Marriage Certificates

How to Complete a New Marriage Certificate

• Instructions and Marriage Certificate Form (fillable)
   - Adults 
   - Minors 16-17 Years of Age
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Records Available

The Alabama Center for Health Statistics began filing marriage certificates in August 1936 for marriages that occurred in Alabama. (Information for marriages prior to August 1936 must be obtained from the probate office in the county where the marriage license was issued.)

Restrictions

By Alabama law, marriage certificates are unrestricted. They may be requested by anyone who can provide enough information to search for the record and submit payment of the proper fee.

Cost

The fee to search for a marriage certificate is $15.00, which includes one certified copy of the record or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. There is an additional fee of $15.00 to expedite the request. Make check or money order payable to "Center for Health Statistics." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable.

Information Required

Please provide as much of the following information as possible for us to locate the marriage certificate:

• Full names before first marriage of both spouses
• Date of marriage
• County where marriage license was issued
• Your name
• Your signature
• Address where the certificate is to be mailed
• Your daytime phone number

How to Obtain an Existing Marriage Certificate

• Download Mail-In Application (also available in Spanish)
• By Mail: Send the above information and the appropriate fee to:
  Center for Health Statistics
  P.O. Box 5625
  Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5625
• In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama marriage certificate. Most marriage certificates can be issued while you wait. A map showing locations of county health departments where vital records may be obtained is available. View Reference Map or visit Locations.
• To Order a Certificate Online: You may order certificates through the service provider VitalChek using a major credit or debit card. Note that there are additional fees for using this service and for upgrading to UPS shipping. Order a Certificate Online.

Corrections/Changes to Marriage Certificates

Errors on a marriage certificate must be corrected through the Alabama county probate court which issued the marriage license or recorded the marriage certificate. Please contact the appropriate probate office for more information.

Apostille and Exemplified Copies

Apostille and Exemplified copies of vital records are routinely required for foreign use. The Apostille and Exemplified copies consist of an Alabama birth, death, marriage, or divorce certificate signed by the State Registrar and an additional certification signed by the Alabama Secretary of State. Certain restrictions apply to Apostille and Exemplified copies of birth and death certificates. For more information on Apostille and Exemplified copies, view the Apostille and Exemplified page.

Not Married in Alabama

The National Center for Health Statistics has information on vital records for all states. For more information, view the Link to Other State Information page.

Questions

If you are completing a new marriage certificate, have you checked the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)? Your question may be answered there.

If you have other questions or would like information on expediting a certified copy of an existing marriage certificate, please call (334) 206-5418.