Access Free Alabama Marriage Records: License Lookup

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Free Alabama Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in Alabama, free of charge.

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Look up free Alabama marriage records to discover details about couples anywhere in the state.

Alabama makes many documents — including marriage certificates — available to citizens. Checking online databases at no cost and contacting public records custodians at state and local levels streamlines the search for marital information.

Find out if someone is married in Alabama using the methods and search tools detailed in this resource.

Are Alabama Marriage Certificates Open to the Public?

Alabama’s State Code makes marriage certificates and other government documents part of the public record. According to Section 36-12-40 of the state code, citizens have the right to inspect any “public writing” of the state, which includes many vital records, such as marriage certificates.¹

The Alabama Department of Public Health reports that state marriage certificates are unrestricted, meaning any citizen can request them for any reason. Thanks to this broad open records law, it’s convenient to find out about Alabama nuptials once citizens know where to look.

People might search marriage records for many reasons. For couples who wed in the state, they may need a copy of their marriage certificate for insurance, financial, tax, adoption, or immigration purposes. Plus, having a certified copy of a marriage license is always good to have on hand.

In other cases, citizens simply might want to learn more about an individual and find out if they’ve ever been married. Additionally, many people search marriage records to learn more about their family history.

When accessing this data for genealogical purposes, individuals might need to tap into the Alabama State Archives, where they can find marriage records from many decades or even centuries ago.

Although citizens should be able to find the marriage records they need through state and local agencies, they can also see what third-party providers have on file to support their research. However, it’s important to remember that any record obtained from a third party—unless it’s endorsed by the state—can’t be used for any official purposes.

Another way to learn more about marriage in Alabama is by exploring U.S. Census Bureau data. Although this data doesn’t include specific records of unions, it does offer insight into overall marriage and divorce trends in Alabama.

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, 47.6% of Alabama residents aged 15 and older were married, 12.5% were divorced, 6.8% were widowed, and 2.1% were separated. Another 31.1% of Alabama adults have never been married.²

How To Search Alabama Marriage Records for Free

Alabama’s Center for Health Statistics serves as the custodian for all vital records in the state, including marriage certificates. So, citizens who want to conduct a free marriage license search should contact this agency.

The Center for Health Statistics has marriage certificates from August 1936 to present. More information on finding marriage records before this date will be detailed later in this article.

Here’s how to secure marriage records through the Center for Health Statistics. The office accepts requests by mail or online using a third-party service.

For mailed requests, complete the Marriage Certificate Application, being sure to check “Marriage” for the type of record and listing the full name of the husband or wife and county of marriage.³ Marriage certificates cost $15 per copy and $6 for additional copies.

Include a copy of photo ID and a check or money order payable to the State Board of Health. Then, send the completed form to the mailing address below to process the request.

Alabama Department of Public Health
Center for Health Statistics
RSA Tower
201 Monroe St., Ste. 1150
Montgomery, Alabama 36104

Phone: (334) 206-5418

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 5625
Montgomery, AL 36103-5625

The Alabama Department of Public Health also accepts walk-in visits at the central department in Montgomery as well as county offices. Check out this list of Alabama county health departments, where you can find contact information and hours.⁴

Another way to secure an Alabama marriage certificate is through VitalChek, a third-party service that partners with the state. To order online, click Marriage Certificates, select Alabama, and choose the city. Then, answer the prompts about the marriage record, including the date of the union and parties’ names.

Note that VitalChek charges additional fees, payable by credit or debit card, beyond the $15 certificate fee. So, citizens looking for a cost-effective option might choose the mailed form rather than VitalChek.

For more information, check out these FAQs about marriage certificates in Alabama.⁵ More information on finding archived marriage records follows.

Sourcing County Marriage Records in Alabama

Citizens can search free marriage records in Alabama at the county level as well. While a state-level search offers the broadest results, exploring records at the county level offers some benefits, too.

First, people who live within the county can visit these agencies in person, which can be convenient if the record is needed quickly. Additionally, many Alabama counties offer an online search, allowing for a quick verification of marriages in the state—no waiting required. Two county-level agencies can assist citizens in their search for public marriage records: county probate courts and county health departments.

Check out this complete list of the state’s county probate courts and county health departments to find the contact information for a records search. Here, we’ll focus on Alabama’s most populous counties and how to find marriage records using these county-level agencies.

Jefferson County – which includes Birmingham – is the state’s most populous, and citizens can find marriage records for this county through two departments. The most convenient way to confirm a union in this county is through an online search administered by Jefferson County.

Visit the Jefferson County Official Records Search to explore marriage licenses online.⁶ Enter the bride or groom name, select marriage license as the document type, and enter the date range.

Note that this online search goes back to January 1, 1965. Results will list all marriage licenses associated with the names entered.

If a physical copy of the marriage certificate is required, contact the Jefferson County Probate Court, which accepts record requests by mail or in person. While the court doesn’t have a form to submit, individuals can mail their request, detailing the record they need, along with the $3 fee and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to either office listed below. Alternatively, record seekers can visit one of two probate court locations to make their request in person.

Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jefferson County Probate Court
Birmingham Division
716 North Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35203

Phone: (205) 325-5420

Bessemer Division
1801 3rd Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020

Phone: (205) 481-4100

The Jefferson County Health Department Vital Records can also provide marriage certificates for unions that took place there. Individuals have to be 14 years of age or older to request a record. They can do so by visiting the health department and submitting a Vital Records Request Form.⁸

Upon arrival, the record seeker will need to show a photo ID and pay all required fees ($15 for the first copy, $6 for additional copies). The Vital Records office accepts requests Monday through Friday between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Jefferson County Health Department: Central Health Center
1400 6th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233

Phone: (205) 930-1106

Good news for people hunting for information on Mobile County marriages: the county has a number of resources that simplify the search for these records. The Mobile County Probate Court offers an online records search through its Landmark WEB platform.⁹

After creating a free account, citizens can search marriage records by name to identify the information they’re seeking. Choose search by name, enter the name, and select marriage license as the document type. These records date back to January 1, 1813.

