Alabama Marriage License Requirements 2026: No License, 30-Day Form

Alabama does not issue marriage licenses. Since August 29, 2019, under Act 2019-340 and Ala. Code 30-1-9.1, couples complete the Alabama Marriage Certificate form, sign it before an Alabama notary, and deliver it to any county probate court, which must receive it within 30 days of the later signature. There is no waiting period (apart from a 60-day bar on remarriage after an Alabama divorce), no required ceremony, and no state license fee; each probate court sets its own recording fee, and state law adds a $60 Domestic Violence Trust Fund charge collected at recording.

If you searched for an "Alabama marriage license," this is the process that replaced it. For other states, see our guide to marriage license requirements by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers how to marry in Alabama under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 (the Alabama Marriage Certificate form) as described by the Alabama Department of Public Health, with recording fees from the Jefferson, DeKalb, Mobile and Lauderdale county probate courts. It does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, common-law marriage, or the rules of other states.

Alabama Has No Marriage License: What Replaced It

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) puts it plainly: "persons wanting to marry in Alabama no longer file an application for a marriage license with the county probate court, and the courts no longer issue marriage licenses. Instead, the Alabama Marriage Certificate form should be completed by the persons entering into marriage and delivered to the probate court for recording."

That change came from Act 2019-340, effective August 29, 2019, which created the marriage certificate system in Ala. Code 30-1-9.1. The probate court's job is now to record a form you have already completed, not to issue permission in advance.

In practice, getting married in Alabama takes four steps:

1. Get the Alabama Marriage Certificate form. ADPH publishes separate versions for couples who are both 18 or older and for a couple where one spouse is 16 or 17.
2. Both spouses complete the form and sign it before a notary authorized under Alabama law.
3. Deliver the original, signed and notarized form to any Alabama county probate court and pay that court's recording fee.
4. Make sure the court receives it within 30 days of the later of your two signature dates.

ADPH also says the form may not be sent to the state Center for Health Statistics. It goes to a probate court first.

Where to Record the Marriage Certificate

ADPH says: "You may record an Alabama Marriage Certificate form in any Alabama county probate court." You do not have to use the county where you live or where any celebration takes place.

Residency is not required. ADPH says a resident of a foreign country who meets the eligibility criteria on the form and completes it properly can marry in Alabama. On the form, a foreign resident lists the foreign state or province in the "Residence County" field and the country in the "Residence State" field.

Because there is no license, there is no online or remote application. Everything turns on the paper form, the notary and the probate court.

The Notary Requirement

The notary is the one formal witness the process requires, and Alabama is strict about who can serve. ADPH quotes the rule: "a Marriage Certificate form notarized by a notary public not authorized to notarize under the laws of the State of Alabama shall not be accepted for recording by an Alabama probate court." ADPH bases this on an Alabama Attorney General opinion dated May 18, 2022, and says a U.S. Department of State notarizing officer is also not acceptable.

Electronic signatures do not work either. ADPH: "An electronic signature of a spouse, notary or consenting parent of a minor spouse is not acceptable on a Marriage Certificate."

Notaries may charge a small fee for their service. The pages we reviewed do not say whether both spouses must sign before the notary at the same sitting, so ask the notary or the probate court if you plan to sign separately.

What the Form Asks You to Swear

The form is a set of notarized affidavits. Under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1(b), each spouse swears, among other things, that:

• they are not currently married;
• they are at least 18, or at least 16 and under 18 with the consent of a parent or guardian;
• they are competent to enter into the marriage;
• the parties are not related by blood or adoption such that the marriage would violate Ala. Code 13A-13-3;
• they are entering into the marriage voluntarily.

The form also collects identifying information required by Ala. Code 22-9A-6, including full legal names. ADPH says the Social Security number field is left blank if a spouse was never assigned one.

Neither ADPH nor the county pages we reviewed list a separate ID or proof-of-age document for the probate court. Ask the notary in advance what identification they need to see before they notarize your signatures.

