In Philadelphia, PA & Nationwide

Pennsylvania Marriage Certificate Apostille

Get your Pennsylvania marriage certificate apostilled quickly and correctly — for use abroad. We handle every step, from compliance review to submission with the PA Department of State.

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Send Us Your Marriage Certificate

Marriage certificate Apostille Process

Pennsylvania marriage certificates are one of the most common documents we handle. If you don’t have a certified copy, we can obtain it for you directly from the proper county office. Our process is straightforward, with everything reviewed upfront to prevent delays or rejections.

Pennsylvania Marriage Certificate Requirements

The Pennsylvania Department of State will only apostille official certified copies issued directly by the county. Here's what qualifies:

  • Issued by the Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court in the county where the marriage license was originally issued

  • Bears an original signature from a Register of Wills, Clerk of the Orphans' Court, or Magistrate Judge (if applicable)

  • Includes the official county seal or stamp

  • Is a current, properly formatted certified copy — not a photocopy or reproduction

  • Some counties—such as Philadelphia—issue “exemplified copies” specifically for international authentication purposes.

Obtain Your Pennsylvania Marriage Certificate

Philadelphia County - City Hall

  • Request an exemplified marriage record from the Register of Wills at City Hall Room 415 (in person or by mail).

  • Specify that you need an exemplified copy for apostille/international use.

  • Or skip the trip—we can obtain it for you on your behalf.

👉 Submit Exemplified Record Retrieval

Same Day City Record Fees & Travel Notary Fees Apply

Montgomery County

Contact the Montgomery County Register of Wills in Norristown for certified copy requests.

👉 Submit Exemplified Record Retrieval

Same Day City Record Fees & Travel Notary Fees Apply

Bucks County

Contact the Bucks County Register of Wills in Doylestown—both in-person and mail-in requests are accepted. Bucks County maintains two separate documents: the marriage license application and the marriage certificate, which cannot be combined. Each document requires its own apostille, so if both are needed, they will be processed as part of one package with two separate apostilles.

👉 Submit Certified Marriage Record Retrieval

Same Day City Record Fees & Travel Notary Fees Apply

Marriage Certificate Apostille Questions

  • Yes — absolutely. The Pennsylvania Department of State will only accept an official certified copy of your marriage certificate. This must come from the Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court in the county where your marriage license was issued. Plain photocopies, notarized copies, or uncertified documents cannot be apostilled.

  • Yes — for clients located in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, or Chester County, we offer a convenient local pickup service. We'll come to you, collect your certified document, and handle everything from there. Please note that local pickup is only available within these four counties.

  • Age alone does not disqualify a marriage certificate from being apostilled. What matters is whether you can obtain a current certified copy from the county Register of Wills. Even if your marriage took place many years ago, the county can typically issue a new certified copy that meets today's requirements. Contact us and we can help you determine next steps.

  • Yes. We accept mail-in submissions from clients anywhere in the United States. Simply mail your certified marriage certificate to our Philadelphia office using a trackable shipping method (we recommend USPS Priority Mail or FedEx). We'll review your document, process the apostille, and return it to you securely. Contact us first so we can provide the correct mailing instructions and confirm your document qualifies.

  • That's exactly why we do a pre-submission review. Send us a photo of your document before your appointment and we'll assess whether it meets the PA Department of State's requirements. If there's an issue, we'll tell you before you come in — so you don't waste a trip.

  • An exemplified copy is a specially certified version of your marriage record used for international purposes, often required for apostille.

  • You must first obtain a certified or exemplified copy from the county where the marriage license was issued. Then, it is submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of State for apostille processing.

  • We offer secure domestic and international shipping with tracking, or you can choose in-person pickup at our office