Adams County Marriage License Office
Adams County marriage licenses are handled by the Adams County Clerk of Orphans' Court marriage services office. Pennsylvania lets applicants apply in any county and use the license anywhere in the Commonwealth, so an Adams County license can support a ceremony in another Pennsylvania county. The county's process starts online, then moves to document upload and a video appointment. The same office gives the mobile app route for applicants who prefer the county court app: Orphans Court, Marriage Information, then Schedule Video Marriage.
Both applicants must be at least 18. Each person must provide valid identification, such as a driver's license, military ID, or PennDOT photo ID. A birth certificate is used only when no listed photo ID is available. Identification must be in English or have a certified English translation. U.S. citizens must provide a Social Security number, and applicants should be ready with each parent's full name, mailing address, occupation, and birthplace.
The county marriage services page is the source for the Adams County online marriage application workflow.
The marriage services page matters because it gives the local video appointment process, return rules, payment details, and Clerk of Orphans' Court contact path.
Apply for Adams County Marriage Records
Applicants should treat the Adams County marriage license process as a timed filing. The application must be made within 60 days of the wedding, and the license is valid for 60 days from issuance. Pennsylvania also requires a minimum 3-day waiting period after application before the license is issued. If a couple needs that waiting period waived, the research points to a judge appointment, a signed court order, a justifiable reason, and an added waiver fee through Court Administration.
- Submit the online marriage application and upload the documents the Clerk of Orphans' Court requires.
- Use the county's video appointment process or the app route listed by the office to schedule the license review.
- Have both applicants ready with English-language identification, Social Security number if a U.S. citizen, and parent information.
- Provide certified proof of a prior marriage ending, such as a death certificate, certified divorce decree, or certified name-change document.
- Pay the Adams County license fee by cash, check, or money order, then wait for the Pennsylvania issuance period unless a court waiver is granted.
Previously married applicants have stricter proof duties. A widowed applicant needs a death certificate. A divorced applicant needs a certified divorce decree dated more than 30 days before the application. Foreign divorce decrees need a certified English translation. Pennsylvania does not require premarital blood testing or a physical exam, but first cousins or closer blood relatives may not marry.
Adams County Marriage Form Fields
The online application and appointment review rely on identity, prior-marriage, and parent details. The research file did not include a screenshot of every field label, so the inventory below stays with the county's stated requirements rather than inventing a longer form. Bring the same data to the appointment in case the uploaded document is unclear or the clerk needs to verify the spelling.
| Field or proof | Required | Adams County notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant legal names | Yes | Names must match identification and uploaded documents. |
| Valid photo identification | Yes | Driver's license, military ID, or PennDOT photo ID; English or certified English translation. |
| Social Security number | Yes for U.S. citizens | Required by the county marriage instructions for U.S. citizens. |
| Parent information | Yes | Full name, mailing address, occupation, and birthplace for each parent. |
| Prior-marriage proof | If applicable | Certified death certificate, certified divorce decree, or certified name-change document. |
| Wedding timing | Yes | Application must fit the 60-day license period and Pennsylvania waiting period. |
Adams County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Adams County publishes the core marriage license fees in the Clerk of Orphans' Court marriage instructions. The research file did not provide a divorce filing fee or certified divorce decree copy fee for the Prothonotary, so those lines are not estimated. Divorce requesters should ask the Prothonotary for the current filing, copy, and certification amount before mailing a request or visiting Room 104.
| Item | Amount or rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $83, paid by cash, check, or money order, and includes a certified copy. |
| Returned check | $39. |
| 3-day waiting-period waiver | Additional $5, plus signed court order, judge appointment, and justifiable reason. |
| Divorce decree copy | Confirm current copy and certification charges with the Prothonotary. |
Questions about marriage licensing go to 717-337-9806 or OrphansCourt@adamscountypa.gov. Waiting-period waiver questions go through Court Administration at 717-337-9846 because the waiver needs a judge appointment and court order.
Look Up Adams County Marriage Records
Adams County offers more than one marriage record access path. Modern application and scheduling functions are tied to the county's online service and the Clerk of Courts / Orphans' Court app. The probate research also states that Orphans' Court public online records include marriage applications, and that online services through CountyFusion and Kofile cover Marriage and Orphans' records from 1978 to present. For older research, the county research notes FamilySearch marriage dockets from 1885 to 1950 and Ancestry marriage dockets from 1852 to 1945.
The CountyFusion online service is the source tied to Adams County marriage application and Orphans' Court record access.
CountyFusion is useful for current Adams County marriage records, but older genealogy ranges may require the separate historical sources named by the Orphans' Court research.
After the ceremony, the officiant keeps the Officiant Record. If the license is unused within 60 days, all three license pages must be returned to the Clerk of Orphans' Court, 117 Baltimore Street, Room 103, Gettysburg, PA 17325. The Return of Marriage must be filed by the officiant within 10 days and must include the ceremony location or address plus the officiant's name, title, address, and phone. The research states an officiant who fails to return it will be fined $50.
Find Adams County Divorce Records
Adams County divorce records are not handled by the marriage license office. Divorce is a Court of Common Pleas civil and family matter, and the Prothonotary is the local filing and records office for those civil files. A public docket may not show every document in the divorce file, and statewide public court search tools may not provide full civil divorce access. For a certified decree, docket copy, or file review, contact the Adams County Prothonotary rather than the Clerk of Orphans' Court.
Pennsylvania divorce grounds are set out in 23 Pa.C.S. Section 3301. The research identifies fault grounds, mutual consent after 90 days from commencement with affidavits, and irretrievable breakdown. Those rules explain why a divorce file may contain more than the final decree. A file may include complaints, affidavits, orders, property-related filings, custody or support-related materials where public, and sealed or redacted items where state rules protect sensitive facts.
The Pennsylvania divorce grounds statute is the legal source for the divorce categories used in Adams County Court of Common Pleas cases.
The statute source helps separate a divorce decree request from a marriage-license request, since the two records belong to different Adams County courthouse offices.
Certified Adams County Divorce Copies
A certified marriage copy is included with the standard Adams County marriage license fee according to the marriage services research. Extra marriage proof and older marriage research should be directed to the Clerk of Orphans' Court or the online Orphans' Court sources. Divorce certification is different. The Prothonotary handles the divorce case record, so the request should identify the parties, approximate filing year, docket number if known, and whether the requester needs a certified decree or a plain copy.
Clerk of Orphans' Court
117 Baltimore Street, Room 103
Gettysburg, PA 17325
717-337-9806
OrphansCourt@adamscountypa.gov
Adams County Prothonotary
117 Baltimore Street, Room 104
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Contact for divorce docket, file, and decree copy fees.
Note: Birth and death records after 1905 are handled by Pennsylvania Vital Records in New Castle, not by the Adams County marriage or divorce offices.