Pennsylvania Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, 3-Day Wait

In Pennsylvania, the Register of Wills, acting as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, issues marriage licenses in each county. Under Title 23, Chapter 13 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, both of you must appear and be examined under oath (at the office, or by video in counties that offer it), the license cannot be issued before the third day after you apply, and it expires 60 days after it is issued. Both applicants must be at least 18, and each county sets the fee couples actually pay: $60 to $90 at the five county offices checked for this page.

A license from any Pennsylvania county lets you marry anywhere in Pennsylvania, but not in another state. For other states, see our guide to marriage license requirements by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers getting a marriage license and marrying in Pennsylvania under Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Chapters 11, 13, 15 and 17, with procedures from the Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, Bucks and Delaware County offices. It does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, or the rules of other states. For informal marriage, see Pennsylvania common-law marriage.

Where to Get a Marriage License in Pennsylvania

Marriage licenses in Pennsylvania come from the county, not the state. In each county the Register of Wills, serving as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, takes applications and issues licenses.

You can apply in any county. Section 1301(b) of Title 23 states: "A license issued under this part shall authorize a marriage ceremony to be performed in any county of this Commonwealth." So a couple living in Pittsburgh can get a license in Allegheny County and marry in the Poconos, and a couple from New Jersey can apply in Bucks County and marry in Lancaster.

The license only works inside Pennsylvania. Philadelphia's Register of Wills puts it plainly: "You can use your marriage license in any county in Pennsylvania. You cannot use it in another state or country." Bucks County adds that "there is no residency requirement for a marriage license, however, this is a Pennsylvania marriage license and the marriage ceremony must take place within the Commonwealth."

Both of you must appear

Section 1306(a) requires that "each of the applicants for a marriage license shall appear in person and shall be examined under oath or affirmation." Section 1306(b) allows an affidavit instead of a personal appearance in two situations: an applicant on active military service, or a Register of Wills office closed because of a declared emergency. Outside those exceptions, both of you must take part in the examination, either at the office or, in counties that offer it, by video.

Several counties let you fill out the application online first, and some let you complete the appearance by video. Allegheny County says both applicants "must appear in person or via video conferencing," Bucks County holds a virtual meeting where you show ID and sign your license, and Montgomery County finalizes applications in a Microsoft Teams video conference. Philadelphia and Delaware County require you to come to the office. Check what your county allows before you go.

How the largest county offices handle applications

Office hours and procedures change. Check your county's Register of Wills page before you go.

What to Bring and What the Application Asks

Philadelphia requires each applicant to bring two forms of identification: "All applicants for a marriage license must provide two forms of identification, one of which must be a photo ID." The second ID is proof of your Social Security number or ITIN (a Social Security card or printout, an ITIN document, a pay stub, a W-2 or a tax return). If you have none of those, Philadelphia accepts a birth certificate or another photo ID instead. Other counties set their own ID lists, so check yours.

If you were married before, bring proof the marriage ended. In Philadelphia, divorced applicants "must present their original divorce decree," and widowed applicants need a certified copy of the death certificate. Documents in another language must be translated, with a certified translation.

The application itself is set by section 1302(b). It asks each of you for your name, age, residence, occupation, birthplace and whether this is your first or a later marriage. It also asks for "the full name, residence, occupation and birthplace of the parents of each applicant, including the maiden name of the mother of each applicant." Have that information ready before you go.

The application also carries a statement "that neither of the applicants is afflicted with transmissible disease" (section 1302(b)(4)). This is a statement on the form, not a medical test.

How Much a Pennsylvania Marriage License Costs

Each county sets the total fee. The statute, 23 Pa.C.S. 1105(a), sets a base fee of $3 for issuing a license (of which $2.50 stays with the county and 50 cents goes to the state), but no county office checked for this page charges anything close to $3. County totals include other court, technology and surcharge fees.

