State guide
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania marriage licenses are issued through county Registers of Wills or Clerks of Orphans’ Court, not town clerks. Pennsylvania is unusual because it expressly allows self-uniting marriages, commonly called Quaker or self-uniting licenses, alongside regular officiated licenses.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who issues licenses
- Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court
- Waiting period
- 3 days
- License valid for
- 60 days
- Witnesses
- not required for regular license by statute; 2 witnesses required for self-uniting return
- License fee
- $15 statutory minimum statewide; local fees vary. Example found: Philadelphia $90 regular, $100 self-uniting
Official resources in Pennsylvania
State marriage statute title covering the three-day wait, 60-day validity, officiants, returns, and self-uniting forms.
Judicial fee statute showing the statewide marriage-license fee line of $5 plus a $10 Commonwealth surcharge.
Large-county-equivalent official page with current Philadelphia fees and plain-language self-uniting guidance.
Official county page explaining application options, the three-day waiting period, and that self-uniting licenses do not require an officiant.
Official county page from the Register of Wills office with county-specific instructions and officiant disclaimer.
Key facts for Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania generally imposes a three-day waiting period after application before issuance.
- A Pennsylvania marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
- Regular licenses require an officiant; self-uniting licenses let the couple officiate their own ceremony.
- If the marriage is performed by the parties themselves, the certificate must be attested by two witnesses.
- State judicial fee law lists a $15 statutory minimum: $5 marriage-license fee plus $10 Commonwealth surcharge.
- County offices may charge more locally; Philadelphia currently lists $90 regular and $100 self-uniting licenses.
What to do next
- Decide before applying whether you want a regular or self-uniting license, because witness and officiant requirements differ.
- Apply at any county Register of Wills or Clerk of Orphans’ Court, then use the license anywhere in Pennsylvania.
- If choosing self-uniting, arrange two witnesses for the certificate and keep the 60-day expiration in mind.
Helpful guides
- How to get married at the courthouse
- What to bring when you apply for a marriage license
- Marriage license waiting periods and expiration dates
- Do you need witnesses for a courthouse wedding?