Getting a Marriage License in York County
Marriage licenses in York County come from the Clerk of Orphans' Court, which sits within the Register of Wills office. Bryan K. Tate holds that post. The office is at 45 North George Street, 2nd Floor, York, PA 17401, and the phone line is 717-771-9288. Staff work Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The application is filed online, and the meeting with a clerk happens by video conference. After that video appointment, the license is emailed to the couple. A license issued by any Pennsylvania county can be used anywhere in the state, but the ceremony itself must take place in Pennsylvania.
Both applicants fill out the application, and both must be at least 18 years old. State law bars blood relatives down to and including first cousins from marrying. There is a waiting period built into the process. The license must be obtained at least three days before the ceremony, and that three-day clock starts after the video appointment. The license then expires 60 days after the waiting period ends, so timing matters. Video appointments run 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the office skips county holidays.
The county posts current details on its marriage license page. To review the process firsthand, see the York County Marriage Licenses page.
That page explains the video conference setup and links straight to the application. If a question comes up about eligibility or scheduling, the listed phone number is the fastest way to reach a clerk. Need the office that handles divorce filings instead? See the Prothonotary for that side of the record.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The whole process starts online and finishes with a short video call. Gather your documents before you begin. Both people need a Social Security number, valid photo ID, and any extra papers that apply to a prior marriage. The county e-file system handles the form, the upload, and the appointment in one place. You can open it at the York County e-file application.
- E-file the marriage license application online.
- Read each prompt and answer in full. Do not leave fields blank and do not type "n/a".
- Upload your photo ID and any supporting documents the form asks for.
- Choose a date and time for your video conference.
- Both applicants attend from a stationary spot. Neither person may be driving.
- Watch your email for the confirmation and the appointment invitation.
- Receive the license by email after the video appointment.
- Give the three-page license to the officiant for the ceremony.
Keep your phone or computer ready for the call. If either party fails to attend or the form has gaps, the office may delay the license. Small errors are the most common reason an application stalls, so a careful read of each prompt saves time.
Marriage License Application Fields
The online form asks for the same facts a clerk would request in person. A Social Security number has been required since January 1, 1998. Accepted ID is a Driver's License, a Non-Driver Photo ID, or a Passport. A few uploads are conditional and only apply to certain people. A divorce decree and a Notice to Resume Prior Surname are needed if either party was divorced. A death certificate is needed if a prior spouse has died. If any document is in a foreign language, a notarized translation must be uploaded. The table below lists what the application collects.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 identity information | Web form | Yes | Must be complete, no "n/a" |
| Applicant 2 identity information | Web form | Yes | Both applicants complete the application |
| Social Security Number | Text | Yes | Required since January 1, 1998 |
| Identification upload | File upload | Yes | Driver's License, Non-Driver Photo ID, or Passport |
| Divorce decree or prior surname notice | File upload | Conditional | If either party was divorced |
| Death certificate | File upload | Conditional | If a prior spouse is deceased |
| Translation | File upload | Conditional | Notarized, for foreign-language documents |
| Appointment date and time | Scheduler | Yes | Video conference |
| Payment | Card | Yes | $70 plus processor fee |
York County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The base marriage license fee is $70, and a debit or credit card processor fee is added on top. That base fee includes one certified copy of the license. Other items carry their own price. A keepsake license is a decorative version for $10. Certified copies, extra applications, and the special waivers each have a set cost. The fee schedule below lists the common charges from the Clerk of Orphans' Court.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license (includes one certified copy) | $70 plus card processor fee |
| Keepsake license | $10 |
| Certified copy of license and return of marriage | $10 |
| Certified copy of application | $10 |
| Non-resident | $20 |
| Affidavit of no marriage | $20 |
| Standard waiver | $20 |
| Military waiver | Free |
Divorce filing fees are set by the Court of Common Pleas and are paid to the Prothonotary, not the Clerk of Orphans' Court. A certified copy of a divorce decree by mail costs $15. More on those steps appears in the sections below.
How to Look Up York County Marriage Records
Marriage records in York County are held by the Clerk of Orphans' Court. You can search them online through a portal called CountyFusion. Log in as a Guest, accept the disclaimer, and choose Search Public Records. Then search by Marriage Names. The portal returns license records you can view and, if needed, order. Records from before 1950 are not on the portal. For those, request by mail or call 717-771-9288.
To find a record fast, have the names of both spouses ready, and the approximate year if you know it. The license number helps too. The county e-file system is also where new applications begin, so the same office manages both the front end and the archive. You can reach the application portal at the York County marriage license e-file application.
The e-file system walks each applicant through the form and lets you upload documents in the same place. For broader record searches across the county, see York County public records.
How to Find York County Divorce Records
Divorce is a family matter heard in the Court of Common Pleas, and the case is filed through the Prothonotary. Simple divorce forms and instructions are posted on the court website. If the case involves property, finances, custody, or alimony, an attorney is the safer route. To file, either the filer or the spouse must live in York County. The filing fee is paid to the Prothonotary by cash, credit card, certified check, money order, or travelers check.
Divorce Hearing Officers in the Family Law Division run hearings and make recommendations in disputed cases. Those disputes can cover fault, irretrievable breakdown, property distribution, and alimony. The hearing officers do not give legal advice. Questions about case status and copies of a decree go to the Prothonotary, not to the hearing officers. The Court of Common Pleas page covers how the family division fits into the wider court.
Who may perform the ceremony also matters for a valid marriage. Pennsylvania Title 23 section 1503 lists who can solemnize a marriage, and a couple that uses an unauthorized officiant carries the burden of proving the marriage is valid. Read the statute at the Pennsylvania Marriage Law text.
The statute is the controlling rule for officiants statewide. For estate and decedent matters tied to a marriage, the York County probate records page covers Orphans' Court.
Getting Certified Copies
A certified copy carries the office seal and works as legal proof. People need them for passports, benefit claims, name changes, and court matters. For a marriage license, you can order a certified copy online through the CountyFusion portal. Log in as Guest, accept the disclaimer, and choose Search Public Records. Search by Marriage Names, click the license number, then click Certified Copy. Complete the eCertify steps, accept the $10 fee, and pay by card with a service fee. The office then mails the certified copy to you.
The county explains each step on its certified copies page. See the York County Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses page before you start.
For licenses issued before 1950, the portal will not help. Request those by mail or call 717-771-9288. By mail, complete the Certified Copy request form, include a $10 check or money order payable to Clerk of Orphans' Court, and add a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail it to 45 North George Street, York, PA 17401. The portal at CountyFusion can be reached at the York County CountyFusion portal, though it may be unavailable at times.
A divorce decree copy comes from the Prothonotary instead. By mail, send the Prothonotary at 45 North George Street, York, PA 17401 the party names, your phone number, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if you know it. Include a $15 money order payable to Prothonotary and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A confidential special decree requires acceptable ID. For more on this office, see the Prothonotary page.
York County Marriage Records Office
Marriage licenses and the records tied to them are kept by the Clerk of Orphans' Court within the Register of Wills office. This is the office to call for application help, certified copies, and older records. The contact details are below, and the marriage license page lists the current rules.
Clerk of Orphans' Court / Register of Wills
45 North George Street, 2nd Floor
York, PA 17401
717-771-9288
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.