How to Get Pennsylvania Vital Records (Start Here)

Vital records in Pennsylvania — birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, and divorce records — are handled at the state level by Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records. Marriage licenses are issued locally by the Register of Wills / Orphans' Court Clerk.

What this page covers: Pennsylvania vital record ordering, eligibility requirements, and related databases. What it does not cover: Genealogy records older than the state vital records system (check the Genealogy Resources page for historical records).

Where to start: For certified copies of birth or death certificates, contact Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Vital Records. For marriage licenses, contact the Register of Wills / Orphans' Court Clerk in the county where the ceremony will occur. For divorce records, contact the court that granted the decree.

Common mistake: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees come from different offices. Do not assume one office handles all vital records.

Statewide vital-records agency
Vital Records | Department of Health | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Parent agency
Birth, Death, and Other Vital Statistics | Department of Health | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Records back to
Pennsylvania: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide
Online ordering
You can order a birth certificate online anytime at VitalChek
Marriage license issued by
Get a marriage license | Services | City of Philadelphia
Local intake
Pennsylvania: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide
Population
13,078,751
Households
5,246,700
Median Income
$73,824
Median Home Value
$240,500
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Pennsylvania vital records URL verified against the official state publisher at www.health.pa.gov on the review date. 7 primary .gov sources cited below.

Pennsylvania Vital Records — Key Facts (2026)

Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records for Pennsylvania — who can request, how to order, and what 2026 changed.
State-only
Issuing authority
Not federal
Restricted
Birth/death access
Usually self + family
75-125 yr
When records become public
Genealogy threshold
VitalChek
3rd-party portal
Used by many states
CDC NVSS
National statistics
Data only, no certificates
Who can request a Pennsylvania vital record
The person named
100%
Parent of subject
100%
Spouse of subject
90%
Adult child
90%
Legal representative
80%
General public (recent)
10%
General public (historical 75+yr)
95%
Unit: % likely to receive a certified copy.

What Changed in 2026 — Pennsylvania Vital Records

2026
Pennsylvania vital records portal active
The official Pennsylvania portal at www.health.pa.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for vital records in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for vital records
The CDC National Vital Statistics System at www.cdc.gov provides federal-level context that complements Pennsylvania state records.
2026
Pennsylvania access in 2026
For 2026, Pennsylvania continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check www.health.pa.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Pennsylvania's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.

The 4-Step Pennsylvania Vital Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Confirm state of event
Vital records are issued by the state where the event happened. For events in Pennsylvania, start with the Pennsylvania health department.
2
Step 2 — Verify eligibility
Most states restrict birth/death to self, parents, spouse, child, or legal rep.
3
Step 3 — Choose ordering method
Pennsylvania typically allows mail, in-person, or online (often via VitalChek).
4
Step 4 — Genealogy fallback
Pennsylvania records older than 75-125 years are usually public — try FamilySearch or NARA.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Pennsylvania Vital Records

❌ Myth: "I can request anyone's Pennsylvania birth certificate."
✓ Truth: False. Most states (including Pennsylvania) restrict access to immediate family or legal representatives.
❌ Myth: "Vital records are federal."
✓ Truth: False. They are state-issued. The CDC compiles statistics but does NOT issue certificates.
❌ Myth: "VitalChek is the government."
✓ Truth: False. VitalChek is an authorized third-party vendor used by many states, NOT a federal or state agency.
❌ Myth: "Older Pennsylvania marriage records are private."
✓ Truth: False. Marriages older than ~75 years are usually public and indexed by genealogy sites.
❌ Myth: "A Pennsylvania death is recorded the day it happens."
✓ Truth: False. CDC NVSS data has a 1-2 year lag for final figures; provisional data takes 6+ months.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Vital Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Vital records
Sample Pennsylvania counties: Adams · Allegheny · Armstrong · Beaver · Bedford

Vital Records Databases

27 official Pennsylvania vital records sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Vital Records

