Beaver County Marriage License Lookup
Beaver County marriage records are maintained by the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court at the Beaver County Courthouse. The office is in Room 111 at 810 Third Street in the borough of Beaver. Staff issue new marriage licenses and keep copies of past records. Beaver County sits in western Pennsylvania, just northwest of Pittsburgh, with about 165,000 residents. You can request records in person or by mail. This guide covers how to find, search, and obtain marriage records in Beaver County.
Beaver County Quick Facts
Beaver County Register of Wills
The Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court handles all marriage license work in Beaver County. The office is in Room 111 of the Beaver County Courthouse at 810 Third Street in Beaver. The phone number is (724) 728-3943, extension 273. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Both people who plan to marry must appear in person together. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license or passport.
You must know your Social Security number when you apply. The card itself is not needed. If you were married before, bring a certified copy of your divorce decree with the month, day, year, county, and state of the final decree. For annulments, bring the certified annulment document. If your prior spouse died, bring the date of death. Under Section 1301 of Title 23, a marriage license is required before any ceremony in Pennsylvania. Beaver County takes cash only for in-person payments. Mail requests accept checks or money orders.
The Beaver County official website has general information about county services and departments.
The county website lists department contacts, including the Register of Wills office that handles Beaver County marriage licenses.
| Office |
Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court Beaver County Courthouse 810 Third Street, Room 111 Beaver, PA 15009 Phone: (724) 728-3943 ext 273 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | beavercountypa.gov |
Beaver County Marriage License Fees
The marriage license application fee in Beaver County is between $45 and $60. The exact amount may vary, so call the office to confirm the current rate before you visit. A research fee of $4.00 applies when staff search for a record. A certified copy of a marriage record costs $5.00. A copy of a license application is $1.00. In-person payments must be in cash. Mail requests take checks or money orders.
A three-day waiting period starts the day you apply in Beaver County. You come back after three days to pick up your license. The license is then valid for 60 days. If no ceremony takes place in that time, it expires. No blood test or physical exam is needed. Common-law marriages are only recognized if they were created before January 1, 2005. No proxy marriages or cousin marriages are allowed in Beaver County or anywhere else in Pennsylvania.
You can find more about Beaver County marriage requirements on this resource page.
This page covers what documents to bring and the rules for applying for a marriage license in Beaver County.
Note: Beaver County requires cash for all in-person transactions at the Register of Wills office, so plan your payment ahead of time.
Search Beaver County Marriage Records
To search for a marriage record in Beaver County, visit the Register of Wills office or send a mail request. You will need the full names of both parties as they appeared on the license and the date of the marriage. Staff will search the records for you. For in-person visits, bring your photo ID. For mail requests, include a self-addressed stamped envelope along with your check or money order for the fees.
Marriage records in Beaver County are public under Pennsylvania law. You do not have to be a party to the marriage to request a copy. Anyone can ask. The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us lets you search court records across all Pennsylvania counties by name or case number. For certified copies, though, you need to go through the Beaver County Register of Wills directly.
Online court records for Beaver County can also be found through a statewide records portal.
This resource explains how to access Beaver County court records, including marriage filings and case details.
Beaver County Historical Marriage Records
Beaver County has marriage records from two separate periods. The earliest records cover 1852 to 1854, from the state's first attempt to track marriages at the county level. That program ended, and there is a gap from 1855 to 1885 when no county-level records were kept. From 1886 on, Beaver County has continuous marriage records up to today. The county was formed on March 12, 1800. The Register of Wills also has birth records from 1893 to 1906 and death records from 1852 to 1854 and 1893 to 1906.
FamilySearch has free digital images of Beaver County marriage records from the 1885 to 1950 period. Search for "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950" and pick Beaver County from the list. The Beaver County Genealogical Society at beavercountyhistory.org keeps additional materials, including marriage licenses from 1885 to 1900, a divorce index from 1800 to 1926, and various surname files. They also have obituary indexes from Beaver Falls newspapers covering the 1920s. The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg may have microfilm of older Beaver County records as well.
If documents are in a foreign language, they must be translated into English with a certified translation and a notarized affidavit of accuracy. If either applicant cannot speak English, an independent translator must accompany both people. Visas are required for citizens of other countries applying for a Beaver County marriage license.
Legal Help in Beaver County
Pennsylvania Legal Aid at palegalaid.net provides free legal assistance to people in Beaver County who qualify based on income. The Pennsylvania Bar Association lawyer referral service at (800) 692-7375 can connect you with a family law attorney in the Beaver County area. The Pennsylvania State Archives website at phmc.pa.gov can help you find older records on microfilm.
Probate records in Beaver County go back to 1800. The Register of Wills handles these along with estate matters and inheritance tax collection. If you need a marriage record that connects to an estate case, the same office can help with both.
Note: If you were married before and your divorce was granted outside of Pennsylvania, make sure to bring a certified copy of the out-of-state decree to your Beaver County appointment.
Nearby Counties
Beaver County is in western Pennsylvania, northwest of Pittsburgh. If you need a marriage record from a neighboring county, check the list below. The license stays on file with the county that issued it.