Blair County Marriage License
Marriage license work in Blair County runs through the Clerk of Orphans' Court. The office is at the Blair County Courthouse, 423 Allegheny Street, Suite 144, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648, and uses phone 814-693-3080. The same office keeps marriage records, sealed adoption files, guardian appointments, incapacitated-person petitions, estate accountings, small estates, and older birth and death records from 1893 through 1906. Robin G. Patton is listed as Clerk of Orphans' Court, with Crystal Gozaydin as second deputy and Gabriel Fera PC as solicitor.
The marriage application counter is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. Applicants may begin through the Blair County marriage license application gateway, but the online entry is only a start. The application is not complete until both applicants appear at the Marriage License Bureau with the required documents and fee. Applicants must apply within 60 days of the wedding date, and Pennsylvania requires a three-day waiting period after the in-person appearance. A license is valid for 60 days from issuance and may be used anywhere in Pennsylvania.
The official Clerk of Orphans' Court page is shown in the manifest source for Blair County marriage and Orphans' Court services.
That office is the local point of contact for certified marriage copies and for questions that are not answered by the online application gateway.
Apply for Blair County Marriage Records
Both parties must be at least 18 and must bring valid government-issued identification, such as a state driver's license, passport, or military ID. A prior marriage requires proof of how that marriage ended. Blair County specifies a certified divorce decree with the judge's signature or a death certificate for a former spouse. Non-English-speaking applicants must arrange a court-approved translator, and foreign-language documents must be translated into English before the application is made.
- Start the online marriage license application if using the county gateway.
- Make sure both applicants can appear together at the Marriage License Bureau.
- Bring government-issued ID and any divorce decree or death certificate needed for a prior marriage.
- Pay the marriage application fee by cash or card, since checks are not accepted.
- Wait the required Pennsylvania waiting period before using the license.
The county also posts two practical warnings. Common-law marriage is no longer valid in Pennsylvania as of January 1, 2006, and blood tests have not been required since June 1997. Blair County also warns that online-ordained officiants may not qualify as ministers under Pennsylvania marriage law. Applicants using an officiant who is not clearly authorized by Pennsylvania law are told to consult an attorney before the ceremony.
Marriage Application Fields
The county research identifies the proof and facts an applicant should be ready to provide. The application is tied to identity, age, the date range for the planned ceremony, and prior-marriage status. Some details may be entered online first, but the official review still occurs when both applicants appear at the Marriage License Bureau.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant names | Yes | Use legal names and match the identity documents presented in person. |
| Age and identity | Yes | Both applicants must be at least 18 and show government-issued ID. |
| Prior marriage status | Yes | A certified divorce decree or death certificate is needed when applicable. |
| Wedding timing | Yes | Apply within 60 days before the ceremony, allowing for the waiting period. |
| Language needs | If applicable | Arrange a court-approved translator and English translations for foreign documents. |
The manifest includes the county's marriage application source at Blair County marriage license requirements.
The gateway helps collect application data, but the record is not issued until the county office completes the in-person step.
Blair County Marriage Fees
The marriage fee schedule is short and specific. The marriage application fee includes a certified marriage certificate. Certified copies after the fact are ordered from the Clerk of Orphans' Court, and mail requests must include enough detail for the office to identify the record.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage application including certified marriage certificate | $54.00 |
| Certified marriage copy | $9.00 |
For a certified marriage-copy mail request, include both parties' names at the time of application, the date of marriage, a $9.00 check payable to the Clerk of Orphans' Court, and a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope. The office is in Suite 144 and shares the 814-693-3080 phone number with other clerk functions, so ask for the marriage or Orphans' Court division.
Find Blair County Divorce Records
Divorce records are not kept by the marriage license bureau. They are civil and family court records. Blair County Court Administration points divorce case and filing questions to the Prothonotary at 814-693-3080 and posts a Divorce Information page with a Divorce Master System link. For public docket discovery, use the Pennsylvania UJS Case Search when a docket is available, then contact the Prothonotary for copies, certified divorce decrees, orders, or documents that are not published online.
Divorce docket access may be more limited than criminal or Magisterial District Judge records. A public docket may show the caption, docket number, filing date, status, and some entries, while pleadings, custody material, financial documents, and sensitive filings may be restricted. The Prothonotary is the civil filing and record office for divorce, custody, judgments, and related civil court matters in Blair County.
The manifest source for the divorce side points to the Blair County Prothonotary civil records page.
That civil office is the fallback when a divorce decree, certified order, or older court file is not available through a public docket search.
Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies
Use the Clerk of Orphans' Court for certified marriage copies and the Prothonotary for certified divorce records. A certified copy is a court or clerk-issued copy that carries the office certification needed for legal use. A plain online docket printout may help identify a case, but it is not the same as a certified decree, order, or marriage certificate.
For marriage copies, the research gives a mail path and a fixed fee. For divorce copies, the research does not list a separate divorce-copy fee schedule, so do not assume one. Give the Prothonotary the docket number if known, both party names, approximate filing year, the document needed, and whether certification is required. Court Administration also routes filing, motion, paperwork, certified document, and marriage license questions to 814-693-3080.
Blair County records are office-specific, so the wording of a request matters. A person seeking proof that a marriage license was issued should ask for a certified marriage copy from the Clerk of Orphans' Court. A person seeking proof that a marriage ended should ask the Prothonotary for the divorce decree or final order. If the only known fact is a name, start with the office most tied to the record type, then use UJS docket search only as a locator for court-filed divorce activity.
Note: Later birth and death records are handled by Pennsylvania Department of Health Vital Records, not the Blair County marriage office.