A Pennsylvania self-uniting marriage license lets a couple marry themselves, with no officiant, judge, or clergy involved. Under 23 Pa. C.S. § 1502, only the two of you and two witnesses need to be present, and the resulting marriage carries the same legal weight as one performed by a minister.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 1502
Any eligible couple in Pennsylvania can request one. Although the statute references religious ceremonies without officiating clergy and traces to colonial accommodations for Quakers, counties issue self-uniting licenses today regardless of religious affiliation. In 2007, a federal judge in the Western District of Pennsylvania enjoined Allegheny County from limiting the license to members of traditionally clergy-free faiths, holding that the restriction violated the Establishment Clause.
Who Can Get One
Both applicants must be at least 18. Pennsylvania eliminated all exceptions for minors in 2020, so parental consent and judicial approval are not available routes.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 – Section 1302
Marriages between close relatives are prohibited, including ancestors and descendants, siblings, and first cousins. The application asks whether any legal impediment exists, and the clerk will not issue a license if one does. If either of you was previously married, that marriage must have legally ended before you can apply.
Documents to Bring
The application, governed by 23 Pa. C.S. § 1302, asks each applicant for their full name, age, birthplace, residence, and occupation, plus the full name, birthplace, residence, and occupation of each parent, including your mother’s birth surname.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 – Section 1302
County offices also want proof of identity. Plan to bring:
- A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID card, or current passport.
- Proof of your Social Security number or ITIN, such as a Social Security card, W-2, pay stub, or tax return. Applicants without an SSN or ITIN can substitute a birth certificate or a second photo ID.3City of Philadelphia. Get a Marriage License
- Proof that any prior marriage ended: a certified copy of the final divorce decree, or an original death certificate.
Documentation requirements vary slightly by county, so check the issuing office’s website first. Fees vary too. Lancaster County charges $75 for the application and license.4Lancaster County. Marriage Licenses Most offices accept cash, money orders, and credit or debit cards. Personal checks are almost universally rejected.
How to Apply
Both applicants must appear together before the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court, or in some counties the Register of Wills, to submit the application. Some counties now offer a video option. Dauphin County, for example, lets applicants e-file, upload documents, and finish the process on a scheduled video call.
Once you apply, a mandatory three-day waiting period begins. The license cannot be issued until the third day after application. Plan the ceremony date around that. The Orphans’ Court can waive the wait in two situations: an emergency or extraordinary circumstance, or when an applicant is a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard or another reserve component called to active duty.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 – Section 1303 No one at the county office has authority to shorten the wait outside those exceptions.
After the waiting period, you pick up the license. It is valid for 60 days. Miss that window and you have to reapply and pay again.
The Ceremony and Witnesses
The ceremony can take whatever form you want. Traditional vows, vows you wrote, or a plain declaration of intent all work. No script is required. What the law needs is a mutual declaration of marriage by both of you and two witnesses present to observe it.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 1502
Both witnesses sign the marriage certificate to attest they saw the ceremony. The statute sets no minimum age for witnesses, though most counties expect adults. No officiant signs anything. The two of you sign the certificate yourselves, and the witnesses’ signatures verify that the marriage occurred.
You can still invite a friend, family member, or religious leader to speak, read, or lead the gathering. They just aren’t signing as an officiant. That flexibility is the point for most couples who choose this route: legal formalities stay minimal, and the ceremony around them is entirely yours to shape.
Returning the Certificate Within Ten Days
This is where couples most often trip up, and the stakes are real. After the ceremony you’ll have two copies of the certificate: an original that you keep, and a duplicate that must be returned to the issuing court within ten days.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 1504 Both copies need signatures from both spouses and both witnesses.
Washington County’s court office warns applicants directly that if the duplicate certificate is not returned within ten days, no official public record of the marriage will exist, and the county considers the couple not legally married.7Washington County Courts. Marriage Licenses Whether that framing is exact as a matter of law, the practical effect is the same. An unrecorded marriage creates problems for insurance claims, name changes, tax filings, and anything else that requires proof of marriage. Mail or hand-deliver the duplicate before the honeymoon.
Certified Copies and Changing Your Name
Once the clerk processes the returned duplicate, a certified marriage record is generated. That document is your primary proof of marriage. Order a few certified copies right away; you’ll need them for every name-change step.
Pennsylvania does not automatically change your name when you marry. Each agency and institution has to be updated separately, and the order matters because some steps depend on the previous one.
Start with the Social Security Administration by requesting a replacement Social Security card in your new name. Depending on your situation you may be able to file online, or you may need an appointment at a local SSA office. Replacement cards typically arrive within five to ten business days.8Social Security Administration. Change Your Name on Your Social Security Card
After SSA processes the change, update your Pennsylvania driver’s license or state ID at a PennDOT Driver License Center. Bring your certified marriage certificate. Original documents are required; photocopies are not accepted.9Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Change a Driver’s License or Photo ID Name or Address From there, work through your bank, employer, passport, and health insurance. Most will ask for the certified marriage certificate and your updated Social Security card or driver’s license.