ByOrder Lancaster County Marriage Certificates In Less Than 5 Minutes
When you need to request a copy of your marriage certificate, you won't receive much help from the records office. To get a copy, you have to follow a set of very specific instructions. It's easy to get confused if you're unfamiliar with government forms or the application process!
It's easy to lose your marriage certificate when you move or re-organize your important documents. If a portion of your home is damaged by weather or other natural disasters, your marriage certificate may be destroyed. No matter what your situation, DoNotPay makes sure that you get your marriage certificate copy ASAP!
Who Is Permitted to Get Marriage Certificate Copies in Lancaster County?
In Pennsylvania, you usually can only get a marriage certificate copy if your name is on the original document. In most counties, the certificate only includes the officiator's name and the names of the spouses. However, sometimes the names of the spouses' parents are placed on the certificate as well.
You can still get marriage certificate documents on someone else's behalf if you have a court order. To get one, you'll need to provide valid reasons for why you should receive the copy. These might include:
- The spouses on the document are out of the country
- Both spouses have fallen ill and can't make it to the courthouse
- Law enforcement needs the document for an investigation
What You'll Need to Get a Lancaster County Marriage Certificate
To get an official copy of your you must provide the following information:
| Full name of each spouse | Date when the marriage certificate was issued |
| Approximate location of the marriage | Marriage license's number |
| Date of the event | Proof of identity |
The Standard Process of Requesting a Lancaster County Marriage Certificate
Marriage certificate copies in Lancaster County generally cannot be obtained online or in person. You must mail the correct form to the appropriate courthouse to have your request processed. If you want to try and get a marriage certificate copy on your own, follow these steps closely:
- Complete this form (either by hand or on the computer) and print it out.
- Include either a check or money order that covers the processing fee.
- Include a legal-sized, self-addressed envelope with a stamp. The courthouse will use this envelope to send your certified copy (or multiple copies) to you.
- Seal everything inside another legal-sized envelope.
- Address the envelope to the Marriage License Department, Lancaster County Courthouse, 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602.
Why Your First Marriage Certificate Copy Request Might Be Unsuccessful
While the process seems easy enough, your request might be rejected because:
You Did Not Pay the Application Fee
Lancaster County requires $10 for each certified copy of a marriage certificate. The License Department will also automatically reject your application if you attempt to pay with cash. This fee can be waived, but only if one spouse is an active (or honorably discharged) member of the U.S. Armed Services.
Your Name Isn't Recognized on the Marriage Certificate
If you've recently had your name changed, it won't reflect on the marriage certificate unless you've applied to have it altered. If you're the officiator or a spouse's parent who is named on the certificate, you may have to present proof of your valid name change.
You Applied for a Marriage License Replacement Instead
A marriage license is what must first be obtained from the courthouse before two people are allowed to marry. The marriage certificate is proof that the marriage actually took place. It's a common mistake to confuse the two, but doing so will still draw out the request process.
Your Check or Money Order Doesn't Have the Correct Recipient
Money orders and checks must be made payable to the Clerk of Orphans' Court of Lancaster County, PA. Your payment won't be accepted if it's made out to the courthouse or an individual clerk.
DoNotPay: The Better Option for Getting Copies of Your Lancaster County Marriage Certificate
Government officials expect you to hunt for every form and follow every guideline, but they don't always make that information easy to find! It's no wonder why so many people can't get the marriage certificate copies that they rightfully deserve. If you're sick of dealing with such an unforgiving system, try out DoNotPay's Certificates of Marriage product.
If you want to order a but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 7 easy steps:
- Go to the Certificates of Marriage product on DoNotPay.
- Select whether the certificate belongs to you or a relative/loved one. If it belongs to someone else, enter the details of both people on the certificate, and select/upload evidence that proves your relationship with them. If the certificate is yours, enter the details of your spouse.
- Enter the city, state, and county where the marriage certificate was issued as well as the date it was issued.
- Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
- Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.
- Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
- If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.
Just confirm that everything is correct, and you're all good to go! DoNotPay will always keep you updated about your request status, but you'll typically receive your certified copy within the next few weeks.
DoNotPay has been successful for hundreds of satisfied users because:
- They don't have to waste time doing hours of tedious research on their own!
- From helping users gather initial documents to filing the request, DoNotPay makes everything simple and easier to understand!
- Even if your previous attempts have been unsuccessful, DoNotPay is on your side until you get a satisfying resolution!
DoNotPay Can Do a Lot More for You
Life has a lot of other hurdles besides trying to obtain a marriage certificate copy. Fortunately, DoNotPay can support you in many other ways by:
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Use the Search tool on your DoNotPay homepage to find the answer to any problem. Join DoNotPay now to get your certified marriage certificate copy in no time!