Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court
One office, two titles. The Register of Wills probates wills and oversees estate administration, while the Clerk of the Orphans' Court keeps Orphans' Court dockets and issues marriage licenses. In Philadelphia, the same elected office holds both roles, so a single visit to City Hall, Room 180, covers marriage and probate needs. This is different from the Office of Judicial Records, which handles civil and criminal court filings. Sorting the two offices is the first step in any records request here.
The dual role explains why marriage and estate records sit together. Marriage licensing is a Clerk of the Orphans' Court function, and probate is a Register of Wills function, but both run from the same counter. The office can walk a person through the steps, though it cannot give legal advice. For people used to a one-stop county clerk, this takes a moment to absorb. A court docket question goes to the Office of Judicial Records, but a marriage certificate or an estate file goes here. The two offices serve different needs, and they keep different records, so the first task is always to match the record to the right office.
This office is also a public-facing one in a way the court records office is not. Couples come here for a license before a wedding. Families come here after a death to begin probate. Genealogists come here for old marriage records. That mix is why the Register of Wills keeps separate phone lines and a dedicated probate department, rather than routing everything through a single court switchboard.
What the Register of Wills Handles
The office covers a focused set of records. It issues marriage licenses and keeps marriage records dating back to 1915. It probates wills, which proves their validity, and issues letters of administration when a Philadelphia resident dies without a will. It keeps wills, estate inventories, and related documents, acts as an agent for inheritance-tax filing and payment, and maintains the Orphans' Court dockets. The Register of Wills contact page lists the department phone numbers and hours, and it is shown below.
The screenshot is the Register of Wills contact page.
The marriage license line and the probate line are separate, so dial the one that matches your need. The office also runs an online system for attorneys handling estate matters, while members of the public use the service pages and request forms. If you are not sure which line to call, the marriage department handles licenses and marriage records, and the probate department handles wills, estates, and Orphans' Court filings. Matching your question to the right department gets you a faster, more useful answer.
Marriage Licenses and Marriage Records
A marriage license is issued before a wedding; a marriage record documents one that already happened. The Register of Wills handles both. The office keeps Philadelphia marriage records dating back to 1915, a useful fact for genealogy as well as legal needs. Statewide, county Clerks of the Orphans' Court have issued marriage licenses since 1885, and each county keeps the records for licenses it issued. To get an older marriage record, you request it from the county that issued the license, which for Philadelphia means this office.
For a marriage record, the office uses an official request form with a $15 money order research fee payable to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. You provide the license number if known, the names before marriage, the date or an approximate date, and your contact and mailing details. The full marriage and divorce process is covered on the marriage and divorce records page.
A common point of confusion is the difference between the 1915 figure and the statewide 1885 date. The Register's office keeps Philadelphia marriage records dating back to 1915, while county marriage licensing across Pennsylvania began in 1885. Older statewide or county archival materials may require separate archival research rather than a routine record request. For most modern needs, though, the office's 1915-forward holdings cover the marriage you are looking for, and the request form is the official route to a copy.
Probate and Estate Filings
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling a deceased person's estate, and it starts with the Register of Wills. If there is a will, the office probates it; if there is no will, the office issues letters of administration so someone can manage the estate. The office keeps original wills, petitions, inventories, accounts, and decrees, and it maintains the Orphans' Court dockets where contested and judicial matters proceed. The deeper probate process, including the fee tiers, is covered on the Orphans' Court records page.
Remote access to estate records is narrow. Under court policy, probate and estate case records are generally limited online to dockets, orders, and opinions, so full file copies usually require a request to the office. Sensitive guardianship and incapacitated-person materials may be restricted further.
The Register of Wills also serves as the agent for inheritance-tax filing and payment in Philadelphia, which ties the estate process to a tax obligation. That is a function many people do not expect from a records office, but it is part of settling an estate in Pennsylvania. The office can explain where to file and how to pay, while the legal questions about an estate belong with an attorney. Guardianship matters and contested estates move into the Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas for judicial action.
Genealogy and Older Records
Marriage records back to 1915 make this office a genealogy stop as well as a legal one. Family historians often need a marriage record to confirm a date, a maiden name, or a family link, and the same $15 research fee and request form apply. For records older than the office's holdings, archival research may be needed, since statewide county licensing began in 1885 and the very oldest materials can sit in archives rather than active files. When you request an older record, give the best approximate date and any names you know, since that helps the office locate the file.
Register of Wills Fees
Marriage research carries a flat fee, while probate fees rise with the value of the estate. The table shows sample figures from the official fee schedule. Probate fees include several components, and the schedule lists many value tiers; confirm the current amount before you file, since fees can change.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage record research fee | $15 money order |
| Probate fee, estate value $0 to $250 | $189.25 |
| Probate fee, value $10,000.01 to $50,000 | $385.25 |
| Probate fee, first $1,000,000 of value | $1,330.25 |
| Orphans' Court copy, per page | $3 (42 Pa.C.S. § 1725(c)(1)(ii)) |
How to Request a Marriage or Estate Record
The request path is straightforward once you know which record you need. Marriage and probate records both run through this office, so the steps are similar. The list below outlines the general process.
- Decide whether you need a marriage record or a probate and estate record.
- Gather identifiers: names, the date or approximate date, and any license or estate number.
- Complete the official request form for the record type.
- Include the correct fee, such as the $15 money order for a marriage record.
- Submit by mail or in person as the form directs, and allow time for the response.
The office can explain the form and the steps, but it cannot tell you who should serve as a personal representative or how to interpret a will. For a marriage record, allow time for the research and mailing. For an estate, gather the death certificate, the will if there is one, the heirs, and asset values before you start, since the office needs these to open the file and set the value-based fee. When a matter is contested or needs a judge, it moves to the Orphans' Court Division rather than staying a routine clerk task.
Register of Wills Contact
The office sits in City Hall, with separate lines for marriage and probate. The probate department keeps weekday hours, and email is available for general questions. Bring identifiers and a money order for the matching fee when you visit.
Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court
City Hall, Room 180
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Marriage: 215-686-2233
Probate: 215-686-6255