This article has been viewed 236,656 times. Fee. Finally, pay the $80 fee and make sure to get married within 60 days. You do not have to be from PA to get a license. Then, plan to apply at least 3 business days before your wedding, since most PA counties require a 72 hour waiting period. This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. If you and/or your significant other were married before, you will need to bring appropriate documentation to prove that you are no longer married. Naturalization Records. Heal your gut! For questions, contact Register of Wills. Both applicants must appear together in person to complete the marriage license application. Both applicants must appear in person with the following: 1. USEFUL LINKS Access public records (Marriages / Estate information) Application for a Marriage license Fee Schedule Orphans' Court Orphans' Court - Local Rules Confidential DOCUMENT Form. ", "Well written and simplified for everyone to understand. Cash, certified check, or cashier's check. 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. The pictures made reading pleasant as well as, "Very easy to read and to understand! We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Both parties must possess a valid Social Security number. The Marriage License Department is located at: 455 West Hamilton Street Room 123.5 Allentown, PA 18101-1614 If one person is from PA and the other is from NY, can they both apply in PA? This article has been viewed 236,656 times. Love the graphics! Pennsylvania law requires a minimum 3-day waiting period after application is made before license can be issued. 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. Get a marriage license Both applicants need to visit the Marriage License Bureau in City Hall to get a marriage license from the City. There is no residency requirement for a marriage license, however, this is a Pennsylvania marriage license and the marriage ceremony must take place within the Commonwealth. Does the wedding officiant need to be present for me to get my wedding license? The ceremony need not be performed in the county in which the license was issued, but must be performed in the state of Pennsylvania. Thank you. If you wait past that time frame, you can't get married without applying for and paying for another marriage license. In order to get married in Pennsylvania, you and your significant other must be at least 18 years-old with a government-issued photo ID as evidence of age, or follow the procedures for an underage marriage. The officiant must sign and validate the papers and will submit them to the state within 10 days of your marriage ceremony. Foreign nationals will need to present a current and unexpired passport. ", "The step-by-step answers are what helped me. Consent, Legal Age, and Capacity Philadelphia, PA 19107. 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. Yes, all couples will need to apply for and receive a marriage license before their wedding in order to be legally married in Pennsylvania. A marriage license issued in any Pennsylvania county can be used in any other Pennsylvania county. The Marriage License Bureau is located on the First Floor of the City-County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can simply become married by applying for a Quaker or self-uniting license. The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. Under certain circumstances, a judge may waive the waiting period upon application. 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. You and your fiance will need to apply together at the County Courthouse in order to receive your license. Keep reading to learn how to apply for a marriage license in Pennsylvania. Marriage Licenses. This means a certified copy of the final divorce decree or the official annulment papers. Marriage licenses are issued at the county level in Pennsylvania. If either party is under 16, parental consent is required, along with an order of approval from a judge of the Orphans Court. If either applicant is divorced, or divorce… For detailed instructions on getting your marriage license, see: Instructions for obtaining a marriage license in Philadelphia Make sure that you and your significant other meet the age requirements to get married in Pennsylvania. 4. 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. Approved. FEES The fee for a marriage license varies from county to county. A Pennsylvania marriage license is valid for 60 days. About Marriage Records in Pennsylvania Marriage records are managed by the Register of Deeds in each county. If you or your significant other is a foreign national, you must present a valid and unexpired passport at the time you apply for the license. "Needed information was given step by step in clear, simple English. Same sex marriage is legal in Pennsylvania as of May 20, 2014. Each applicant will need to know your mother’s maiden name, your parents’ current addresses, the state where your parents were born, and your parents’ occupations. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. informative. Driver’s license or photo identification that shows your date of birth 2. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. If one or both of the parties were married before proof must be provided of how the prior marriage was dissolved: Date of death or a copy of the final divorce decree EFFECTIVE 12/07/2020: The Clerk of Courts Office is open to the public for marriage licenses, however, due to COVID - 19 social distancing practices, please call 717-261-3805 to schedule an appointment. References The marriage license can be used in any county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For example, Centre County charges $50 while Bucks County charges $60. A license issued by any Pennsylvania county can be used in any Pennsylvania county, however, the license is invalid outside of Pennsylvania. This site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advise. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to be aware of special rules that may apply to your situation, read on! Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. It is legal to get married in PA if you are 16 or 17 years old, but parental consent is required before a marriage license can be issued. Yes, all couples will need to apply for and receive a marriage license before their wedding in order to be legally married in Pennsylvania. 101 South Mercer St., Room 401 P.O. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to be aware of special rules that may apply to your situation, read on! 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. The marriage license can be used in any county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; however, a PA license … Frustrated with stomach issues? This documentation could be an official divorce decree, annulment decree or death certificate. A marriage license may be obtained from the Clerk of Orphans' Court in any county in Pennsylvania. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. Copy of Certificate of Marriage Application. Click on the Register of Wills/Orphan's Court Online Services link below and follow the prompts from the site. What this means is you two have 60 days to get married and have your marriage license officially recorded. The Marriage License Bureau archives all marriage licenses, issued in Lackawanna County from 1885 – to present day. Box 1528 New Castle, PA … The information on this site should not be relied upon as an official source of information and should be independently verified. Expiration Date of Marriage License: A marriage license is valid for 60 days from date it is issued. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. 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