How Much It Costs to Get Married in Alabama

There is no state marriage license fee because there is no license. State law does fix one piece of the recording charge: Ala. Code 30-6-11 requires the recording office to collect $60 for the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund in addition to its other fees. Beyond that, ADPH says: "Every county probate court in Alabama sets its own fees for recording documents."

Here are the recording fees posted by the probate courts we checked. Fees can change, and the county's own page is the final word.

We could not open the fee pages for Madison, Montgomery, Baldwin or Limestone counties. If you are recording elsewhere, call that county's probate court before you go.

We found no premarital education discount on the ADPH page or the county pages we reviewed.

Waiting Period and the 30-Day Recording Deadline

Alabama has no waiting period. There is no application step to wait after, and Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 sets none. The one exception is remarriage within 60 days of an Alabama divorce, covered below.

The deadline that matters runs the other way. ADPH: "The marriage form must be delivered to the probate court within 30 days of the latter of the dates of the spouses' signatures for the marriage to be valid." The statute says a conforming marriage "shall be valid on the date the marriage is executed by both parties, provided the affidavits, forms, and data are recorded in the office of the judge of probate within 30 days of the date of the last party's signature."

So your marriage date is the later of the two signature dates, as long as the form is recorded on time. Missing the window has a real cost. According to ADPH, "The marriage would be considered invalid, and the spouses would need to complete a new Marriage Certificate form and deliver it to the probate court within the 30 days required by law."

Mailing the form. ADPH says you may mail the form, but it must be received within the 30 days, and emailed forms are not accepted. Some courts set stricter rules: DeKalb County says, "Forms will not be accepted by mail." Check with the court you plan to use, and leave a margin before day 30.

Age Requirements: 18, or 16 and 17 With Consent

You can marry in Alabama without anyone's consent at 18. ADPH: "If you are under the age of 18, but are at least 16 years of age...and have never been married, you can still marry in Alabama with the consent of a parent or guardian."

For a 16- or 17-year-old spouse, the consenting parent or parents, or the guardian, complete page 2 of the form, the "Affidavit of Consent for Marriage of a Minor." Both pages are recorded together as a two-page certificate.

The statute's affidavit options stop at 16: the affiant is at least 18, or at least 16 and under 18 with parental or guardian consent. For anyone younger, Ala. Code 30-1-4 is direct: "A person under the age of 16 years is incapable of contracting marriage." The section has no exception. For the separate question of a minor's legal independence from parents, see our page on Alabama emancipation laws.

Ceremonies and Officiants Are Optional

Under Alabama's system, a wedding is something you may choose, not something the law requires. Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 says: "The state shall have no requirement for any ceremony or proceeding and whether or not a ceremony or proceeding is performed or not performed shall have no legal effect on the validity of the marriage."

ADPH says the same: "A wedding ceremony is optional. You may have a ceremony, but it is no longer required for a recognized marriage in Alabama." If you do hold one, it may be civil or religious, led by anyone you choose.

That also means officiant registration and online ordination are not legal issues in Alabama. The officiant does not sign or return anything to the state. The couple, not an officiant, delivers the form to the probate court. No witness requirement appears in the statute or on the ADPH page beyond the notary.

Remarriage After Divorce

The form requires each spouse to swear they are not currently married. If your divorce was granted in Alabama, Ala. Code 30-2-10 requires the court to order that "neither party shall again marry, except to each other, until 60 days after the judgment is entered," and if an appeal is taken within those 60 days, neither may marry anyone else while the appeal is pending. ADPH adds: "Certain circumstances can affect the waiting period for remarriage after divorce. Please consult your divorce decree for guidance." Read your decree before you sign the new form, and see our page on Alabama divorce laws for background.

No Blood Test

No blood test or medical certificate is part of the Alabama process. None appears in the required contents of the form under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1(b) or on the ADPH and county pages we reviewed.

