Certified Copies in Pennsylvania: Where and What It Costs
Certified copies
Ordering Certified Copies in Pennsylvania
Where to order a certified vital record or corporate record issued in Pennsylvania, what it costs, what the office requires, and what happens to it afterwards.
- Birth certificate
- $20.00
- Death certificate
- $20.00
- Marriage
- Varies; county Marriage License Clerk
- Divorce
- Varies; county Prothonotary
Vital records
Issued by: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records
Post to: Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103-1528
Verify current fees: (724) 656-3100
| Record | Certified copy |
|---|---|
| Birth | $20.00 |
| Death | $20.00 |
| Marriage | Varies; county Marriage License Clerk |
| Divorce | Varies; county Prothonotary |
What Pennsylvania requires
- Marriage and divorce records are county-level in Pennsylvania. The state holds neither.
- Every request needs the application form, your signature and a legible copy of a valid government photo ID.
- State records from January 1906.
Corporate records
A certificate of good standing and certified copies of formation documents for a Pennsylvania entity come from Pennsylvania Department of State, Apostilles and Certifications, normally online and often the same day.
Pennsylvania Department of State, Apostilles and Certifications
- Order from the state where the entity was formed, not where it trades.
- A certificate of good standing is a statement of current status. A certified copy of the articles is a different product; if a foreign authority asks for the formation documents, you need the latter.
- Ask for a certified or exemplified copy. A plain download from the state website carries no seal and cannot be authenticated.
What happens next
Once you hold the certified copy, authentication in Pennsylvania goes through Pennsylvania Department of State, Apostilles and Certifications, at $15.00 per document, not per page.
Questions people actually ask
Where do I order a Pennsylvania birth certificate?
From Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Post to Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103-1528. A certified copy is $20.00.
Does the Pennsylvania Secretary of State issue birth certificates?
No. Vital records come from the health department; the Secretary of State handles corporate records and, in most states, the apostille. They are separate offices with separate fees.
Can I get a certified marriage certificate from the state of Pennsylvania?
Not in the ordinary way. Varies; county Marriage License Clerk Plan on dealing with the county rather than the state office.
What will Pennsylvania reject?
Marriage and divorce records are county-level in Pennsylvania. The state holds neither.
Can I have it apostilled straight away?
Yes, and that is the right order. Order the certified copy first, then send it for authentication. Do not sign, stamp or laminate it in between, and do not open a sealed envelope.
This guide is published by a private document processing service. It is not legal advice and we are not a government agency. Requirements change without notice, so confirm anything critical with the mission before you post documents.
