The Clerk of Orphans' Court and/or the Register of Wills within each individual county in Pennsylvania handles information, forms, and the actual registration of marriage license applications. Both individuals must appear in person together to complete and file the application for marriage. A Social Security number and a government-issued photo identification are required for both parties. The medical examination and blood test are no longer required.
In Pennsylvania, if either party is under age 18, the consent of a parent or legal guardian is needed. Applicants who have been previously married must provide the following information concerning the dissolution of the most recent marriage: divorces - a certified copy of the decree is required (if maiden name has been resumed, that document must be presented); annulments - the same information as is required for divorces must be provided; and widowed - the date of death of the deceased spouse is needed. Blood relatives down to and including first cousins may not marry under Pennsylvania law.
A marriage license becomes valid on the third day following application or the next business day if the third day falls on a weekend or holiday. The license is valid for 60 days from the third day following the date of application.
The wedding ceremony need not be performed in the county in which the license was issued. However, an out-of-state marriage license cannot be used in Pennsylvania, nor can a Pennsylvania marriage license be used in another state. Details, courthouse locations, and other information for separate counties in the area are listed below. All courthouse office hours listed are for Mondays through Fridays, unless otherwise noted.
Details are available on each county's government website or by calling the phone number for the Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court Office. Information may also be available in person Mondays through Fridays during regular business hours, at least one half-hour before closing time; some offices have suspended in-person visits and appointments due to COVID-19. Check each county's government website to ensure that in-person visits are being accepted.
Adams County
Clerk of Courts & Orphans' Court
117 Baltimore St., Room 103
Gettysburg
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-337-9806
http://www.adamscounty.us
Berks County
Register of Wills
633 Court St., Second Floor
Reading
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
610-478-6600
http://www.co.berks.pa.us
Chester County
Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court
201 W. Market St., Suite 2200
West Chester
8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
610-344-6335
http://www.chesco.org
Cumberland County
Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court
1 Courthouse Square, Suite 102
Carlisle
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-240-6345
http://www.ccpa.net
Dauphin County
Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court
101 Market St., First Floor, Room 103
Harrisburg
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-780-6500 (Register of Wills), 717-780-6510 (Orphans' Court)
http://www.dauphincounty.org
Dauphin County - Northern Branch Office
Northern Dauphin Human Services Center
295 State Drive
Elizabethville
First and third Wednesdays of the month, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-905-2700, ext. 2507
http://www.dauphincounty.org
Lancaster County
Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court
50 N. Duke St.
Lancaster
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-295-3533 (Marriage Department)
http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us
Lebanon County
Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans' Court
400 S. Eighth St., Room 105, Municipal Building
Lebanon
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
717-228-4415
http://www.lebcounty.org
Montgomery County
Register of Wills
1 Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St., Fourth Floor
Norristown
8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
610-278-3400
http://www.montcopa.org
York County
Clerk of Orphans' Court
45 N. George St., Second Floor
York
8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
717-771-9288
http://www.yorkcountypa.gov
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