Free links to official Pennsylvania state and county government records — courts, criminal histories, vital records, property, voter, business, and licenses across all 67 counties.
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.
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 Sam Rokni — 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.
For 2026, Pennsylvania continues to publish vital records information through state-authorized portals; check www.health.pa.gov for current fees and processing times.
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Pennsylvania's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for additional official portals.
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 ·
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 ·
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
• 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.
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
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.
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.
Where do I order a Pennsylvania birth certificate?▼
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.
How do I get a Pennsylvania death certificate?▼
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.
Can I look up a Pennsylvania marriage or divorce record online?▼
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.
How long does it take to get a Pennsylvania vital record?▼
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.
What ID do I need to order a Pennsylvania certified vital record?▼
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.
