How to Get Married in Alabama: Marriage License, Certificate and Legal Steps

If you're searching for an Alabama marriage license, here's the first thing to know: Alabama doesn't issue marriage licenses anymore. Since August 29, 2019, couples get legally married in Alabama by filling out a one-page form called the Alabama Marriage Certificate, having each signature notarized by an Alabama notary, and recording it with any Alabama county probate court within 30 days.

It's simpler than it sounds, but the details matter. A missed deadline or an out-of-state notary can mean your marriage isn't legally valid. This guide walks you through exactly how to get married in Alabama, step by step, in plain language.

Laws change. We last reviewed this guide on October 28, 2026. Before you sign, confirm current requirements and fees with the probate court in the county where you plan to record your certificate.

What Changed: No More Alabama Marriage License

In 2019, the Alabama Legislature passed Act 2019-340, which abolished marriage licenses and the legal requirement for a wedding ceremony. Under Alabama Code § 30-1-9.1, a marriage is now created by a signed, notarized document that the couple records with the probate court.

What that means for you:

• There's no license to apply for and no appointment to "get" a license before the wedding.
• A ceremony is optional. You can still have a wedding, an officiant, a religious service, or a courthouse moment, but the state doesn't require any of it, and the ceremony itself has no legal effect on whether you're married.
• Your legal wedding date is the date you sign. Specifically, it's the date of the later of your two notarized signatures, as long as the form is recorded within 30 days.
• The Alabama Marriage Certificate is your proof of marriage. Once recorded, it's the official record you'll use to change your name, update insurance, and more.

Who Can Get Married in Alabama? (Alabama Marriage Requirements)

Each spouse signs a sworn statement (affidavit) on the form confirming all of the following:

• You are not currently married to anyone else.
• You are at least 18 years old, or you are 16 or 17 and have never been married and have notarized consent from a parent or guardian (see below). People under 16 cannot marry in Alabama.
• You are legally competent to enter into a marriage.
• You are not too closely related. Alabama law prohibits marriage to a parent, grandparent, child, or grandchild (by blood or adoption); a brother or sister (whole, half, or adopted); a stepparent or stepchild while the marriage creating that relationship exists; or an aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew (whole or half blood). First cousins are not on this list.
• You are marrying voluntarily, of your own free will, and not under pressure or duress.

Things Alabama does not require

• No residency requirement. You don't need to live in Alabama, and you can record in any Alabama county. Residents of other countries can marry here too.
• No waiting period between signing and recording, or between recording and being married.
• No blood test and no premarital counseling requirement.
• No officiant or witnesses are required by law. The notary is the only third party who must be involved.

Recently divorced?

Alabama divorce judgments generally include an order that neither former spouse may remarry anyone else for 60 days after the divorce is entered (and longer if an appeal is filed). Check your divorce decree, and talk with your attorney or the court that issued it if you're unsure. If you were divorced in another state, that state's rules and your decree control.

Common-law marriage

Alabama abolished common-law marriage on January 1, 2017. Couples can no longer become married in Alabama by living together and holding themselves out as married. (Common-law marriages formed before 2017 remain valid.)

Same-sex couples

Same-sex couples can marry in Alabama on the same terms as any other couple. The form lets each person mark "Bride," "Groom," or "Spouse."

How to Get Married in Alabama in 5 Steps

Step 1: Download the Alabama Marriage Certificate form

Get the official form from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) website. There are two versions: one for adults 18 and older, and one for 16- and 17-year-olds that includes a parental consent page. The form is fillable online, then printed.

Some probate offices keep printed copies, but many (Baldwin County, for example) do not, so plan to download it.

Step 2: Fill it out carefully

Each spouse completes their own section: full legal name, date and place of birth, residence, parents' information, Social Security number, and contact details. (Your Social Security number and contact info won't appear on certified copies.)

Tips from the official instructions:

• Print actual size, on one side of a single 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of white or light paper. Don't use "fit to page."
• If you write by hand, print clearly. Many probate courts won't accept white-out or corrections.
• Double-check everything before you see the notary. Nothing can be changed or added once the form is notarized.
• Leave the "court use only" boxes blank.

Step 3: Sign in front of an Alabama notary

Each spouse must sign and date the form in front of a notary commissioned in Alabama. You don't have to sign at the same time or in the same place, but each signature must be notarized.

Important rules:

• The notary must be an Alabama notary. Forms notarized by an out-of-state notary, or by a U.S. Department of State officer abroad, will not be accepted.
• No electronic signatures. Spouses and notaries must sign in ink. ADPH says a Marriage Certificate with an electronic signature from a spouse, notary, or consenting parent will not be recorded. Notarization by video call isn't accepted for this form either: Alabama probate judges' notary guidance says a marriage certificate should be notarized only when the notary and the signers are physically present in Alabama.
• Bring a valid photo ID. The notary will need to verify who you are. Alabama notaries must know you personally or see a government-issued photo ID, and individual notaries may have their own rules, so ask what to bring.
• Where to find a notary: banks (often free for customers), public libraries, UPS Stores, AAA offices, and some pharmacies. Mobile notaries can come to your venue for an extra fee. Many wedding officiants and planners in Alabama are also notaries, so you can sign at the ceremony if you'd like your legal wedding date to match your wedding day.