Allegheny County itemizes its $90 fee: a $29.00 computer fee, a $35.50 county fee, a $0.50 writ tax, a $5.00 court technology fee, a $10.00 Act 151 fee and a $10.00 Act 222 fee. Allegheny also lists an extra $10 per divorce decree.

Fees change. Your county's Register of Wills page is the final word on what you pay.

Other county charges you may see:

• Waiving the 3-day wait: Montgomery charges $100 for a petition for emergency waiver and Bucks $95; both list no charge for active military.
• Replacing or correcting a license: Philadelphia charges $10 for a replacement license and $25 for corrections. Montgomery charges $25 for a duplicate or reissued license and $25 for an affidavit of name verification.

No premarital-course discount appears in Pennsylvania's marriage license chapter (23 Pa.C.S. Chapter 13), and none of the county pages checked for this page offers one.

The 3-Day Waiting Period and How to Get It Waived

Pennsylvania's wait comes before the license is issued, not before the ceremony. Section 1303(a) states: "No marriage license shall be issued prior to the third day following the making of application therefor." If the two of you apply on different days, the wait is measured from the later application (section 1307).

In practice, Philadelphia says the license "will be valid on the third day after you apply." Delaware County tells couples it "can never issue licenses more than sixty (60) days in advance or less than three (3) days before your wedding."

Under section 1303(b), the court may authorize a license to be issued at any time after the application in two cases:

1. In case of emergency or extraordinary circumstances.
2. When an applicant is a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard or a reserve component called to active duty.

You ask for an emergency waiver by petition at the county office. Montgomery County charges $100 for the petition and Bucks County $95, with no charge for active military in either county.

How Long a Pennsylvania Marriage License Is Valid

Sixty days. Section 1310 states that "the marriage license shall not be valid for a longer period than 60 days from the date of issue."

If the 60 days run out before your wedding, you start over. Philadelphia says: "If you don't use the license within 60 days, you must return the license and reapply. You'll also need to pay the fee again." Plan your application so the license is issued within 60 days of the ceremony and at least three days before it.

Age Requirements: No Marriage Under 18

Pennsylvania bars marriage licenses for anyone under 18, with no exceptions. Section 1304(b) reads: "(1) No marriage license may be issued if either of the applicants for a license is under 18 years of age. (2) (Deleted by amendment)."

The statute's history note ties the current wording to Act 18 of 2020 (P.L.121, No.18, dated May 8, 2020, effective 60 days later). No parental-consent or court-approval exception remains, so a 16- or 17-year-old cannot get a Pennsylvania license with a parent's or judge's approval. A website or older brochure that describes parental consent for minors is out of date.

Who Cannot Marry in Pennsylvania

Close relatives, including first cousins

Section 1304(e) lists the relatives a person may not marry. The list is written separately for men and women, covers closer relatives, and ends with first cousins: "A man may not marry his first cousin. A woman may not marry her first cousin."

County pages word this rule in different ways (Bucks County, for example, says applicants may not be related "closer than second cousins"). If a county page seems to differ from section 1304(e), the statute controls.

Under section 1703, a marriage within the prohibited degrees is voidable, and its unlawfulness cannot be challenged after either party has died.

Other bars to a license

Pennsylvania law also blocks a license in these situations:

• Alcohol or drugs: "No marriage license may be issued if, at the time of making application, either of the applicants is under the influence of alcohol or drugs" (section 1304(d)).
• Mental capacity: an applicant the statute describes as weak-minded, insane or under guardianship cannot get a license unless the court authorizes it (section 1304(c)).
• An existing marriage: you are examined under oath about any prior marriage and how it ended (section 1306(a)(2)), and counties require proof such as a divorce decree or death certificate. Chapter 17 sets a court procedure for declaring a missing spouse presumed dead (section 1701), and section 1702(c) states that where a remarriage was entered into in good faith, "neither party to the remarriage shall be subject to criminal prosecution for bigamy."

