Same sex marriage is legal in Pennsylvania as of May 20, 2014. Yes, all couples will need to apply for and receive a marriage license before their wedding in order to be legally married in Pennsylvania. If the license is not used within the 60 day period, the marriage license must be returned and the application process must be repeated in its entirety and the fee re-paid. Fee. What will we need to bring with us? 4. Any questions may be directed to 724-284-5354. Finally, pay the $80 fee and make sure to get married within 60 days. Naturalization Records. $60 fee, cash only Please take note: 1. Criminal Court records are part of the PA Unified Judicial System. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Telephone. You and your fiance will need to apply together at the County Courthouse in order to receive your license. Excellent! 101 South Mercer St., Room 401 P.O. Keep reading to learn how to apply for a marriage license in Pennsylvania. All Rights Reserved. All applicants will need to provide their social security number and a government issued photo ID for the marriage license in Pennsylvania to be issued. I'm getting married in less than a month, and, "It gave me the knowledge of getting a marriage license that I never knew before. The fee to obtain a marriage license is $50 cash only. The license is only valid in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. If you plan to get married in Pennsylvania, you and your significant other will have to file a joint application for a marriage license prior to the wedding ceremony in order to have the union legally recognized by the state. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. 4. Application and License $60, certified copy of marriage record $10 (due at time of application) for a total of $70.00. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to be aware of special rules that may apply to your situation, read on! Marriage License Portal The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' has created an online service that allows for submitting an online Marriage Application. Doctor of Law, University of Wisconsin-Madison. If you wait past that time frame, you can't get married without applying for and paying for another marriage license. Philadelphia, PA 19107. Anyone wishing to marry in Pennsylvania must obtain a Pennsylvania marriage license. Pennsylvania law requires a minimum 3-day waiting period after application is made before license can be issued. Deeds. If either party is under 16, parental consent is required, along with an order of approval from a judge of the Orphans Court. This article has been viewed 236,656 times. Office of Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued at the county level in Pennsylvania. Because your marriage license will not transfer from one state to another, you’ll need to have the required documents prepared when you go in person to apply for the license. Both applicants must appear together in person to complete the marriage license application. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 236,656 times. The ceremony need not be performed in the county in which the license was issued but must be performed in the state of Pennsylvania. The bride and groom may not be legally married to any other individual at the time of application. Pennsylvania requires all engaged couples to meet certain requirements. You may appear at either our Levittown or Doylestown offices and complete the application in person, if you do not wish to complete your application online. Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses If you applied for your Marriage License in York County, you may request in writing to obtain a Certified Copy by sending a $10.00 check/money order made payable to "Clerk of Orphans' Court" and forward to: Clerk of Orphans' Court York County Judicial Center 45 N. George St. York, PA 17401 % of people told us that this article helped them. The marriage license office does not schedule or perform weddings; it is the responsibility of applicants to arrange for a statutorily authorized officiant to perform their wedding. First cousins who are blood relatives are not eligible to get married under the laws of Pennsylvania. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Consent, Legal Age, and Capacity Before September 30, 1885 the issuing oflicenses was not obligatory, but was intended for those cases where the bannswere not published or the marriage in church was dispensed with. ©2007-2013 City Applications, LLC. Records available: 1885 - present. An original copy of the underage bride’s or groom’s birth certificate is also required. If you do not have a social security card, then you will need to present two forms of ID - a driver's license and a birth certificate, for example. Both parties must also provide evidence that any prior marriages have been legally ended through divorce, annulment or death. This documentation could be an official divorce decree, annulment decree or death certificate. "Needed information was given step by step in clear, simple English. This article explains the basic requirements that marriage laws in Pennsylvania set out for entrance into a legally recognized union. If one person is from PA and the other is from NY, can they both apply in PA? Likewise, a license issued in any other county in Pennsylvania may be used in Westmoreland County. Both parties must possess a valid Social Security number. Frustrated with stomach issues? The ceremony need not be performed in the county in which the license was issued, but must be performed in the state of Pennsylvania. This site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advise. Marriage Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be 18 years of age in order to apply for a marriage license. Some large cities have marriage registers, but they are often difficult to search. Unlike many states, Pennsylvania does not have a statewide agency that maintains copies of marriage records, so getting a copy of a marriage license in Pennsylvania can require some sleuthing. Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses originally obtained in Butler County are available in our office for $5. Then, plan to apply at least 3 business days before your wedding, since most PA counties require a 72 hour waiting period. All births and death records that have been recorded before 1906 are available on-line under the caption of “ Genealogy research ” and an excellent resource for tracing your family tree. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Marriage records cannot be certified unless, and until, the duplicate marriage certificate has been returned to this office by the officiant. You should apply for a marriage license from 2 to 3 weeks before the scheduled date of your marriage ceremony. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to be aware of special rules that may apply to your situation, read on! For example, Centre County charges $50 while Bucks County charges $60. If one of the applicants does not speak English, a 3rd party translator who is at least 18 years old must be present at the time of the application. Your local County Register of Wills will have more information on the license fee in your county, as well as the cost of any additional fees that you may need to pay to get your marriage license such as translation services and certified copies. Yes, the Register of Wills will not issue the license until three days after you file the application. ", needed to know what was required to get a marriage license in PA.", How to Apply for a Marriage License in Pennsylvania, http://secureprod.phila.gov/wills/marriagelicense.aspx, http://gaymarriage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004857, http://www.alleghenycounty.us/wo/plan.aspx, http://www.buckscounty.org/government/rowofficers/RegisterofWills/MarriageLicenses, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. No, Pennsylvania does not require you or your fiance to get any blood or medical tests in order to get your marriage license. SinceSeptember 30, 1885, marriage licenses have been required in Pennsylvania andare maintained by the Marriage License Clerk in the county courthouse of the county issuing the license. This means a certified copy of the final divorce decree or the official annulment papers. Preparing to Apply for a Marriage License, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9f\/Apply-for-a-Marriage-License-in-Pennsylvania-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Apply-for-a-Marriage-License-in-Pennsylvania-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9f\/Apply-for-a-Marriage-License-in-Pennsylvania-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1182869-v4-728px-Apply-for-a-Marriage-License-in-Pennsylvania-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"