Pennsylvania Marriage License Guide (2026)
A Pennsylvania marriage license costs $40–$90 depending on the county (plus a statewide $10 Children's Trust Fund surcharge) and is issued by the county Register of Wills, acting as Clerk of the Orphans' Court. You can apply at any Pennsylvania county and marry anywhere in the Commonwealth. The one thing that trips couples up: there is a 3-day waiting period between applying and when the license is issued.
The one thing to knowPennsylvania has a 3-day waiting period — you cannot receive the license until the third day after you apply (23 Pa.C.S. § 1303), and once issued it is valid 60 days.
The process
- Apply in person, together
Both people apply in person at the Register of Wills / Orphans’ Court. Many Pennsylvania counties require an appointment, and some offer an online or virtual application — check your county first.
- Wait 3 days
The license cannot be issued before the third day after you apply (23 Pa.C.S. § 1303). Plan the application at least 3 days before the ceremony.
- Pick up your license (valid 60 days)
Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days (23 Pa.C.S. § 1310) and can be used anywhere in Pennsylvania — not just the issuing county.
- Marry, then return the license
After the ceremony the officiant returns the completed license to the issuing county. With a self-uniting license, the couple and their witnesses sign and return it themselves.
Marriage license fees by county — all 67 Pennsylvania counties
| County | Fee | Issuing office |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Allegheny County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Department of Court Records - Wills/Orphans' Court Division |
| Armstrong County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Beaver County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Bedford County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Berks County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Blair County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Bradford County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Bucks County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Butler County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Cambria County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans Court |
| Cameron County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Carbon County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Centre County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Chester County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Clarion County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Clearfield County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills-Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Clinton County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Columbia County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Crawford County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds |
| Cumberland County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Dauphin County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Delaware County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court Division |
| Elk County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Erie County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Records, Register of Wills & Orphans' Court Division |
| Fayette County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Forest County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Franklin County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Fulton County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Greene County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Courts / Orphans' Court |
| Huntingdon County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Indiana County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Jefferson County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Juniata County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Lackawanna County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Lancaster County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Lawrence County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds |
| Lebanon County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Lehigh County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills (Clerk of Judicial Records) |
| Luzerne County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Lycoming County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| McKean County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Mercer County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Courts, Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Mifflin County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register, Recorder & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Monroe County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Montgomery County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Montour County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary / Clerk of Courts / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Northampton County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Orphans' Court |
| Northumberland County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Perry County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Philadelphia County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills |
| Pike County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Potter County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary & Clerk of Courts / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Schuylkill County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Snyder County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Somerset County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Sullivan County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary, Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of Courts & Register of Wills |
| Susquehanna County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder |
| Tioga County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Union County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Venango County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register & Recorder / Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Warren County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Washington County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| Wayne County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Clerk of Orphans' Court (marriage licenses via Prothonotary) |
| Westmoreland County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Wyoming County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
| York County | $40–$90 (call to confirm) | Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court |
Pennsylvania-specific details
Pennsylvania offers a self-uniting (historically “Quaker”) license under which the couple marry themselves without an officiant — the couple and two witnesses sign the license (23 Pa.C.S. § 1502). It is available in every county on request, sometimes at a slightly higher fee.
Many Pennsylvania Register of Wills offices see marriage applicants by appointment only. Call ahead or check the county page before you go.
Pennsylvania splits county records among elected “row offices” combined differently by county. Most counties issue licenses through the Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, but in some the issuer is the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, the Prothonotary, or (in Allegheny) the Department of Court Records. The county table below shows each county’s actual issuing office.
What to bring
- Photo ID for both applicants (driver’s license, passport, or state ID)
- Your Social Security numbers
- If either party was divorced, the divorce decree
- Payment for the county fee plus the $10 Children’s Trust Fund surcharge
- An appointment, if your county requires one
Frequently asked questions
How much is a marriage license in Pennsylvania?
It varies by county, generally $40 to $90, plus a statewide $10 Children’s Trust Fund surcharge. Erie County is $65 (including a certified copy) and Indiana County is $55; call your county to confirm.
Is there a waiting period for a Pennsylvania marriage license?
Yes. There is a 3-day waiting period — the license cannot be issued until the third day after you apply. Once issued it is valid for 60 days.
Can I use a Pennsylvania marriage license in a different county?
Yes. A license obtained from any Pennsylvania county is valid anywhere in the Commonwealth, so you can apply wherever is convenient and marry anywhere in the state.
What is a self-uniting marriage license?
It is a Pennsylvania license that lets a couple marry themselves without an officiant — the couple and two witnesses sign the license. It is available in every county on request, sometimes for a slightly higher fee.
Do both people have to apply in person?
Yes, both applicants generally apply together in person, and many counties require an appointment. Bring photo ID and your Social Security numbers.
Who issues marriage licenses in Pennsylvania?
The county Register of Wills, acting as Clerk of the Orphans’ Court. In some counties a differently named office (Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, Prothonotary, or Department of Court Records) issues them — see the county table.