Guide to Pennsylvania Marriage Records

Pennsylvania marriage records are kept only at the county level. The Pennsylvania Department of Health does not hold or issue marriage certificates. Instead, each county's Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court keeps the records for marriage licenses it issued, with most counties holding records from 1885 onward.

This guide explains how to search Pennsylvania marriage records, request a certified copy from the right county, apply for a marriage license and find records from before 1885.

How Pennsylvania Marriage Records Are Kept

County Clerks of the Orphans' Court have issued marriage licenses since September 30, 1885. The original records stay in the county that issued the license. Counties send the Department of Health a monthly report of licenses and marriages, but these reports are not open to the public and the Department does not provide copies.

To find a Pennsylvania marriage record, you need to know which county issued the license. A license from any county can be used for a wedding anywhere in the state, so the county of the license may differ from where the ceremony happened.

Types of Pennsylvania Marriage Records

Self-Uniting (Quaker) Marriage Licenses

Pennsylvania offers self-uniting licenses, which allow a couple to marry without an officiant. The couple signs the certificate with two witnesses and returns the duplicate to the court. This option comes from Quaker tradition but is available to any couple. Philadelphia charges $100 for a self-uniting license.

Are Pennsylvania Marriage Records Public?

Yes. Under 23 Pa.C.S. §1309, marriage license applications and consent certificates are docketed as public records. Allegheny County states that all its marriage records are open to the public for viewing. Applicants enrolled in the state's Address Confidentiality Program can use a substitute address on their application.

What Is on a Pennsylvania Marriage Record?

Pennsylvania marriage applications are detailed, which makes them useful for both legal and family history purposes. They include:

• Each applicant's full name, occupation, birthplace, residence and age
• Whether it is a first, second or later marriage
• Each parent's name, residence, occupation and birthplace
• The mother's maiden name
• A statement that neither applicant has a transmissible disease
• License number, issue date and the officiant's return

How to Search Pennsylvania Marriage Records

• Identify the county that issued the license. Start with the county where the couple lived or married.
• Check the county's online index. Larger counties offer free online searches for recent records.
• Gather details. You will need at least one spouse's full name at the time of application and the year of the marriage.
• Request a copy. Order online, by mail or in person from the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court.
• Use archives for older records. Records before 1885 may be in church records, city archives or the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Ordering Marriage Certificates in Philadelphia and Allegheny County

Philadelphia County

• Records available: 1885 onward
• Certified copy: $25
• Exemplified copy (international use): $50
• Same-day service: $45 extra
• Mail research fee: $15 extra, money orders only
• In person: City Hall, Room 415, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm (arrive by 2:30 pm for same-day service)
• Processing by mail: about 7 to 10 business days

Philadelphia's online search covers records from 1995 onward and shows names, license number and license date. Earlier records need a formal request. Marriages from 1860 to 1885 are held by the Philadelphia City Archives.

Allegheny County (Pittsburgh)

Allegheny County holds records from 1885 to the present. Licenses from January 1, 1996 onward can be searched and ordered online. Older records can be ordered with a search fee. A plain copy costs $4, and a $4 search fee applies even if no record is found. Requests can also be made at 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh.

For other counties, contact the Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the county that issued the license.

How to Get a Marriage License in Pennsylvania

• Where to apply: any county Register of Wills or Orphans' Court. The license is valid for a wedding anywhere in Pennsylvania.
• Appearing in person: both applicants are examined under oath. Some counties, such as Allegheny, allow the interview by video. An affidavit replaces appearing in person only for active military service or a declared emergency closure.
• Age: 18, with no exceptions since Act 18 of 2020.
• Waiting period: the license cannot be issued until the 3rd day after you apply. A court can shorten this only for an emergency or for applicants called to active National Guard or reserve duty.
• Validity: 60 days from issue.
• Fee: set by each county. Philadelphia and Allegheny both charge $90, and Allegheny adds $10 for each prior divorce.
• Blood test: not required. The premarital exam rule was repealed in 1997.
• Sobriety: no license is issued to an applicant under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Who Can Perform a Wedding in Pennsylvania

Judges and magisterial district judges, certain federal judges, mayors, ministers, priests or rabbis of established congregations, and religious organizations (when at least one partner is a member) can officiate. Couples with a self-uniting license do not need an officiant.

After the Ceremony

The duplicate marriage certificate must be returned to the issuing county within 10 days. Once it is recorded, you can order certified copies.

Historical Pennsylvania Marriage Records

Statewide county licensing started in 1885, so older marriages are harder to find. The Pennsylvania State Archives holds:

• Governor's marriage lists, 1742 to 1762
• Philadelphia County marriage bonds, 1784 to 1786
• Births, deaths and marriages, 1852 to 1854 (49 counties)
• Record of Marriages, 1885 to 1891 (incomplete)
• County marriage records on microfilm (Record Group 47)

Free Online Genealogy Collections

• FamilySearch "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950": registers, affidavits and licenses from county courthouses.
• FamilySearch "Philadelphia Marriage Indexes, 1885-1951": about 1.83 million records.

Pennsylvania Marriage Statistics

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 72,226 marriages in 2025, up from 71,799 in 2024. The 2020 low was 58,960, and the record high was 101,076 in 1973. Philadelphia (10,561) and Allegheny (6,919) counties recorded the most marriages in 2025.

Common Law Marriage in Pennsylvania

Common law marriages formed after January 1, 2005 are not valid in Pennsylvania (23 Pa.C.S. §1103). Common law marriages formed on or before that date remain valid. If you need to prove an older common law marriage, there will be no county license record, so other evidence is required.

Correcting a Pennsylvania Marriage Record

Errors such as a misspelled name, wrong birth date or incorrect parent details are fixed through a Petition to Amend Marriage Record in the county Orphans' Court. In Delaware County, for example, both spouses sign the petition and attach proof such as ID or a birth certificate, along with a proposed order. Contact your county for its form and fee.

Changing Your Name After Marriage in Pennsylvania

Update your Social Security record first using your certified marriage certificate. Then visit a PennDOT Driver License Center with the original marriage certificate and form DL-80 (or DL-143 if renewing within 6 months). Vehicle registration and title records are updated separately.

Frequently Asked Questions