Filing the Alabama Marriage Certificate: Notary, Probate, and Fees

To get married in Alabama, both spouses complete a single document called the Alabama marriage certificate form, sign it in front of a notary, and deliver it to any county probate office within 30 days of the second signature. The state replaced marriage licenses with this form on August 29, 2019 under Act 2019-340. There is no license to apply for, no officiant required, and no ceremony needed. The marriage becomes legal on the date both spouses signed, provided the probate office records the form on time.¹

Who Can Use the Form

Both spouses swear on the form itself that they meet every one of Alabama’s eligibility rules, so confirm these before you start filling anything in.

Age: Both parties must be at least 18. A spouse who is 16 or 17 can marry, but a parent or legal guardian must submit a separate notarized Affidavit of Consent (form ADPH-HS-50C) with the marriage certificate.
Marital status: Neither party can be currently married. Any prior marriage must have ended by divorce, annulment, or death.
Legal competence: Both parties must be mentally competent to enter a marriage contract.
No prohibited relationship: The parties cannot be related as ancestor and descendant, siblings (whole, half-blood, or by adoption), stepparent and stepchild while that marriage still exists, or aunt/uncle and nephew/niece.
Voluntary consent: Each party must act voluntarily, without duress or undue influence.

These requirements come directly from Alabama Code 30-1-9.1.¹ The prohibited-relationship categories mirror Alabama’s incest statute.²

There is no residency requirement. You do not need to live in Alabama, and you can file the completed form in any of the state’s 67 county probate offices regardless of where either spouse resides.³ A ceremony is allowed but optional and has no bearing on whether the marriage is legally valid.¹

Where to Get the Form

The Alabama Department of Public Health hosts a fillable version on its vital records page. There are two versions: one for adults where both parties are 18 or older, and one for minors aged 16 to 17.⁴ Download the correct version. You can type into the fields on screen and then print, or print blank and fill it out by hand. Either way, you must print it. The probate office will not accept a form that was completed and signed entirely electronically, because original wet-ink signatures are required.

What Information to Gather First

The form collects identifying details for both spouses along with the sworn declarations covered above. Have the following ready:

Full legal names as they appear on each party’s government-issued identification.
Dates of birth and current addresses for both parties.
Social Security numbers for both parties.
Parents’ information: full legal names and birthplaces of each party’s parents, including mothers’ maiden names.
Prior marriage details: if either party was previously married, the date and location that marriage ended, and whether it ended by death, divorce, or annulment.

Everything on the form becomes a permanent legal record once filed. Double-check each field against your identification documents. A misspelled name or wrong date of birth creates problems later when you try to use the certificate to update a Social Security card, settle an estate, or prove the marriage abroad.

If a Spouse Is 16 or 17

A parent or legal guardian must complete the separate Affidavit of Consent, form ADPH-HS-50C. That form requires the consenting parent’s or guardian’s printed name and a notarized signature.⁵ The marriage certificate and the Affidavit of Consent must be presented to the probate office together. Without the consent form, the probate office will not record the marriage.⁶

Signing Before a Notary

Both spouses must sign the form in the presence of an Alabama notary public. Each spouse has a separate signature block with its own notary block, so one notary stamp does not cover both signatures.

The two spouses do not have to sign on the same day or use the same notary. The form accommodates separate signature dates. The marriage date will be the later of the two signatures, provided the form reaches the probate office within 30 days of that later date.⁶ That flexibility helps when spouses live in different cities or one is traveling.

Two rules cause most rejections. First, the notary must be commissioned in Alabama. A form notarized by an out-of-state notary or a U.S. Department of State notarizing officer will be rejected. Second, electronic signatures from any party, including the notary, are not accepted.⁶ Alabama notaries may charge up to $10 per notarial act.

Filing with the Probate Office

Once both signatures are notarized, deliver the original form to any Alabama county probate office within 30 days of the date the second spouse signed. Miss that window and the form is dead. You would have to start over with a new one.¹ You can submit in person or by mail, depending on what the county allows. Emailed forms are not accepted. Do not send the form directly to the Center for Health Statistics; it will be returned unrecorded.⁶

The probate office’s role is purely administrative. The judge does not evaluate whether you should be getting married, does not sign your certificate, and does not perform a ceremony. The office checks that the form is complete, collects the recording fee, and enters the document into the public record.⁷ Once recorded, the marriage is legally recognized as of the date both spouses signed, or the later of the two dates.

Recording Fees

Every county collects at least two state-mandated fees at recording: a $10 recording fee under Alabama Code 12-19-90 and a $60 payment to the Domestic Violence Trust Fund under Alabama Code 30-6-11.⁸⁹ The base total is $70. Some counties add small local fees. Call the probate office where you plan to file or check its website for the exact amount, and confirm whether it accepts cash, check, or card before you go.

Why Forms Get Rejected

Probate offices see the same mistakes over and over. Avoid these and you will likely walk out with a recorded marriage on your first visit.

Wrong notary: The form was notarized by someone not commissioned in Alabama, or by a U.S. Department of State notarizing officer.
Electronic signatures: Any electronic or digital signature from a spouse, notary, or consenting parent makes the form unacceptable.
Missed deadline: The form was not delivered within 30 days of the last spouse’s signature.
Missing consent form: A party is 16 or 17 and the Affidavit of Consent was not submitted alongside the marriage certificate.
Sent to the wrong office: The form was mailed or emailed to the Center for Health Statistics instead of a county probate office.

Each of these results in outright rejection. The probate office cannot record the document, and you will need to complete a new form.⁶

Getting Certified Copies

Recording your marriage does not automatically hand you a certified copy. After the probate office records the form, it forwards a copy to the Alabama Department of Public Health Center for Health Statistics for permanent storage.¹ You request certified copies separately, from either source:

County probate office: The office where the form was recorded can issue certified copies. Fees vary by county.
Center for Health Statistics: You can request copies through the ADPH vital records office. Marriage certificates are unrestricted records in Alabama, meaning anyone with enough identifying information can request a copy. The ADPH website has a downloadable request form and current fees.⁴

Order at least two or three certified copies the first time you request them. You will likely need separate originals for a Social Security name change, employer benefits enrollment, and bank or financial account updates, and most institutions want to see an original certified copy rather than a photocopy.

1
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 30-1-9.1 – Requirements for Marriage; Validity; Construction with Other Laws
2
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-13-3 – Incest
3
Autauga County Probate Office. Marriage Certificate
4
Alabama Department of Public Health. Marriage Certificates
5
Washington County Probate Court. Alabama Marriage Certificate Form
6
Alabama Department of Public Health. Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Alabama Marriage Certificate
7
Alabama Department of Public Health. Getting Married in Alabama? Changes You Need to Know
8
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 12-19-90 – Judge of Probate
9
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 30-6-11 – Disposition of Funds