How long does it take to be legally married in PA?

Answered by John Hunt

In Pennsylvania, there is a three-day waiting period between the date you apply for a Marriage License and when the license can be issued. This waiting period is required by law and is in place to allow time for any objections or legal issues to be raised before the marriage takes place.

Let me give you a couple of examples to illustrate how this waiting period works:

Example 1: If you and your partner decide to apply for a Marriage License on a Monday, you will need to wait three days before the license can be issued. This means that the license will be ready for you to pick up on Thursday. So, if you are planning to have a wedding ceremony on the weekend, you would need to apply for the license no later than the previous Monday to ensure it is ready in time.

Example 2: Let’s say you decide to apply for a Marriage License on a Tuesday. In this case, you would need to wait three days from the day of your application for the license to be issued. This means that the license would be ready for you to pick up on Friday. Again, if you are planning a weekend wedding, it would be best to apply for the license no later than the previous Tuesday to allow for the waiting period.

It’s important to note that the waiting period begins from the day you apply for the license, not from the day you plan to have your wedding ceremony. So, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to apply for the license and wait out the required waiting period.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the waiting period is consistent regardless of the day of the week you apply for the license. Whether you apply on a Monday, Tuesday, or any other day, the three-day waiting period still applies.

To summarize, if you are planning to get legally married in Pennsylvania, you will need to wait a minimum of three days between the date of your application for a Marriage License and when the license can be issued. This waiting period is in place to ensure that all legal requirements are met before the marriage takes place.