Getting a Marriage License in Lehigh County
Marriage licenses in Lehigh County come from the Marriage License Office. The office sits inside the Lehigh County Courthouse at 455 West Hamilton Street, Room 123.5, Allentown, PA 18101-1614. You can reach it by phone at 610-782-3173. The office runs by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The courthouse closes on weekends, on set holidays, and in severe weather when the President Judge calls it. For records purposes, the office files under the Clerk of Orphans' Court, so any mail goes to "Marriage License Office, Clerk of Orphans' Court" at the same courthouse address.
Both applicants must be at least 18. Both must show up together at the office for the appointment. The office does not set up or perform weddings. After you get the license, you find your own officiant, and that person must be one the law allows to marry couples in Pennsylvania, such as clergy, a judge, or a magisterial district judge. The Marriage License Office posts its hours and contact details on the county site, and the lead-in below points to that page.
The county keeps the Marriage License Office hours and contact info on its Marriage License Office hours and contact page, which is the quickest way to confirm the appointment schedule before you go.
That page lists the Room 123.5 location and the by-appointment rule, so it pays to check it before you make the trip downtown.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
A little prep saves time. Fill out the application ahead of the visit, but do not sign it yet. The form says all signatures get done in person at the appointment. You also fill out an appointment request form that asks for your contact info, your document status for a Social Security number or non-citizen ID, your time preferences, whether you need an interpreter, your wedding date, and your officiant's details. Bring proper ID. Both of you come together. Plan to pay at the appointment.
- Complete the marriage license application, but do not sign it. All signatures are done in person at the appointment.
- Complete the in-person appointment request form.
- Include your contact info, SSN or non-citizen document status, appointment time preference, interpreter need, wedding date, and officiant information.
- Submit the forms to the Marriage License Office per the current court instructions.
- Both applicants appear together at Room 123.5 for the appointment.
- Pay the $100 application fee and get your license and certified-copy process per office instructions.
- Return the completed marriage record after the ceremony as the office or officiant directs.
The county posts answers to common questions on its Marriage License FAQ page, which is worth a read before your appointment.
That FAQ confirms the fee, the payment options, and the rule that both applicants appear together, so it clears up most last-minute questions.
Marriage License Application Fields
The application asks for more than just names. Each applicant gives full legal name, birth details, and a few facts about past marriages and family. Some fields only apply in certain cases, like a maiden name or a prior marriage. The table below lists the main fields, whether they are required, and a short note on each. U.S. citizens also fill out a Pennsylvania voter registration preference at the same time.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant A / Applicant B name | Yes | Full name as shown on your identification. |
| Maiden last name | Conditional | Only if different from your current last name. |
| Residence | Yes | Street number, street, and city. |
| State / ZIP / County | Yes | Your current residence. |
| Birthplace | Yes | State or foreign country. |
| Date of birth | Yes | Your DOB. |
| Sex | Yes | Male, female, or non-binary. |
| Age | Yes | Your age today. |
| Number of this marriage | Yes | First, second, third, and so on. |
| Last marriage ended by | Conditional | Death, divorce, or annulment; specify which. |
| Date ended | Conditional | Date the final decree, death, or annulment was signed; or Never Married. |
| Education | Yes | Highest grade or degree completed. |
| Usual occupation | Yes | Your occupation. |
| Parent names | Yes | Current full name, with optional mother/father/parent label. |
| Parent maiden names | Conditional | Only if different. |
| Parent birthplace / residence / occupation | If known | City, township, or state plus occupation, or retired/deceased. |
| Incapacity / guardian | Conditional | Guardian name, phone or email, and county/state of adjudication. |
| Under influence of alcohol or drugs | Yes | Applicant statement. |
| Related by blood or marriage | Yes | Applicant statement. |
| Verification / signature | Yes | Done in person at the appointment. |
| PA voter registration preference | Required for U.S. citizens | Submitted at the same time. |
Note: do not sign the application before your visit because the office completes all signatures during the in-person appointment.
