Trying to Obtain Marriage License!

I had these concerns in Massachusetts and luckily was able to find a city in MA that was doing them. It must be the same in PA. Have you tried asking your officiant for any recommendations?

I would email them and see. Our clerks office was taking emergency appointments only. I called and asked if I could still get a marriage license and they said yes they are doing everything contactless and would mail me all the forms and the new procedure due to Covid. We just got married Saturday. I also checked in to getting married in CT at my moms house and they also were closed but had a same type of procedure.

Hi! I’m 20 mins outside of Philly —Bucks county’s clerk office is taking applications for virtual marriage licenses! Not entirely sure how it works, but I’ll be looking into it and applying in the next week. Hoping it’s an easy process.

My offices are letting us get licenses online! Is that an option?

View Quoted Comment I️ emailed Montgomery county today! Hopefully I️ get A response by next week.

View Quoted Comment Right ours we’re taking emergency apps only. So I️ emailed other counties outside of philly.

I'm in Delco, and the Media courthouse is taking virtual/online applications

I'm in Massachusetts and I don't know exactly how it works in other states, but in most places, your marriage license has to come from the state you get married in, so it doesn't really matter if your fiancé's stuff is all registered in NJ if you're getting married in PA. Although there was drama involved in us getting a marriage license too, and I definitely considered getting legally married in RI/CT/NH while we were on the waitlist to get an appointment to get a marriage license here. A lot of the marriage related things here are regulated by the Secretary of State's office, so if you don't get a response from the county you emailed, you might want to try calling or emailing that office. They probably can't/won't grant you a marriage license, but they might be able to tell you where you can get one or what qualifies as an emergency so you can get one in your county.

Good Luck!

The county we are getting married in is issuing marriage licenses online and mailing them out. ironically its the only county in my state doing this so far

View Quoted Comment So lucky! I️ wound Up emailing a different county as well. Should here back by next week.

York County was doing virtual license applications in case you need a backup plan

I did some online research hope this helps.

“We continually expect updates, and there may be a scenario that we haven’t thought of,” says Mustafa Rashed, a spokesperson for the Register of Wills. A five-step process has been put in place for Philadelphia residents to move forward with obtaining an emergency virtual marriage license. But it’s not exactly easy. Here’s the breakdown (it’s also available on the ROW website):

1. Send a request for your emergency marriage license to c****.******@******.*****.***. Include your emergency circumstances, name and partner. If your request is approved, you’ll receive an emailed application.
2. Complete the application, but do not sign it.
3. Email Caren Berger and l******.******@*****.*** with your unsigned app, photo IDs, documents such as a divorce or death certificate from a previous marriage (if necessary) and your phone numbers. If everything is accepted (read: double and triple check), a Zoom video conference will be set up to finalize your application.
4. Send via USPS overnight delivery the completed app (make sure to sign it), certified copy of additional documents noted above and as needed, a $100 money order made payable to the Clerk of Orphans’ Court and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Register of Wills Office. Once all of the materials are received, a self-uniting license will be mailed. The license can’t be used for three days from its date of issuance, and is valid for 60 days after that.
5. To receive a valid certified copy of your marriage certificate upon completion, you must send the bottom half of the license (and a self-addressed stamped envelope) via USPS overnight to the Register of Wills Office.

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Awesome! i really hope they get you squared away. one other thing to consider is how long the license is valid for. in maryland they are normal valid for 6 months. during the COVID emergency, the county we are getting married it says it will be valid starting the day after it is issue, during the emergency and then for 6 months AFTER the declaration of emergency is lifted.

which i feel is really helpful for those having to postpone their dates

I'm in Fayette county PA, I emailed today to see what the procedure is now. Hopefully they respond quickly