05/05/00 FRI 10:47 FAX 412 350 5260
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Allegheny County Courts · General Information · Local Rules - Civil · Local Rules - Family · Local Rules - Orphans' Court · Local Rules - Criminal · Pennsylvania Courts · Child Support Lien Search · Protection From Abuse Database · Disciplinary Board of PA Supreme Court ·
🌐 dcr.alleghenycounty.us
Berks County - Genealogy
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Birth Records (County of Berks- 1894-1906) Name, year recorded, place of birth, parents' names, father's occupation · Birth Records (City of Reading- 1876-1906) Name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, father's occupation, physician/midwife's name ·
🌐 berkspa.gov
Berks County, Pennsylvania Genealogy • FamilySearch
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Berks County Courthouse 633 Court ... 610-478-3380 Register of Wills: 610-478-6600 Berks County Website County clerk has birth and death records 1894-1905 , marriage records from 1885, and probate records from 1752 Prothonotary ...
🌐 familysearch.org
Berks County - Genealogy
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Marriage Records (County of Berks-1885 thru present)- You will receive a copy of the actual marriage listing:
🌐 berkspa.gov
Death Records | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Learn how to research death records in Pennsylvania and view the available indices for state-issued death certificates
🌐 pa.gov
Help Recorder of Deeds Page
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The Recorder of Deeds Office maintains records of all deeds and mortgages for Chester County. You may search the records by instrument or by name. The navigation bar at the top of the Recorder of Deeds main screen displays a list of the main menu items within this section.
🌐 epin.chesco.org
Birth, Death, & Marriages | Chester County, PA - Official Website
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Guide to Birth Records · Guide to Death Records · Guide to Marriage Records · The indexes provided above are the product of the Chester County Archives and Record Services. They are available in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader please visit the Adobe site.
🌐 chesco.org
Contact - Dauphin County Public Access
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Additional Resources: Please click here for Court Related forms Please click here for the Local Rules of Court Please click here for Magisterial District Online Forms Please click here for Prothonotary Forms Please click here for the Pro Se Litigant Self Help Center
🌐 dauphinc.org
CASE CAPTION CIVIL CASENOCV 20 52, a3;(/95
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We're sorry but this application doesn't work properly without JavaScript enabled. Please enable it to continue
🌐 delcopublicaccess.co.delaware.pa.us
Divorce Proceedings | Representing Yourself | Learn | Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania
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This office is called the Prothonotary or Office of Judicial Records. There are procedural rules that govern divorce proceedings. Those rules instruct on who must do what and where and when at different stages of a divorce proceeding. The rules are the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure (Pa.R.Civ.P.) and can be found in Title 231, Chapter 1920 and Chapter 1930 of the Pennsylvania Code.
🌐 pacourts.us
Welcome to Lackawanna County, PA
Official Free
The Register of Wills Office, the Clerk of Orphans’ Court and the Marriage License Bureau all house extensive records dating as far back as 1878 for wills and October 1885 for Marriage Licenses. All files are located on site and are public information (with the exception of Adoption records).
🌐 lackawannacounty.org
FAQs • How can I obtain a copy of my divorce decree?
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Divorce decrees can be obtained by contacting the Prothonotary’s Office which is located at 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA . They can be reached by telephone at 717-299-8282. You can also conduct a search for civil court records which includes divorce decrees.Civil Court Record Search
🌐 lancastercountypa.gov
Lawrence County Federated Library System
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Ellwood City Library 415 Lawrence Ave.Ellwood City, PA 16117724-758-6458www.ellwoodcitylibrary.com F.D. Campbell Memorial Library209 Hillsville RoadBessemer, PA 16112724-667-7939fdclibrary.org New Castle Public Library207 E. North St.New Castle, PA 16101724-658-6659www.ncdlc.org Outreach Services ...
🌐 ncdlc.org
Marriage License Search
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Montgomery County Viewer · Register of Wills • Marriage License Search · This screen is designed to help you search for the case(s) you are looking for. You may search on one field or multiple fields. When doing a name search, type in as much of the name as you know.
🌐 courtsapp.montcopa.org
Marriage License Search
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Montgomery County Viewer · Register of Wills • Marriage License Search · This screen is designed to help you search for the case(s) you are looking for. You may search on one field or multiple fields. When doing a name search, type in as much of the name as you know.
🌐 courtsapp.montcopa.org
Disclaimer - Family Division Domestic Relations - Docket Search
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In this sense, the reproduced data cannot be considered for official use. Any person requiring dockets for official use must obtain them from the Clerk of Family Court, 11th Floor, 1501 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, or Customer Service, 8th Floor, 1501 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.
🌐 fjdefile.phila.gov
Welcome to Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
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Divorce · Custody · Share this page · × · Copy and paste this code into your website. <a href="http://schuylkillcountypa.gov/government/prothonotary/divorce_custody_information.php">Your Link Name</a> Share this page on your favorite Social network · Facebook · Twitter ·
🌐 schuylkillcountypa.gov
https://www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/Archives/a...
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The Schuylkill County Archives opened its doors in the Spring of 1988 . It represented, for the first time, a central depository for all of the County's government records. The archives were designed to hold approximately 10,000 cubic feet of records. It was built as an addition to the courthouse ...
🌐 co.schuylkill.pa.us
(|)York County Archives
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The Archives always welcomes the public to use the County's records. LOCATION: 150 Pleasant Acres Road York, PA 17402 717-840-7222 phone Email: archives@yorkcountypa.gov Get Directions HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Closed all government holidays More Information
🌐 yorkcountyarchives.org
Find a Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
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Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world. ... Please select a location with GPS coordinates indicated by a map icon() to continue. Please select a cemetery indicated by a Find a Grave icon() to continue. ... When searching in a cemetery, use the ? or * wildcards in name fields. ? replaces one letter. * represents zero to many letters. E.g. Sorens?n or Wil* Search for an exact birth/death year or select a range, before or after.
🌐 findagrave.com
Allegheny County Cemetery Addresses
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Adath Israel (in Kether Torah), Hoffman Rd., Millvale, PA 15209 (412) 621-7918 Adath Jeshurun, Roland Rd., Allison Park, PA 15101 (412) 361-0176 Agudath Achim, Newport & Sherwood Rds., Forest Hills, PA 15221 (412) 241-4677 Ahavath-Achim, Green Oak Dr., Kennedy Twp., PA (412) 331-7302 Ahavath-Achim, Newport & Sherwood Rds., Forest Hills, PA 15221 (412) 823-9200 All Saints (Braddock Catholic), 1560 Brinton Rd., Braddock, PA (412) 271-5950 All Saints, Carnegie, PA 15106 (412) 276-2462 / 348-4415 Allegheny, 4734 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201-2999, (412) 682-1624 Allegheny County Memorial…
🌐 freepages.rootsweb.com
Philadelphia Area, Pennsylvania Obituaries
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Find obituaries for people from across the Philadelphia metro area, and join us in celebrating their lives and legacies. ... Connect with your classmates to honor alumni and teachers. Temple UniversityUniversity of PennsylvaniaDrexel UniversityWest Chester UniversityLa Salle UniversitySaint ...
🌐 legacy.com
Register of Wills | Westmoreland County, PA - Official Website
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• Marriage Licenses: Processing applications and issuing marriage licenses for couples intending to marry in Westmoreland County, as well as providing certified copies of marriage licenses (may be required for Real ID) • Adoption Records: Maintaining records for adoption matters, though access may be restricted as per legal guidelines.
🌐 westmorelandcountypa.gov
Get archival birth, death, and marriage records | Services | City of Philadelphia
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The Register of Wills keeps records for marriages after December 31, 1885 . Visit the City Archives in person, or complete a birth, death, or marriage record application and mail it to: City Archives 548 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19123
🌐 phila.gov
Vital Records - Pennsylvania: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congress
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Based on the date of the vital event (birth, death, marriage, divorce), determine whether you are seeking a state, territory, county, or parish level record . If the record you are seeking has been digitized, you can access it online, through ...
🌐 guides.loc.gov
Death Records | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Original death certificates for 1906–1975 are available at the State Archives . You can request an uncertified copy of a death certificate using the vital records request form.
🌐 pa.gov
Vital Records - Pennsylvania: Local History & Genealogy Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congress
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Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991 External This collection includes civil marriage records created in Pennsylvania counties . The records include registers, affidavits and marriage licenses.
🌐 guides.loc.gov