Results will show information on the union, and citizens can download the certificate for 10 cents per page. Online orders are payable by credit card.

The Mobile County Probate Court Records Division also accepts in-person requests for a marriage certificate. Find this division on the second floor of the Mobile County Government Center Annex. No form is required, but record seekers should have all relevant information about the union on hand, including the parties’ names, date, and marriage certificate instrument number, if known.

A certified copy of a certificate costs $3. The court offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mobile County Probate Court Records Division
151 Government Street
Mobile, AL 36602

Phone: (251) 574-6000

The Mobile County Health Department Vital Records also issues marriage certificates at its office. Individuals can stop by during business hours (Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) to make the request.

Print and complete the Vital Records Request Form to expedite the in-person request, or pick up a form upon arrival. Record seekers will need to show photo ID and pay the $15 fee via cash, personal check, or credit or debit card.

Mobile County Health Department
251 North Bayou St.
Mobile, Alabama 36603

Phone: (251) 690-8150

Like other Alabama counties, Madison County, home to Huntsville, simplifies the search for marriage records. Start the hunt for marriage certificates from the comfort of home by checking out the Madison County Probate Court online search.¹⁰

To start, create a free account. Then, enter the name of one or both parties, choose the marriage certificate as the instrument type, and enter the dates if known. Results will reveal information about the union, including the marriage date, but in some cases, the certificate itself won’t be viewable online.

If you require a physical copy of an Alabama marriage record, contact the Madison County Probate Court. Visit the probate court office to request a certified copy of a marriage certificate, which costs $2. No form is available for the request, so just provide information about the record needed in person during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Madison County Probate Court
Madison County Courthouse
100 NorthSide Square
Huntsville, AL 35801

Phone: (256) 532-3300

The Madison County Health Department accepts in-person requests for marriage certificates as well. Individuals can print or complete the Request for Vital Records Form before they arrive. Then, they’ll need to submit the form, photo ID, and payment of the $15 certificate fee to the health department. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Madison County Health Department
301 Max Luther Drive Northwest
Huntsville, AL 35811

Phone: (256) 533-8677

Read on to learn more about accessing Alabama’s marriage archives to discover historical records that can assist with a genealogy search.

How To Look Up Historical Marriage Records in Alabama for Free (Ancestry Search)

For citizens learning about their ancestry, the Alabama Department of Archives & History is a helpful resource. The state archives has an online database of the county records on microfilm, and this can be a good place to start a search.¹¹ Search by county name for marriage records to see what, if any, indexes are available on site.

If an index for the county and date range of the marriage is available, a visit to the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery might aid in genealogical research.

The Alabama Department of Archives Research Room is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Before a visit, search the online catalog and make a list of any microfilm records or other information to view.¹² Then, sign in at the Research Room lobby upon arrival and receive a researcher card, which citizens can obtain by showing a photo ID.

Staff is available during business hours to help pull records and assist with a search. Individuals can make copies of records, which cost $0.10 to $0.25 per page. Spending a day exploring the Alabama Department of Archives & History can help complete a genealogical research project.

Alabama Department of Archives & History
624 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130

Phone: (334) 242-4435

Many Alabama counties also maintain historical marriage records, although every county started tracking this information at different times. Reach out to the county probate office where the couple wed to find out how far back its records date. For more information on beginning ancestry research, check out these tips from the National Archives.

If a search for marriage records comes up short after checking the state archives, consider these options to help complete the family tree:

• Newspaper archives, which may document historical marriage announcements
• Church records that list unions performed
• Local library archives
• Historical and genealogical societies

Are Common Law Marriages Recognized in Alabama?

Alabama recognized common law marriages until January 1, 2017.¹³ Any common law marriages once recognized by the state—in other words, those that were established before January 1, 2017—are still recognized today and treated as a marriage for a legal purposes.

However, any union entered into after that date cannot be classified as a common law marriage, and couples have to legally marry to receive the benefits associated with such a union.

Since Alabama did not record common law marriages when they were valid in the state, unlike a marriage — where a couple obtains a certificate validating their union — common law couples did not receive similar documentation of their union. So, no official certificate exists for common law marriages, making them more challenging to confirm via public record.

How To Apply for a Alabama Marriage License

According to Alabama Act 2019-340 passed in August 2019, couples no longer have to apply for a marriage license at their county probate court office.¹⁴ Instead, they must complete, sign, and notarize the Alabama Marriage Certificate and file it with their county probate court.¹⁵

A wedding ceremony is not required to validate the marriage. The signed, dated, and notarized certificate must be submitted to the county probate court office within 30 days of signing it. The county probate office records the date of marriage as the date listed on the form, so couples who have a wedding will want to sign it on the day of the union so that the date is recorded correctly.

Couples will pay a recording fee at the county probate court office when they file the marriage certificate. Additionally, they may have to pay a nominal fee to have their signatures notarized. Recording fees vary by county, so check with the county probate office where the union took place.

Most counties accept these completed forms and payment by mail or in person, but check with specific county probate offices for details. Once the marriage is recorded, couples can request a certified copy of the certificate using the steps outlined in this resource.

There are many resources available for finding Alabama marriage records, allowing citizens to secure the information they need about unions in the state.