What you need to legally marry in Pennsylvania: a $60 to $100 fee, 3 days waiting period, no witnesses and a license that is valid 60 days. You apply at the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk.
The eight things the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
Put one QR code on the tables. Guests scan it and upload their photos and videos to one shared album, no app or account.
Live gallery
Maya & Leo's Wedding
Reception, example
A marriage license in Pennsylvania costs $60 to $100, varies by county (Philadelphia and Allegheny County $90 for a standard license, $100 for a self-uniting license in Philadelphia; lower in counties like Butler and Centre at $60). You pay it at the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk when you apply. Extra certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you will want for a name change, a passport or insurance updates, often cost more.
That puts Pennsylvania inside the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
Both partners need a valid government photo ID. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Pennsylvania does not require proof of residency.
In most counties both of you go in person, and some offices ask you to fill in the form online or book an appointment first. Check which offices can issue your license before you drive anywhere.
Fill in the application and pay the $60 to $100, varies by county (Philadelphia and Allegheny County $90 for a standard license, $100 for a self-uniting license in Philadelphia; lower in counties like Butler and Centre at $60) fee. Have both Social Security numbers ready (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number), plus your parents' full names and your places of birth.
Pennsylvania's waiting period: 3 days. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. Pennsylvania allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk within the time Pennsylvania law allows. Because Pennsylvania allows self-uniting marriage, the couple usually files it instead of an officiant. The county then records your marriage.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Pennsylvania facts above.
Forever Newlywed on YouTube
First dance
You guys!!
Guests scan one QR code and upload from their phone browser, no app or account. Start free with 20 guest uploads, one-time plans from $44.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
Example album
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
No one under 18 can marry in Pennsylvania, even with parental consent or court approval. The ban has been in place since 2020.
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk whether it needs a certified copy.
Pennsylvania has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Pennsylvania.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Pennsylvania, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Pennsylvania with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Pennsylvania allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
Start with 20 guest uploads free, no card. Paid plans run from $44 to $84 once, with unlimited guests.
For collecting every original
Most couples pick this
One-time payment, no subscription
For big guest lists
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
Secure checkout. Polar, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and authorized clergy. Judges of any court, mayors, and justices of the peace. Pennsylvania also allows self-uniting marriages, where no officiant is required.
Officiant rules in every stateA standard Pennsylvania marriage license requires no witnesses; only a self-uniting license requires two adult witnesses to sign in place of an officiant, with the completed license returned to the Register of Wills within 10 days. Pennsylvania self-uniting licenses are available to any couple, not just Quakers, following the federal court injunction in Knelly v. Wagner (W.D. Pa., 2007), which the ACLU of Pennsylvania secured after counties initially limited the option to religious objectors. The 3-day waiting period between application and a valid license remains current law, waivable only by an Orphans' Court judge for extraordinary circumstances. Common law marriage was abolished for relationships created after January 1, 2005, but those established before that date are still recognized.
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Plan your reception seating visually.
Track RSVPs and dietary needs.
Turn your total into a category-by-category plan.
Plan your entire wedding day.
Count down the days to your big day.
Month-by-month planning checklist.
15+ games with rules, supplies, and timing.
Pick one by budget, guest count and keepsake.
Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Pennsylvania.
A Pennsylvania marriage license costs $60 to $100, varies by county (Philadelphia and Allegheny County $90 for a standard license, $100 for a self-uniting license in Philadelphia; lower in counties like Butler and Centre at $60). You pay it at the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk. Certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you need for a name change, can cost extra. Payment methods differ by office, so call ahead to check whether it takes cash, card or check.
Yes. Pennsylvania's waiting period: 3 days. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
A Pennsylvania marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen inside this window, or you reapply and pay the fee again.
Each partner needs a valid government photo ID, such as a US passport, a driver's license or state ID card, a US military ID, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport. Bring it to the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk, and check the office's own list before you go.
No. Pennsylvania does not legally require witnesses for the ceremony, though many couples have them anyway.
No. Pennsylvania does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court Clerk with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Pennsylvania.