Pennsylvania Counties

67 Pennsylvania counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Philadelphia Allegheny Montgomery Bucks Chester Delaware Lancaster York Berks Adams Armstrong Beaver Bedford Blair

Frequently Asked Questions

Certified birth certificates for events in Pennsylvania are issued by the Official Pennsylvania Vital Records at www.health.pa.gov. Requests can be made by mail, in person, or (in most cases) online through the state's authorized vendor. The county of registration may also be able to issue certified copies for recent local events.

Pennsylvania death certificates are issued by the Official Pennsylvania Vital Records; eligibility (next of kin, executor, legal representative) and ID documentation requirements are listed at www.health.pa.gov. For deaths within the last year, the county clerk or local registrar where the death occurred can often issue a copy more quickly.

Pennsylvania marriage and divorce records are not generally available in a free, name-searchable online index. The Official Pennsylvania Vital Records (www.health.pa.gov) handles certified copies; the underlying license/decree is filed with the county clerk or court that issued it, which is also a primary search point.

Standard Pennsylvania vital-record processing times vary from a few business days (in-person same-day at some county clerks) to several weeks for mailed requests. The Official Pennsylvania Vital Records publishes current turnaround times at www.health.pa.gov. Expedited processing is usually available for an additional fee.

The Official Pennsylvania Vital Records requires government-issued photo identification (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID) and proof of your relationship to the record holder, if applicable. The full list of acceptable ID and supporting documents is published at www.health.pa.gov.