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PA Wedding Officiants Requirements

Local Officiants

Performing Marriage Ceremonies

Pennsylvania Wedding Officiants

In Pennsylvania Ministers of any regularly established church or congregation may perform marriages. Also, persons may marry themselves if they obtain a certificate from the clerk of the orphans’ court.

— Ministers must provide a certificate of marriage to the bride and groom. Also, they must send a marriage certificate to the clerk of the orphans’ court who issued the marriage license within 10 days after the marriage.

Pennsylvania Wedding Officiants for your wedding or vow renewal ceremony. Submit one form to top-rated marriage officiants in your locality. You choose the best PA Wedding Officiant.

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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Marriage License

  • Marriage license fees vary from county to county. Please call the county Register of Wills in which you will be applying for their fees and other requirements.

  • Applicants that wish to be legally married in the state of Pennsylvania must first apply for a marriage license application at their nearest Marriage License Bureau of the Register of Wills and complete the application process.

  • Minimum age to marry in Pennsylvania is 15. Minors must have both the written approval of a judge of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Common Pleas and a written consent from a parent or legal guardian.

  • Legal age to apply for a marriage license in Pennsylvania is 18.

  • Applicants should take the necessary steps to obtain a Marriage License 2 to 3 weeks before the scheduled date of their marriage ceremony.

  • Both applicants seeking a marriage license must appear together in person at the Marriage License Bureau of the Register of Wills office to complete the process.

  • Photo identification is required.

  • There is a three (3) day waiting period from the completion of the application process to the issuance of the license.

  • A marriage license is valid for 60 days from date it is issued.

Be sure to contact your Local Marriage License Bureau of the Register of Wills county office well in advance of the wedding to find out on what days and during what hours the clerk will be in the office. Some locales will require an appointment.

Please note: If you cannot speak English, an independent translator must accompany the applicants.

Pennsylvania Wedding Officiants for your wedding or vow renewal ceremony. Submit one form to top-rated marriage officiants in your locality. You choose the best PA Wedding Officiant.

Adams Allegheny
Armstrong Beaver
Bedford Berks
Blair Bradford
Bucks Butler
Cambria Cameron
Carbon Centre
Chester Clarion
Clearfield Clinton
Columbia Crawford
Cumberland Dauphin
Delaware Elk
Erie Fayette
Forest Franklin
Fulton Greene
Huntingdon Indiana
Jefferson Juniata
Lackawanna Lancaster
Lawrence Lebanon
Lehigh Luzerne
Lycoming McKean
Mercer Mifflin
Monroe Montgomery
Montour Northampton
Northumberland Perry
Philadelphia Pike
Potter Schuylkill
Snyder Somerset
Sullivan Susquehanna
Tioga Union
Venango Warren
Washington Wayne
Westmoreland Wyoming
York

Pennsylvania Wedding Officiants for your wedding or vow renewal ceremony. Submit one form to top-rated marriage officiants in your locality. You choose the best PA Wedding Officiant.

Marriage Application Requirement Arizona:

To complete the application for a marriage license, a couple must:

  • Apply at the Office of the Clerk of Orphans’ Court of any County of Pennsylvania.

  • Both applicants must be present to apply

  • Minors must have a Birth Certificate and a Consenter must be present

  • Social Security Numbers are REQUIRED at the time of application

  • Drivers license or Photo ID for applicants

  • Visas are required for citizens of another country

  • Applicants who have been previously married must provide the following information concerning the latest dissolution of prior marriages:

    • Divorces—In the case of a divorce, a certified divorce decree(s) must be presented which states:

      • Month, day and year of final decree

      • County and state where granted

      • Female (if last name differs from decree) must provide documents from Court of name change.

      • Foreign divorces require a certified English translation

    • Annulments– A certified copy of the annulment document is required which must include the same information as stated bove for divorce.

    • Widowed—The date of death of the deceased spouse is necessary

Marriage ID Requirement in Pennsylvania:

Applicants must produce the following identification:

  • A CURRENT, VALID PHOTO I.D. in the form of either a;

    • Driver’s License

    • State I.D.

    • International Driver’s License

    • Passport

    • Visa

    • Military I.D.