Wedding-day tip: Because your legal marriage date is the date of the second signature, many couples sign in front of a notary on the wedding day itself, right after the ceremony.

Step 4: Record the form with a probate court within 30 days

Deliver the original, signed, notarized form to any Alabama county probate court within 30 days of the later signature. You can deliver it in person or by mail, but it must be received (not just postmarked) within 30 days. Emailed forms are not accepted, and you should not send it to ADPH directly.

You'll pay the probate court's recording fee when you file. Fees are set by each county and change from time to time. As examples, as of October 2026:

• Jefferson County (Birmingham and Bessemer): $84.50
• Baldwin County (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fairhope): $73.00, recorded at the Bay Minette office only

Payment methods also vary. Many courts don't take personal checks, and mailed filings often require a money order or cashier's check. Call or check your county probate court's website before you go.

In most counties, both spouses don't need to be present to file. One spouse, or someone you trust, like your planner or officiant, can drop it off. Confirm with your county.

If you miss the 30-day deadline, your marriage is not valid. You'll need to fill out a new form, sign and notarize it again, and record it within 30 days. Your legal marriage date would then be the new signature date.

Step 5: Get certified copies of your Alabama marriage certificate

You'll need certified copies to change your name with Social Security, the DMV, banks, and employers.

• From the probate court: Many counties provide a certified copy at recording, and extra copies are often a few dollars each (Jefferson and Baldwin counties both charge $3 per copy as of this writing). Practices vary by county.
• From the state: After recording, the probate court sends the original to the ADPH Center for Health Statistics. Once it's on file there, you can order certified copies by mail, at any county health department in Alabama, or online through VitalChek. The state fee is $15 for a search including one certified copy, plus $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time (expedited service extra).

Found a mistake after recording? Ask your probate court for the "Amendment to Alabama Marriage Certificate and Decree of Correction" form. Both spouses sign it in front of a notary and pay another recording fee.

Getting Married in Alabama as a Destination Couple

Alabama is an easy place to marry if you live out of state or overseas:

• No residency required, and you can record in any Alabama county, including the county where your wedding takes place.
• The notary must be in Alabama and commissioned here. Plan to sign once you arrive. Don't sign in front of your hometown notary before your trip.
• Plan the 30-day window around your travel. If you're filing by mail after you fly home, allow time for delivery. Filing in person before you leave is the safest option.
• International residents: Enter your state or province in the "Residence County" field and your country in the "Residence State" field. If you've never been assigned a U.S. Social Security number, leave that field blank.
• Need an apostille? If you'll use your marriage certificate in another country, ADPH and the Alabama Secretary of State can issue apostilled copies.

Planning a beach wedding? See our Gulf Coast wedding venues guide.

Marrying at 16 or 17

Alabama law allows people who are 16 or 17 and have never been married to marry with the consent of a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian must complete and sign the "Affidavit of Consent for Marriage of a Minor" (page 2 of the minors' form) in front of a notary, and both pages must be recorded together. No one under 16 can marry in Alabama.

Can We Still Have a Courthouse Wedding in Alabama?

Yes, in many counties. While a ceremony is no longer legally required, some probate judges still perform wedding ceremonies, usually for a fee. (In 2026, for example, the Legislature authorized the Montgomery County probate judge to charge an additional fee for performing weddings.) Availability, fees, and scheduling vary widely by county, so call ahead. Remember: the ceremony is separate from recording your certificate. You still need the notarized form recorded within 30 days.

Alabama Wedding Laws: Quick Reference

Alabama Marriage License and Certificate FAQs

Do you still need a marriage license in Alabama?

No. Alabama stopped issuing marriage licenses on August 29, 2019. Instead, you complete the Alabama Marriage Certificate form, have each spouse's signature notarized by an Alabama notary, and record it with any Alabama county probate court within 30 days.

How much does it cost to get married in Alabama?

The legal cost is the probate court's recording fee, which each county sets. In October 2026, for example, Jefferson County charges $84.50 and Baldwin County charges $73. Add any notary fee (often free at your own bank) and the cost of extra certified copies.

How long does it take to get married in Alabama?

There's no waiting period. Your marriage is legal as of the date of the second notarized signature, as long as the form reaches the probate court within 30 days. You can sign and record on the same day.

Do we need an officiant or a wedding ceremony to get married in Alabama?

No. Alabama law no longer requires a ceremony, officiant, or witnesses. You're welcome to have any kind of ceremony you like, but legally, the signed, notarized, recorded certificate is what makes you married.

Can out-of-state couples get married in Alabama?

Yes. There's no residency requirement, and you can record in any Alabama county. Just make sure your signatures are notarized by a notary commissioned in Alabama, not in your home state.

What happens if we don't record the certificate within 30 days?

The marriage isn't valid. You'll need to complete a new form, have it notarized again, and record it within 30 days of the new signatures.

Can first cousins marry in Alabama?

Alabama's incest law, which the marriage form references, prohibits marriage between ancestors and descendants, siblings, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and stepparents and stepchildren while the marriage creating that relationship exists. First cousins are not on that list. If you have questions about your situation, talk to an Alabama attorney.