How to get a Berks County marriage certificate copy

To get a copy of a Berks County marriage record, order a certified copy from the Register of Wills for $5. You request it from the county that issued the marriage license, by mail or in person, and it works as your official marriage certificate for a name change, Social Security, insurance, or immigration.

Pennsylvania does not keep marriage records at the state level the way it keeps birth and death records. There is no state marriage certificate to order. Every marriage license since 1885 stays with the county that issued it. If you need a birth or death record instead, that one does come from the state; see our guide to getting a birth or death certificate in Berks County.

Which office holds the record

Marriage records in Berks County are kept by the Register of Wills, who also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, on the 2nd floor of the Berks County Services Center at 633 Court Street in Reading. The current Register of Wills is Suzanne Myers. The same office issued the license and is the only office that can certify a copy of it.

The county that issued the license holds the record, not the county where the wedding took place. If you applied for the license in Berks County, Berks can certify it, even if you married somewhere else. If you married in Berks County but got the license in another county, contact that county's Register of Wills instead.

The "marriage certificate" and the marriage license are the same record

The document most agencies call a marriage certificate is a certified copy of the marriage license the county issued. Berks County labels it a Certified Copy of Marriage License. It carries the county seal and is the proof of marriage you present when you change a name or update federal records. If you are still planning the wedding and need the license itself, read how to get a marriage license in Berks County.

What you need to request a copy

The request form asks for enough detail to locate the record:

1. The date or year of the marriage.
2. The full and maiden names of both spouses, plus any other names either person used.
3. The marriage license number and volume, book, and page, if you have them. These are optional. The office can find the record from the names and year without them.
4. Your name, mailing address, and phone number as the person requesting the copy.

If either spouse is a veteran or current member of the military, the form asks you to contact the office before sending the request.

How to request

You can request a copy three ways. Mail is the standard method; in person is fastest if you can reach the office during business hours.

1. Fill out the request form. Download and complete the Certified Copy of Marriage License Request form.
2. Choose the copy you need. A standard certified copy is $5. A long-form copy, which you need for dual citizenship, is $15. If the copy is for dual citizenship, note that on the form so the office encloses a certified copy of the application.
3. Pay and send it. By mail, enclose a check or money order payable to "Register of Wills" and a self-addressed envelope, and mail it to Register of Wills, 633 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Reading, PA 19601. In person, bring the form to the office and pay by cash or check. Visa and Mastercard are accepted only on charges of $20 or more. To order four or more copies, call the office at 610-478-6600 to arrange payment.

What it costs

Item	Fee
Certified copy of the marriage record	$5
Long-form or dual-citizenship copy	$15

These figures come from the county's marriage certification page and its request form, confirmed August 10, 2026. Call the office to confirm the current amount before you rely on it.

Older and historical marriage records

Pennsylvania counties have recorded marriages since September 30, 1885, when state law first required a license before a marriage. The Register of Wills keeps those records permanently, so the office can pull a marriage from decades ago the same way it pulls a recent one. The further back you go, the more a full name, a maiden name, and an approximate year help the staff find it.

For genealogy research, three places are worth knowing:

• The Register of Wills office itself, which the county calls a resource for genealogical information because its records are kept forever.
• The Pennsylvania State Archives, which holds digitized microfilm copies of marriage records for some counties along with earlier marriage-related documents.
• The Historical Society of Berks County and the Berks County Genealogical Society, for records and indexes that predate 1885 or fill gaps, when county civil records were spotty or kept only by churches.

Where to go

Berks County Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Berks County Services Center, 2nd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Phone 610-478-6600, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The same office handles wills, estates, and probate, so say you are there about a marriage record. To see which county office keeps which records, read how Berks County government works.

FAQ

How much is a certified marriage certificate in Berks County?

A certified copy of the marriage record is $5. A long-form or dual-citizenship copy is $15. By mail you pay with a check or money order payable to "Register of Wills"; in person you can pay by cash, check, or, on charges of $20 or more, Visa or Mastercard.

Does Pennsylvania issue marriage certificates from the state?

No. Unlike birth and death certificates, marriage records are not held by the state. Every marriage license since 1885 stays with the county Register of Wills that issued it, so you order the copy from that county.

I married in Berks County but got the license somewhere else. Where do I get a copy?

From the county that issued the license, not Berks County. The record follows the license, not the ceremony. Contact the Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the county where you applied.

How do I find an old Berks County marriage record for genealogy?

Marriage records since September 30, 1885 are held permanently by the Berks County Register of Wills, and you can request a copy with the names and approximate year. For records before 1885 or for research help, the Historical Society of Berks County and the Berks County Genealogical Society are the local starting points, and the Pennsylvania State Archives holds microfilmed copies for some counties.

How long does it take to get a copy by mail?

The county does not publish a turnaround time. Mailing a complete form with payment and a self-addressed envelope is the standard route; if you need the copy quickly, bringing the form to the office in person during business hours is faster. Call 610-478-6600 with questions about a pending request.