Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Where are you located?
  2. What records do you have in these offices and for what time periods?
  3. What records can be viewed by the public?
  4. Can I obtain any record from your office?
  5. How may I obtain information from you?
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  1. What does "probate" mean?
  2. Are all wills open to the public?
  3. Why is a will registered or probated?
  4. What does "intestate" mean?
  5. What is a short certificate?
  6. When does a will get registered and filed?
  7. Why do you keep the original will?
  8. I can only find a copy of the will I'd like to offer for probate. What can I do?
  9. What are Letters Testamentary / Letters of Administration?
  10. Do I need an attorney to apply for files?
  11. Who can be appointed administrator?
  12. What do I need to open an estate?
  13. Can your office help me prepare the inheritance tax form?
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  1. I was adopted and want to locate my birth parents. How do I access adoption records?
  2. I adopted a child in a foreign country. How do I get a Pennsylvania birth certificate for the child?
  3. How do I get appointed as the guardian of a minor child or incapacitated person?
  4. What are the requirements to apply for a marriage license?
  5. How do I get a certified copy of my marriage license?
  6. We are getting married on a cruise, island, or in another state / country. Where do we get our marriage license?
  7. Can I register my marriage in Pennsylvania if it takes place in another country or state?
  8. Is there a central registry of marriage in Pennsylvania?
  9. Where should I obtain my marriage license if I am being married in a different county other than the one I live in?
  10. Do I need a licensed minister or priest to perform my marriage ceremony?
  11. Does Pennsylvania recognize common-law marriages?
  12. Are same sex marriages legal in Pennsylvania?
  13. How old do you have to be to obtain a marriage license in Pennsylvania?
  14. Why do you need my social security number to apply for a marriage license?
  15. Marriage applications are public record, but my social security number wont be viewable by the public, right?
  16. What if I have a social security number, but refuse to provide it?
  17. What happens if I do not have a social security number?
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