Your $85 marriage license fee includes one certified Certificate of Marriage. Additional copies are $25 each, and free for first responders with identification. Most couples want two or three extras, and ordering them at filing saves a second trip.
What it costs
| Included with the $85 license | 1 certified certificate |
| Each additional copy | $25 |
| First responders with ID | No charge |
| Duplicate or reissued license | $25 |
| Affidavit of Name Verification | $25 |
If you showed military ID when you applied, two certified copies are issued automatically after the ceremony.
How many do you need?
Two or three beyond the included one. Here's what each gets used for:
| Purpose | Needs a certified copy? |
|---|---|
| Social Security name change | Yes |
| PennDOT driver's license | Yes |
| Passport update | Yes |
| Bank accounts | Usually yes |
| Employer HR / benefits | Often a copy suffices |
| Health insurance | Usually yes |
| Immigration filings | Yes, sometimes multiple |
| Mortgage or title | Sometimes |
Some agencies keep the copy they're given. That's the main reason to order extras — you can't circulate one certificate through five institutions if two of them retain it.
If either of you is filing immigration paperwork, order more. Three or four is not excessive.
When you get it
After the marriage return is filed. The completed license goes back to the issuing office within 10 days of the ceremony, the county records the marriage, and certified certificates are issued from that record.
If the return isn't filed, no record exists and no certificate can be issued.
Ordering more later
You can request additional certified copies from the Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court at any time after the marriage is recorded.
Ordering at filing is easier, but it isn't your only chance. If you need more in five years, they're available.
Where: Register & Clerk of Orphans' Court, 55 E. Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 · 215-348-6000. Also at the Lower Bucks County Government Services Center, 7321 New Falls Road, Levittown, PA 19055 · 267-580-3585.
Certified vs photocopy
A certified copy carries the county's seal and is issued directly by the Register of Wills. It's what agencies require.
A photocopy of a certified copy is not certified, and most institutions won't accept one. Don't assume a scan will do — check what each agency requires before you send anything.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a certified marriage certificate in Bucks County? $25 per copy. One is included in the $85 marriage license fee. First responders with identification receive copies at no charge.
How many certified copies do you need? Two or three beyond the included one. Social Security, PennDOT, passport, banks, and insurance may each want one, and some agencies keep the copy they're given.
When do you get the certificate? After the marriage return is filed with the issuing office, which must happen within 10 days of the ceremony. The county records the marriage and issues certificates from that record.
Can you order more copies later? Yes, at any time after the marriage is recorded, from the Bucks County Register of Wills. Ordering at filing is simply more convenient.
Is a photocopy acceptable? Usually not. Agencies generally require a certified copy bearing the county seal. Check requirements before sending anything.
What if you lose your marriage certificate? Order another certified copy for $25. The marriage record itself is permanent, so a lost certificate is an inconvenience rather than a problem.
Do you need a certified copy to change your name? Yes. Social Security, PennDOT, and the passport agency all require one to process a name change after marriage.
Weddings at The Arbor
The Arbor at The Bucks Club is a wedding venue in Jamison, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about ten minutes from the Doylestown county offices.
Fees confirmed against the Bucks County Register of Wills published fee schedule, August 2026.
Last updated: August 2026