Get a Marriage License in Erie County, PA
Here's what to expect at the Register of Wills — fees, what to bring, and where to go.
Pennsylvania requires a 3-day wait between applying and when the license is issued (23 Pa.C.S. § 1303) — no license before the third day after you apply. The license is then valid 60 days(§ 1310).
Both parties apply in person, and many Pennsylvania counties see couples by appointment only (this county also offers an online/virtual application — see the link below). Call ahead before you go.
Pennsylvania marriage licenses are issued by the Register of Wills(acting as Clerk of the Orphans' Court). You may apply at any Pennsylvania county and the license is valid anywhere in the Commonwealth. Bring photo ID and your Social Security number; if either party was divorced, bring the divorce decree. A statewide $10 Children's Trust Fund surcharge applies. After the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license to the issuing county.
Pennsylvania offers a self-uniting(historically “Quaker”) license — the couple marry themselves without an officiant, with the couple and two witnesses signing the license (23 Pa.C.S. § 1502). It's available in every county on request, sometimes at a slightly higher fee — the couple returns the signed license to the issuing county.
This page shows the best information we have for Erie County. Fees and hours may vary — call ahead to confirm before visiting.
Getting married somewhere else in Pennsylvania? See the Pennsylvania marriage license guide for statewide requirements and fees.