Same-sex couples

Pennsylvania's Title 23 still contains language defining marriage as between one man and one woman (sections 1102 and 1704). The U.S. Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license same-sex marriages.

Blood Tests and Medical Requirements

Pennsylvania does not require a blood test. Section 1305, which required a test for syphilis, "was repealed June 25, 1997, P.L.331, No.35, effective immediately." The only health item left in the process is the application statement about transmissible disease described above.

Who Can Officiate a Wedding in Pennsylvania

Section 1503(a) of Title 23 lists the people who may solemnize a marriage:

• Justices and judges of Pennsylvania courts and magisterial district judges, including qualifying retired and senior judges.
• Federal judges for the districts in Pennsylvania, and Third Circuit and bankruptcy judges who live in Pennsylvania.
• Mayors of Pennsylvania cities and boroughs, and qualifying former mayors.
• "A minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation" (section 1503(a)(6)).

Section 1503(b) adds that "every religious society, religious institution or religious organization in this Commonwealth may join persons together in marriage when at least one of the persons is a member," following its own rules and customs.

Our review of Chapter 15 found no officiant registration process and no one-day officiant permit. The officiant's key legal duty in the statute comes after the ceremony: returning the signed certificate (see below).

Online ordination is unsettled in Pennsylvania

Whether someone ordained online counts as "a minister ... of any regularly established church or congregation" is not settled by the statute. Mercer County's Register of Wills warns couples that internet-ordained officiants may not qualify unless they regularly preach to a congregation meeting at a place of worship, and states: "IF you choose to be married by someone other than the officiants specifically listed as authorized by PA law, the burden of proof will be on you."

Delaware County's office says it does not answer this question: "We only issue and record the license. We do not perform ceremonies and cannot provide legal advice on who is qualified to solemnize a marriage." If your officiant's status matters to you, choose one clearly on the 1503 list or ask a Pennsylvania lawyer.

Pending bill: House Bill 733 of the 2025-2026 session would amend section 1503, the list of who may solemnize a marriage. It is not law. The legislature's page shows it was re-committed to the Appropriations Committee on June 30, 2026.

Courthouse weddings

Delaware County's Register of Wills states that it does not perform ceremonies, and the Philadelphia and Bucks license pages do not list a civil ceremony at the license office. Magisterial district judges and mayors are authorized officiants under section 1503, so couples who want a civil ceremony can ask one of them to officiate.

Self-Uniting (Quaker) Marriage Licenses

Pennsylvania lets couples marry without an officiant. Section 1502 provides for marriages solemnized by the parties themselves by religious ceremony without officiating clergy, after the court issues the couple a self-uniting license (a declaration). Philadelphia calls it a Quaker or self-uniting license.

For a self-uniting marriage, section 1504(b) requires that "the original certificate shall be signed by the parties to the marriage, attested by two witnesses." The couple keeps the original and returns the duplicate within 10 days, just as an officiant would.

Philadelphia charges $100 for a self-uniting license (versus $90 for a regular one) and describes it as a license for couples who officiate their own ceremony. The statute's wording refers to a religious ceremony, and whether every county issues self-uniting licenses to non-religious couples was not confirmed for this page. Ask your county's Register of Wills before you apply.

After the Ceremony: Returning the License and Getting Copies

Your officiant signs the original marriage certificate, which you keep, and the duplicate, which goes back to the county. Section 1504(a) requires the duplicate to be "returned for recording within ten days to the court which issued the license." For a self-uniting marriage, the couple handles the return.

Delaware County warns that "if the Duplicate Certificate is not returned, your file remains incomplete, and a $50 fine may be assessed." That fine comes from the county's brochure; we did not find a penalty for late return in Chapter 15 itself.