Lehigh County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The marriage license fee is simple. You pay $100 for the application, and that price already includes two certified copies. The fee is due at your in-person appointment. If you want more certified copies later, each one costs $10. Use the official order form for extra copies. The table below breaks out the main marriage record fees.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license application (includes two certified copies) | $100 |
| Additional certified copy (each) | $10 |
Payment options matter here. The office takes cash, money order, or credit card. Accepted cards are Mastercard, Visa, and Discover. Card payments add a 2.9% service fee. That same 2.9% card fee applies when you order extra certified copies and pay by card. Cash and money order skip the card fee. For divorce records, fees depend on the document and copy type, so confirm the cost with the Civil Division before you order.
How to Look Up Lehigh County Marriage Records
Marriage license records in Lehigh County run through the Marriage License Office, which files under the Clerk of Orphans' Court. To find or order a record, you reach out to that office. Have the basics ready. The official order form asks for the marriage license number if you know it, the names of both parties, the marriage date, your contact info, and the number of copies you want. The more detail you give, the faster the office can pull the right file.
Most people contact the office by phone first or use the order form for copies. The contact card below has the address, phone, and hours so you can plan your request.
Marriage License Office
Clerk of Orphans' Court
Lehigh County Courthouse
455 West Hamilton Street, Room 123.5
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
610-782-3173
By appointment only, Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Note: the office does not perform weddings, so you arrange your own officiant from those Pennsylvania law allows to marry couples.
How to Find Lehigh County Divorce Records
Divorce is a court matter, not a license. Lehigh County Family Court handles divorce proceedings, and the Civil Division of the Court of Common Pleas dockets, indexes, and scans family court cases. So divorce records live in the family court files, not with the Marriage License Office. To find a divorce case, start by locating the docket, then ask the Civil Division for the file or for certified copies. E-filing has been mandatory for Family Court case types since January 1, 2020, except where the court grants an exemption.
The county's Family Court Division explains how family cases, including divorce, move through the system. The lead-in below points to that page.
The Lehigh County Family Court Division page covers the divisions that touch divorce, support, and custody, which helps you confirm where a given case sits before you request records.
A divorce file can hold the complaint, the decree, support and custody orders, property division terms, and a range of motions and filings. Not all of it is open, though. Access to a divorce record may be limited for financial information, for minors, for abuse-victim information, for sealed filings, or under a specific court order. For certified copies of a divorce decree or other file documents, contact the Civil Division in Room 122 at 610-782-3148.
Getting Certified Copies
You usually need a certified copy for legal use. Think name changes, Social Security, banks, or immigration. A plain printout will not work for those. For marriage records, your $100 license fee already covers two certified copies. Need more? Each extra certified copy is $10, plus the 2.9% card fee if you pay by card. Use the official order form from the Marriage License Office to request them.
The marriage copy request is straightforward. Use the official Order Form, then give the marriage license number if you know it, the names of both parties, the marriage date, your contact details, and how many copies you want. You can submit the form by mail or in person per the form instructions. If you plan to mail cash, check first whether the office accepts cash by mail before you send it. Divorce decree copies follow a different route. For those, contact the Civil Division in Room 122 at 610-782-3148 and confirm the fee, payment method, and processing time before you mail your request.
Where Divorce Records Are Held in Lehigh County
Divorce case files sit with the Civil Division, part of the Clerk of Judicial Records under the Court of Common Pleas. The Civil Division dockets, indexes, and scans family court cases, which is why divorce filings end up there rather than with the Marriage License Office. This is the office to call for certified decrees or other documents from a divorce file. The contact card below has its location and phone.
Civil Division, Clerk of Judicial Records
Lehigh County Courthouse
455 West Hamilton Street, Room 122
Allentown, PA 18101-1614
610-782-3148
Note: e-filing has been mandatory for Family Court case types since January 1, 2020, so newer divorce filings are handled and stored electronically except where the court exempts a case.