    • Resident Alien Card

    • Consulate Card

  • AND a Social Security card or any other form of I.D. issued by an official entity which reflects the applicant’s Social Security number (i.e. Social Security printout;

    • Pay Stub

    • W-2 form

    • Income Tax Return

    • Prescription Card

    • Access Card

  • If an applicant does NOT possess a Social Security number he/she must produce a Secondary I.D. in the form of a birth certificate (officially translated, if appropriate); or any other form of I.D. issued by an official entity, in addition to the above-noted current, valid photo I.D.

Please note: No application will be accepted without these documents.

Marriage Waiting Period in Pennsylvania:

  • There is a three (3) day waiting period from the completion of the application process to the issuance of the license.

  • The license will be given to you at the time of your application.

  • It cannot be used until the date of issuance, which is three (3) days later.

  • The issuance date appears on the license.

  • The three (3) day waiting period begins after both applicants appear in person together at the Marriage License Bureau.

  • If applying on Monday, the license will be ready on Thursday. If applying on Tuesday, the license will be ready on Friday. If applying on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, the license will be ready on Monday.

Apply: Pick up – on or after:
Monday Thursday
Tuesday Friday
Wednesday Monday
Thursday Monday
Friday Monday

Marriage Residency Requirement:

You do not have to be a resident of Pennsylvania.

Previous Marriages: ✔ Search Marriage | Divorce Records

  • If either applicant was previously married, proof of dissolution of the latest marriage must be submitted at the time of application.

  • A widowed applicant must submit a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse.

  • A divorced applicant must provide a certified copy of the most recent divorce decree.

  • If either of the foregoing documents is not written in English it must be translated to English and the translation must be certified to be correct.

Marriage License Fees:

  • Marriage license fees in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vary from county to county. Please call the county in which you will be applying for their fees and other requirements.

  • Quaker/ Self-Uniting License fee varies by county. If you want this type of license, you need to inform the clerk before you begin the application process.

Proxy Marriages:

No.

Cousin Marriages:

No. See Pennsylvania Statutes, Title 23, Chapter 13, § 1304, section (e) for more information.

Common Law Marriages:

No. However, your common-law marriage will be recognized in Pennsylvania if it was created before January 1, 2005.

Marriage Blood Test Pennsylvania:

No blood test or physical exam is required.

Name Change:

Getting a marriage license with your new name on it does not mean your name has automatically changed. If you need to change your last name, you can use an online marriage name change kit.

Marriage Age Requirements: ✔ Get Copy Of Birth Certificate

  • Applicants must be 18 years of age in order to apply for a marriage license.

  • Applicants between 16-18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to provide written consent to the marriage.

  • Applicants under 16 years of age must have both the written approval of a judge of the Orphans’ Court Division of the Common Pleas and a written consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Marriage Officiants Pennsylvania:

  • Any ordained minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation, Judges, and Justices of Peace may perform wedding ceremonies. Mayors of cities and boroughs are also authorized to perform marriage ceremonies.
    See Pennsylvania Statutes, Title 23, Chapter 15 for more information.

  • The officiant performing the marriage ceremony must complete and file the marriage return – the bottom portion of the marriage license – with the marriage license office that issued the license within ten (10) days of the date of the ceremony. A marriage record will not exist if the officiant who performs the marriage fails to file this document.

Self-Uniting Marriage License:

Yes. If you want this type of license, you need to inform the clerk before you begin the application process.

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Marriage Witnesses

No.

Pennsylvania Wedding Officiants for your wedding or vow renewal ceremony. Submit one form to top-rated marriage officiants in your locality. You choose the best PA Wedding Officiant.

Expiration Date of Marriage License:

  • A marriage license is valid for 60 days from date it is issued.

  • The marriage license can be used in any county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Copy of Certificate of Marriage License

101 South Mercer St., Room 401
P.O. Box 1528
New Castle, PA 16101
Ph: 724.656.3100

Please Note: State and county marriage license requirements often change. The above information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. For more information regarding Pennsylvania marriage license please visit www.pa.gov.

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State Laws marriage requirements to obtain and file a marriage license to receive certified copy of your marriage certificate from clerk’s office upon request.

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