Erie County Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Marriage License in Erie County

The Erie County Marriage Bureau is under the Clerk of Records. Clerk of Records Aubrea Hagerty-Haynes can be reached through the courthouse office at 814-451-6250. The courthouse address used for Erie County court offices is Erie County Courthouse, 140 West Sixth Street, Erie, PA 16501. The Marriage Bureau handles license applications and certified marriage copy requests, while the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court operate under the same Clerk of Records structure for other record types.

Applicants must bring a driver's license or photo ID showing date of birth. Each applicant must provide a Social Security number, and a Social Security card is preferred, although a written number is accepted if the card is unavailable. If a prior marriage ended in divorce, bring the latest divorce decree. If a name was resumed after divorce, bring proof of name resumption. If a prior marriage ended by death, bring a death certificate or copy. Pennsylvania imposes a three-day waiting period after the application is completed and signed, so the license cannot be used until three days later.

How to Apply for an Erie County Marriage License

Erie County applicants should complete the marriage license application before the appointment and bring the printed application with the required identity and prior-marriage documents. The fee effective March 1, 2025 includes one certified copy after the Marriage Bureau receives the completed Return.

1. Print and complete the marriage license application before the appointment.
2. Bring photo identification showing date of birth and provide each applicant's Social Security number.
3. Bring the latest divorce decree, name-resumption proof, or death certificate copy if a prior marriage ended.
4. Appear for the appointment, complete and sign the application, and pay the required fee.
5. Wait three days after completion and signing before using the Pennsylvania marriage license.

Erie County Marriage License Application Fields

The application gathers identity and eligibility facts for both applicants. Erie County's requirements emphasize date-of-birth identification, Social Security number reporting, and proof of how any prior marriage ended.

Erie County Marriage and Divorce Fees

The marriage license fee research gives exact Erie County amounts. The divorce research did not provide divorce filing or certified decree fees, so those amounts should be confirmed with the Prothonotary rather than guessed.

How to Look Up Erie County Marriage Records

Certified Erie County marriage copy requests require the date of marriage and both applicants' full names, including maiden names. The request also requires a printed and completed request form. Payment for certified copies may be made by cashier's check, personal check, or money order payable to Clerk of Records, or by $5 cash in person.

After the completed marriage Return is received, the Marriage Bureau forwards one marriage certification. CourtPro includes Marriage Bureau records along with Prothonotary, Register of Wills, and Orphans' Court records, so it may serve as an online access channel where the record type and access rules allow.

How to Find Erie County Divorce Records

Erie County divorce records are civil Court of Common Pleas records filed with the Prothonotary. The Prothonotary is located in Room 120 at the Erie County Courthouse and can be reached at 814-451-6250. CourtPro and the Prothonotary are the local search and request channels for divorce filings and decrees, subject to public access limits for family court records.

Divorce proceedings are governed by Pennsylvania domestic relations law under 23 Pa.C.S. Title 23. The Unified Judicial System also provides a divorce proceedings resource for people trying to understand the court process. Remote access to family court records can be limited under UJS public access policy, so a docket search may not expose every document in the divorce file.

Getting Certified Erie County Marriage and Divorce Copies

Certified marriage copies come from the Clerk of Records Marriage Bureau and require the marriage date, both applicants' full names including maiden names, the completed request form, and the $5 certified copy payment. Cash is accepted in person, while mailed payments may be made by cashier's check, personal check, or money order payable to Clerk of Records.

Certified divorce decree requests should be directed to the Prothonotary because divorce is a civil Court of Common Pleas filing. If the record is restricted or remote access is limited, the Prothonotary can identify the proper request method or whether court authorization is needed.

Pennsylvania Vital Records Office

Pennsylvania's state vital records system is separate from Erie County's Marriage Bureau and Prothonotary. Erie County marriage license and divorce decree work should start with the local offices identified above. State vital records may be useful for other Pennsylvania birth, death, or vital-record needs, but the research for this assignment did not provide a state office address or phone number for this page.