Marriage License
Self Help - Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas
By appointment only during the hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, applicants for a marriage license, both of whom are at least 18 years of age, must appear together at the Marriage License Office. The marriage license office does not schedule or perform weddings; it is the responsibility of applicants to arrange for a statutorily authorized officiant to perform their wedding.
The Marriage License Department is located at:
- 455 West Hamilton Street
- Room 123.5
- Allentown, PA 18101-1614
-
- Phone: (610) 782-3173
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I. APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
- POLICY:
- Neither walk-in applications nor virtual interviews are available.
- Marriage license applications and all supporting documentation may be submitted by email to schedule an appointment for in-person interviews at Marriage License Office, during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. M-F. Scheduling preference is given to couples with a confirmed wedding date and authorized officiant to perform the ceremony.
- PROCEDURE:
- Complete the Marriage License Application Packet. If completed by hand please print legibly and include a phone number and/or email address where one of the applicants can be contacted. The confirmed date of wedding and the name title and phone number of the authorized officiant who has agreed to perform the wedding on that date must be included at the bottom of the application.
- Complete the Application for in Person Interview Appointment
- At least 20 business days before your scheduled wedding date, submit ALL OF THE FOLLOWING by email to marriagelicense@lehighcounty.org:
- Completed Marriage License Application Packet
- Completed Application For In-Person Interview Appointment
- Legible copy of current photo ID for both applicants NOTE: if the address on the photo ID is different from the address on the ML application, also include other proof of residence, (e.g. recently postmarked envelope; utility bill etc.)
- Legible copies of divorce decree or death certificate regarding most recent former spouse of either applicant
- In-person interviews will be scheduled according to availability at the time of receipt and review of sufficiently documented applications from couples with confirmed wedding dates and officiants.
- Applicants will be notified by email of the date and time of their in-person interview and be provided further instructions regarding requisite social distancing protocols.
- Ineligible applicants will be so notified by explanatory email.
- A Marriage License remains valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. Applications should not be submitted more than 60 days in advance of scheduled wedding dates.
II. RETURN OF DUPLICATE CERTIFICATES
Effective immediately and until further notice, the Duplicate Certificate completed by the officiant (bottom portion of marriage license) must be returned by mail to: Marriage License Office, Lehigh County Courthouse 455 West Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101. Certified copies pre-ordered at the time of application will be mailed upon receipt and recording of completed Duplicate Certificates.
III. CERTIFIED COPIES
Certified copies of marriage licenses issued by the Lehigh County Marriage License Office must be ordered by completion and submission of an Order Form (paper copies available outside the Marriage License Office at the Courthouse) with payment:
- Complete and Submit the Order Form by:
- 1. Email to marriagelicense@lehighcounty.org
OR
- 2. Regular mail to:
-
- Marriage License Office
- Clerk of Orphans' Court
- Lehigh County Courthouse
- 455 West Hamilton Street
- Room 123.5
- Allentown, PA 18101-1614
OR
- 3. In person appearance at Marriage License Department (Room 123.5 of the Courthouse).
- The cost is $10.00/certified copy, plus $9.65 charge if the certified copy is sent to requesting party by priority mail.
Disclaimer
The forms and instructions that are available from this website are not a substitute for professional legal advice. Court employees cannot give you legal advice or help you fill out /complete the forms. It is your responsibility to read and complete the forms and to take required steps to file and serve the documents. If you decide to use these forms in an actual action, be prepared to spend appropriate time gathering information, completing forms and following the Rules of Court. The Court assumes no responsibility for the use of these forms and accepts no liability for actions taken by using these documents, including reliance on the instructions and/or contents. To obtain legal advice and to insure the proper use of this material, you should contact a lawyer.
If you want to obtain the service of an attorney, but do not know whom to contact, you should visit the Lehigh Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service website.