How to get a marriage license in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

You’re getting married! Congratulations on behalf of all of us at the Inquirer.

Whether you’re eloping to the Jersey Shore, tying the knot at a Philly wedding venue or getting married through a self-uniting marriage officiated by you and your partner (yes, you can do that in Pennsylvania), you have to get a marriage license first.

Once you have a marriage license, you get a specific time period to make it official. But you can’t get legally married without a marriage license.

Here’s what exactly a marriage license is, what it enables you to do, and how to get one in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

A marriage license allows a couple to get legally married. This license is issued by local governments on behalf of the state you’re getting married in and are kept in archives for public record and to verify that a marriage is official.

You can only use a marriage license in the state it’s issued. If you’re a Pennsylvania resident wanting to get married in New Jersey, you have to apply for a marriage license in Jersey — and vice versa.

No. A marriage license means that you registered your marriage with the government and now have a certain amount of time to get officially married.

A few weeks out from your official wedding ceremony. Marriage licenses give couples a specific time period to make their marriage official — and these change state by state. So, plan your wedding ceremony with the state’s time period in mind.

Traditionally, you have to get married in the presence of someone who is legally allowed to officiate a wedding — known as an “officiant.” Judges, Justices of Peace, leaders or clergy members of any religion, or someone who is state-certified to officiate a wedding is allowed to marry a couple as an officiant. An officiant cannot marry you as a couple unless you have a marriage license.

The officiant will put their signature on your marriage license once you’re married and a section of the document will be sent back to the Register of Wills office where you applied for the license.

In Pennsylvania, you don’t need an officiant to get married. You can marry yourselves as a couple as long as you have two adult witnesses — it’s called a “self-uniting marriage” and dates back to a Quaker tradition (more on that later).

Pennsylvania: 60 days. New Jersey: 30 days. That’s how long you have to get officially married in each state.After that, you have to apply for a new marriage license.

Yes. Once you get your marriage license, you have to wait 72 hours until you can get married.

In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, marriage licenses are public records. However, only the people named on the marriage license or eligible parties can request a certified copy of a marriage license. For the general public, you only have access to informational versions to verify an official marriage.

You have to bring a certified copy of your divorce decree. In Philadelphia, if your spouse from a previous marriage passed away during the marriage, you need to provide a certified copy of their death certificate. In some Pennsylvania counties, you may not need to provide a death certificate.

No. The names on your marriage license will be the names that are listed on the ID that you provide. If you want to change your last name once you’re married, you have to go through the process of legally changing your name with the Social Security Administration and the DMV.

Yes. Marriages between non-citizens in the U.S. are legally binding. Each state has different ID requirements for getting married, so check with your local county office to see what you need.

In Pennsylvania, getting a marriage license is simple, and even more conveniently you can get married without an officiant.

At a county’s Register of Wills office. In Philadelphia, that’s the Marriage License Center in Room 413 of City Hall — email MLAppt@phila.gov to make an appointment. But you can get a marriage license in any Pennsylvania county and use it throughout the state to get married. Here’s a full list of Register of Wills offices across the state.

You need an appointment to apply for a marriage license. Check with the office where you will be applying at to see how you can make an appointment.

You need government-issued ID. Accepted IDs include your driver’s license, state ID, international driver’s license, passport (U.S. or foreign), military ID, resident alien card, consulate card.

You also need your Social Security card or an official document showing your full name and Social Security Number, like tax documents. Some counties don’t require proof of your SSN, just the number itself. If you don’t have a Social Security Number — it’s OK — you can use your birth certificate (officially translated if it’s in a language other than English) or government ID issued by another country.

In Pennsylvania, it will range from $30 to $90 for a marriage license. In Philadelphia, it’s $90 — but you can go to another county to get a cheaper marriage license and use it anywhere in the state.

In Pennsylvania, you should get your marriage license the same day you apply. But you have to wait 72 hours before you can use it.

Not in Philadelphia. You and your spouse have to apply together in-person. In some counties, though, you can apply for a marriage license virtually.

Your marriage certificate comes in three sections.

Due to a Quaker tradition that dates back to 1681, Pennsylvania couples can legally marry themselves without an officiant in what is called a “self-uniting marriage.”

The process for getting a self-uniting license in Pennsylvania is very similar to the process for getting a traditional marriage license.

You’ll go through the same process of getting a marriage license: You need the same ID documents, need to visit a local Register of Wills in-person, and you have to send back a signed copy of your marriage license after the wedding.

The only differences is you have to request a self-uniting marriage license and you have to pay an extra $10.

Getting a marriage license in New Jersey is pretty simple as long as you have the required documents.

In New Jersey, you get your marriage license at a county’s Office of Vital Records. You can find the location nearest you on the Office of Vital Records website. You need an appointment to apply for a marriage license at an Office of Vital Records. Check with the office where you will be applying at to see how you can make an appointment.

You have to provide government-issued ID. Accepted IDs include a driver’s license, passport (U.S. or foreign), state and federal ID.

You also have to prove you live in New Jersey. Accepted documents include utility bill, rental agreement, or property deed.

You have to provide your Social Security card if you’re a U.S. citizen. If you’re not a U.S. citizen — it’s okay — they won’t require you to provide a Social Security card.

You have to bring an adult witness. Grab a friend or family member to come with you and bear witness to your application for a marriage license. They need a government-issued ID that includes their address.

Any documents in a language other than English have to be accompanied by a certified English translation.

A marriage license is $28 in the state. However, if Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed 2023 budget is approved this fee will be waved from July 1, 2022, through June 2023.

Three to five days. There is a 72-hour waiting period until you can get your marriage license. You can arrange to pick-up your marriage license with the Office of Vital Records where you applied.

No. You have to apply in-person.