After You Record: Copies and Corrections

ADPH: "After the probate court records the Marriage Certificate, the original certificate will be forwarded to the Alabama Department of Public Health's Center for Health Statistics." Some probate courts hand couples a certified copy when they record; ADPH says the practice differs by county. Jefferson, DeKalb and Mobile list copies at $3.00.

If you need a certified copy later, our guide to Alabama marriage and divorce records covers how to order one.

If something on a recorded certificate is wrong, ADPH says both spouses sign and notarize an "Amendment to Alabama Marriage Certificate and Decree of Correction," which is recorded with a new recording fee.

The form does not change your name. For that step, see changing your name after marriage and Alabama name change laws.

Common Myths About Getting Married in Alabama

• "We need to apply for a license and wait." Not since August 29, 2019. Courts record a notarized form; there is no application and no waiting period, apart from the 60-day bar after an Alabama divorce.
• "We need an officiant." No. A ceremony is optional and has no effect on validity under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1.
• "The fee is the same everywhere." No. Each probate court sets its own recording fee, from $73.00 to $84.50 in the counties we checked.
• "Any notary will do, or we can e-sign." No. Only a notary authorized under Alabama law, and no electronic signatures.
• "We are married the moment we sign." Only if the form is recorded within 30 days of the later signature. Late forms do not create a valid marriage.

Proposed Changes in the Legislature

Two 2025 bills would have changed parts of this process. HB584 would have let couples designate the ceremony date as the date the marriage takes effect and would have let certain religious societies skip probate recording. SB33 would have required a premarital conflict resolution class before recording. Neither became law. The Legislature's ALISON system lists HB584 as indefinitely postponed in the House and shows SB33 still pending in a Senate committee when the 2025 session ended, and the official text of Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 still carries only its 2019 history. The ADPH FAQ, last updated June 12, 2026, describes the same 30-day rule.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about marrying in Alabama under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 and related provisions. It is not legal advice. The information was verified on October 7, 2026. For your specific situation, contact the county probate court where you plan to record or consult a lawyer licensed in Alabama.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Alabama marriage and divorce records
• Alabama common-law marriage
• Georgia marriage license requirements
• Mississippi marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Alabama still issue marriage licenses?

No. Since August 29, 2019 (Act 2019-340), probate courts no longer issue marriage licenses. Couples complete the Alabama Marriage Certificate form, have it notarized, and deliver it to a probate court for recording under Ala. Code 30-1-9.1.

How much does it cost to get married in Alabama?

There is no state license fee, but state law requires a $60 Domestic Violence Trust Fund charge at recording (Ala. Code 30-6-11). Each probate court sets its own recording fee; Jefferson County lists $84.50, DeKalb $74.00, and Mobile and Lauderdale $73.00. Check your county's probate court for the current amount.

How long do I have to file the Alabama marriage certificate?

The probate court must receive the form within 30 days of the later of the two spouses' signature dates. If it is late, the marriage is not valid and you must complete a new form, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Do I have to file in the county where I live?

No. The Alabama Department of Public Health says you may record the form in any Alabama county probate court.

Do we need an officiant or a ceremony in Alabama?

No. Ala. Code 30-1-9.1 says the state has no requirement for any ceremony, and whether one is performed has no legal effect on the marriage's validity. You may still hold a civil or religious ceremony if you wish.

Can a 16-year-old get married in Alabama?

Yes, a 16- or 17-year-old can marry with the consent of a parent or guardian. No one under 16 can marry in Alabama (Ala. Code 30-1-4). The parent or guardian signs the affidavit of consent on page 2 of the Alabama Marriage Certificate form.

Can we mail the marriage certificate to the probate court?

The Alabama Department of Public Health says you may mail it if the court receives it within the 30 days, but emailed forms are not accepted. Some courts, such as DeKalb County, say they do not accept forms by mail, so call the court first.

Can an out-of-state notary sign the Alabama marriage form?

No. A form notarized by a notary not authorized under Alabama law will not be accepted for recording, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.