Cambria County Marriage Office
Marriage licenses and certified marriage copies are handled by the Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court. The office keeps Cambria County marriage records from 1885 to the present. It also keeps birth and death records from 1893 through 1905 and probate records from the early 1800s to the present, so the same office is important for family-history research as well as current marriage licensing.
The office is tied to the Cambria County Courthouse in Ebensburg. The county states that marriage applications are taken Monday-Friday until 3:30 p.m., no appointment is necessary, and only the couple applying is permitted in the office until further notice. The license can be used anywhere in Pennsylvania, but the marriage record stays in Cambria County when the license is issued there.
Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court
Cambria County Courthouse
200 South Center Street
Ebensburg, PA 15931
(814) 472-5440 main courthouse phone
Marriage applications: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court page is the official county source for Cambria County marriage license and certified-copy rules.
Use that office page for current application notices, copy instructions, and any changes to access limits before visiting.
Marriage License Requirements
Both applicants must appear together and in person. The county requires valid photo identification and states that applicants must be at least 18 years old under the July 6, 2020 office note captured in the research. If either applicant was divorced, the office needs a copy of the most recent divorce. If a prior spouse died, the office needs the date of death. Applicants must apply four days in advance but not more than 60 days before the wedding.
There is a three-day waiting period before pickup or mailing. The county does not take marriage applications after 3:30 p.m. The practical result is simple: arrive with both applicants, photo ID, prior-marriage documents if needed, and cash for the fee. Do not use the Prothonotary for a marriage license, because divorce and civil filings are handled by that office, not marriage licensing.
- Confirm both applicants can appear together at the marriage office.
- Bring valid photo ID for each applicant.
- Bring the most recent divorce decree or a prior spouse's date of death if either applicant was previously married.
- Apply at least four days before the ceremony and no more than 60 days before it.
- Pay the marriage license fee in cash and follow the office pickup or mailing instructions.
Marriage Fees and Copies
The official research found specific fees for marriage licenses, certified marriage copies, photocopies of marriage applications, and genealogy research. It did not locate a Cambria-specific divorce filing or certified divorce decree fee in visible page text, so those amounts should be verified with the Prothonotary or the linked fee schedule before filing or ordering a divorce copy.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60.00 | Cash only. |
| Certified marriage copy | $5.00 | Mail request must include required names and marriage date. |
| Photocopy of marriage application | $1.00 | Uncertified photocopy of application. |
| Genealogy research | $5.00 | Up to five names; call for exact price if the request is broader. |
| Divorce filing or certified divorce copy | Verify with Prothonotary | Fee schedule link exists, but detailed amounts were not visible in captured text. |
Certified Marriage Copy Fields
A mail request for a Cambria County certified marriage copy needs enough detail for the office to locate the license record. The county asks for both names at the time of application, the marriage date, the required fee, and a business-sized self-addressed stamped envelope. These fields are also useful when calling before a visit.
| Field or Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 name at time of application | Yes | Use the name used on the license application. |
| Applicant 2 name at time of application | Yes | Use the name used on the license application. |
| Date of marriage | Yes | Needed to locate the record. |
| Fee | Yes | $5.00 certified copy or $1.00 photocopy of application. |
| Return envelope | Yes for mail | Business-sized self-addressed stamped envelope. |
Cambria County Divorce Records
Divorce records are civil Court of Common Pleas records filed with the Cambria County Prothonotary. The Prothonotary is the civil clerk for the Court of Common Pleas, and its duties include divorce, custody, protection from abuse, civil judgments, appeals from district justice judgments, landlord-tenant appeals, real-estate liens, and related civil filings. Lisa Crynock is listed as Prothonotary, with Eva Shevock as First Deputy.
Search divorce cases through the Cambria CountySuite civil portal when the public search has the needed docket. The visible CountySuite civil search tabs include search by name or case number, case number, participant name, participant address, reference numbers, and date-opened range. Older, non-digitized, certified, sealed, or restricted divorce materials may require direct contact with the Prothonotary. Divorce forms and county divorce instructions are linked from the Prothonotary page.
The Cambria County Prothonotary page is the local source for divorce filing services, forms, and civil-record contact information.
Use the Prothonotary for divorce records, while marriage licenses and certified marriage copies stay with the Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans' Court.
Search Divorce Cases Online
Cambria County divorce searches use the civil portal because divorce is a civil filing. Start with the name used in the case or the docket number if it is known. If the portal does not show a recent filing, call the Prothonotary. Public web records can lag office entries, and some family information can be limited, sealed, redacted, or unavailable online even when the office can confirm where to request a copy.
| Search Route | Best Use |
|---|---|
| CountySuite civil search | Public civil divorce docket lookup by name, case number, participant, address, reference number, or date range. |
| Prothonotary office | Certified copies, older files, non-digitized records, divorce forms, and filing questions. |
| UJS public records | Broader statewide court-access policy and docket guidance, but not the county civil copy desk. |
Note: Divorce filings and custody cases are not handled by the Register of Wills.
Cambria County Marriage Copy Requests
Certified Cambria County marriage copies by mail require enough detail for the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court to identify the record. The research lists both names at the time of application, the date of marriage, the certified copy fee, and a business-sized self-addressed stamped envelope. A photocopy of the application has a separate small fee, and genealogy research has a fee for up to five names. These copy rules matter because the marriage license may be used anywhere in Pennsylvania, but the record stays in the county where the license was issued.
Marriage applicants should also distinguish the license process from the later copy process. The county states that both applicants must appear together and in person, must have valid photo ID, and must be at least 18 under the office note in the research. If a prior marriage ended by divorce, the applicant needs the most recent divorce copy. If a spouse died, the office needs the date of death. Applications are not taken after 3:30 p.m., and the license timing includes both the advance-application window and the waiting period.
Cambria County Divorce Record Path
Divorce records do not come from the marriage office. They are civil Court of Common Pleas records kept by the Prothonotary. A person searching for a divorce should use the Cambria CountySuite civil portal by name, case number, participant name, participant address, reference number, or date-opened range when online access is enough. For certified copies, older files, or form questions, the Prothonotary office is the local record office.
Divorce files can overlap with custody or protection from abuse records, but those topics may have their own privacy limits. Public docket information may show the existence of a civil case while certain documents, minor names, sealed material, or sensitive details are restricted. If a divorce search is for legal use, request the exact certified document from the Prothonotary rather than relying on a public docket summary or an uncertified portal view.
The Prothonotary page links Pennsylvania and county divorce forms and instructions, but the office cannot tell a filer which form to use or how to proceed. If the search involves a recent divorce filing, a custody issue, or a protection from abuse matter, use the civil docket clues to call the Prothonotary with the case number, party names, filing year, and document title needed. Do not send the request to the marriage office unless the record sought is a marriage license or certified marriage copy.