to fill out applications and what not. After waiting a few minutes, your number gets called and voila! Their staff is friendly and helpful, they have a cafeteria and their amenities are well up kept. Parking can be a challenge but for the most part it is not a waste of time and you get stuff done.

I called this morning, pressed 0 for operator and was connected immediately with helpful lady who got me an appointment.
You must make an appointment for passport process.
I’m happy with the service.

I came in to help my younger brother renew his passport book. The representative was very straight-​forward IF you have an appointment and money order/​check ready. If not, the process becomes much much slower.
Note that they do NOT ACCEPT debit cards to pay for the passport book or passport card fees! You must pay via money order or check. As for the photos, acceptance agency fee, and clerk-​recorder express mail, you can use your debit card but with an additional $ 2.95 processing fee! Come propared!

The parking closeby is a hassle because all the meteredn parking takes quarters. Had to drive around to get some change. They should update their machines to take cc like most other parking places such as in Sacramento. The place inside was a deadzone for my cell service so came out by the windows. There is a bench there and you can hear the announcements nice and clear.

I don’t think it could be easier to get a marriage license or certificate at the San Jose Clerk Recorder’s Office. There is a kiosk set up in front where you check in, and it will guide you to what you’re supposed to do. When we came here for our marriage license, we checked in, and it directed us to fill out a form at one of the computer stations. We filled everything out and waited only about 10 minutes to get called at the window.
When I came here to pick up out marriage certificates, I was super anxious because I was running late and knew they closed at 4:30pm. I had downloaded and filled out my forms online before I got there. When I arrived at 4:20 and checked in at the kiosk it gave me a number and there was no wait! I was back to my car by 4:29om.
Very efficient and barely a wait either time I went!

Took a morning off to do my passport, got my number waited for 45 mins. Went to the counter and they don’t take CC or CASH .
ONLY CHECK .
Are you F KING KIDDING ME

I needed to come here for copies of my birth certificate since I didn’t have time to wait for it by mail (3+ weeks). Their parking meters outside only allow 12 minutes max, so you’ll need to keep feeding it if you’re here for a while. There was no AC and the place was fairly crowded– both the main office and outside seating areas were about full and had plenty of people standing. I was convinced I’d be stuck in that stuffy, hot office for a good hour or so…
And yet, I made it out in 20 minutes! About 17 minutes waiting, and maybe 3 minutes to deal with paperwork and payments, show my id, say hello and then goodbye! The lady I dealt with was very friendly and quick, I got what I needed and was sent on my way.
If only all the government offices were run this smooth!

So glad I used Unilocal to find a place to get my child’s passport processed (it needed to be expedited because I didn’t realize a lot of countries won’t let you in if your passport will expire in 3 – 6 months and we were 3 – 4 weeks away from getting an appointment at the Post Office, one didn’t even answer their phone).
Best part is no appointment was necessary. We just arrived 15 minutes before the office opened. Very efficient sign-​in system (except for the rude guy who ran in front of everyone who had been patiently waiting for the doors to open). Our number was flashed on the screen and by 8:20 am we were done. I wish I had known they could have taken the photo, which would have saved time from going to get it taken.
There is also free short-​term parking, which is a rare find in downtown San Jose. When it’s time to renew my passport I know where I’ll be headed.

I just arrived home after an amazing and quick trip to Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder’s Office on Hedding Street near Downtown San Jose! This being my third time in an attempt to get a new passport after heading to the willow glen meridian ave a week ago around 2:30pm only to find the door locked, defeated, I looked up the inside scoop and arrived earlier at 10:20am this morning but not early enough and there were still 40 people in front of me in line when they ran out of tickets. I took a hint from one Unilocal review to try here instead and left right from meridian ave to this vastly different and exponentially more efficient system. Although I forgot that their website said no cash – just check or money order and all I had was cash so I went home to get some checks and returned around 12 o’clock noon ready to get ish done!
I parked in the plentiful 1-​hour-​public-​parking just outside the east wing then headed on over through the building to the west wing where there were a bunch of chairs and signs for «clerk-recorder’s office» (hours 8am-​3pm M-​F). I walked up to the kiosk– «What are you here for today?» I clicked «A passport» and then it asked me something along the lines that if I had brought a check to pay for my application since they only take checks or money orders, I clicked yes and received my ticket «B521» and went to sit down. I came prepared with my freshly charged iPhone and headphones to catch up on my new-​found 24 obsession via Netflix streaming but I didn’t even have time to put in my headphones before my number was called so quickly on this Tuesday afternoon!
I had already came prepared with my forms I completed and printed online, had all forms of the necessary identification and took a quick picture around the corner where they so passport photos for $ 12 (for 2 each). The lady that helped me was friendly and very helpful as she guided me what checks I needed to fill out (1 to the US Dept of State for $ 184.95 (expedited adult passport book) and another to the Clerk-Recorder’s Office for $ 56.95 (passport photo and processing fee).
So, save yourself the trouble of endless waiting and from the frustration of not getting a ticket and being turned away from the post office and come here! I was in and out under 20 mins, amazing!

Great set a staff here in the West Wing when it comes to organization and needing papers. I came here for a school assignment without knowing what and where, but I was able to figure it out. Santa Clara County Office is huge in itself and not a difficult place to locate. If you arrive there early, there’s street parking that you don’t have to pay for before 9am and it sits right outside the office. But there’s huge parking lots on either sides of the building, as well.
To get here, just walk inside and make a left. It’s all the way down and you’ll see a set of doors. Don’t sit down, but head towards the computers where you print a ticket with a number, somewhat like the DMV and wait for your turn. There’s many options so try to pick the closest one to what you need. I picked the wrong one, but the clerk who helped me was nice enough to reroute my number to the correct window and I was helped instantly! I got the paperwork I needed and finished up in no time.
There are a lot of seats for people waiting, and rows of computers where the public is allowed to look up ordinances or whatever it is that they might need. I find it very convenient, and it was not loud or dirty inside. Guess our tax dollars are going to work!
If I ever needed anything from the Clerk Recorder’s Office, I would definitely come to the Santa Clara County. Much appreciate their love for teh 49ers and their sense of professionalism.