In the counties checked for this page, certified copies come from the Register of Wills office that issued the license. In Philadelphia it is cheaper to order extras when you apply: the city charges $15 per certified copy at application and $40 per copy afterward. Montgomery and Bucks include one certified Certificate of Marriage in their $85 package. For ordering a copy later, see Pennsylvania marriage and divorce records and our national guide on how to get a copy of your marriage certificate.

Changing your name after marriage

Philadelphia notes that "a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order will serve as legal proof of a name change recognized by the state." For the steps, see Pennsylvania name change laws and our guide to changing your name after marriage.

Common Myths About Pennsylvania Marriage Licenses

• "A 16- or 17-year-old can marry with parental consent." Not since Act 18 of 2020. Section 1304(b) bars a license for anyone under 18.
• "The license costs $3." The $3 in section 1105 is a statutory base fee. The five counties checked for this page charge $60 to $90 in total.
• "You must marry in the county where you got the license." Section 1301(b) authorizes a ceremony in any Pennsylvania county.
• "Anyone ordained online can marry you." Pennsylvania law does not settle this, and at least one county office puts the burden of proof on the couple.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about Pennsylvania marriage licenses under Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees and office procedures differ by county and change over time. For your specific situation, contact your county's Register of Wills (Clerk of the Orphans' Court) or a lawyer licensed in Pennsylvania.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Pennsylvania marriage and divorce records
• Pennsylvania common-law marriage
• Pennsylvania name change laws
• New York marriage license requirements
• New Jersey marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a marriage license in Pennsylvania?

Both of you apply at the Register of Wills (Clerk of the Orphans' Court) in any Pennsylvania county, in person or, where the county offers it, by video, with ID and proof any prior marriage ended. The license is issued no earlier than the third day after you apply (23 Pa.C.S. 1303, 1306).

How much is a marriage license in Pennsylvania?

It depends on the county. Philadelphia and Allegheny charge $90, Bucks $85 including one certified copy, Montgomery $85 including one certified copy, and Delaware County $60. Check your county's Register of Wills for the current fee.

Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Under 23 Pa.C.S. 1303, the license cannot be issued before the third day after you apply. A court can authorize earlier issuance in an emergency or for a National Guard or reserve member called to active duty.

How long is a Pennsylvania marriage license good for?

60 days from the date it is issued (23 Pa.C.S. 1310). If you do not marry within that time, you must reapply and pay the fee again.

Can I get a marriage license in one Pennsylvania county and get married in another?

Yes. Section 1301(b) says a Pennsylvania license authorizes a ceremony in any county of the state. It cannot be used in another state or country.

Do you have to be a Pennsylvania resident to get married there?

No. Bucks County states there is no residency requirement, but the ceremony must take place in Pennsylvania.

Can you apply for a Pennsylvania marriage license online?

Some counties, including Allegheny, Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery, let you start the application online. Both applicants must still appear for the examination under section 1306, but Allegheny, Bucks and Montgomery let you do that by video conference. Philadelphia and Delaware County require an office visit.

Can a 17-year-old get married in Pennsylvania with parental consent?

No. Since Act 18 of 2020, 23 Pa.C.S. 1304(b) bars a marriage license if either applicant is under 18, with no consent or court-approval exception.

Can first cousins marry in Pennsylvania?

No. Section 1304(e) bars marriage between first cousins and between closer relatives.

Can you marry yourselves in Pennsylvania?

Yes, with a self-uniting (Quaker) license under 23 Pa.C.S. 1502. Two witnesses sign the certificate, and the couple returns the duplicate within 10 days. Philadelphia charges $100 for this license.

Can someone ordained online officiate a wedding in Pennsylvania?

It is unsettled. Section 1503 authorizes a minister of a regularly established church or congregation, and Mercer County warns that internet-ordained officiants may not qualify and that the burden of proof is on the couple.

Who returns the marriage license after the wedding in Pennsylvania?

The officiant returns the signed duplicate certificate to the issuing county office within 10 days (23 Pa.C.S. 1504(a)). For a self-uniting marriage, the couple returns it.