How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in Alabama
For an earlier marriage, CDC directs requests to the Probate Judge in the county that issued the license. The directory asks for a signed written application and payment to the Center for Health Statistics. Additional copies ordered together are listed at $6 each. CDC source for Alabama.
Alabama's CDC listing gives the office contact as Alabama Center for Health Statistics Alabama Department of Public Health P.O. Box 5625 Montgomery, AL 36103-5625, with a service charge of $15.00. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each.. (County) Varies.
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Alabama Center for Health Statistics Alabama Department of Public Health P.O. Box 5625 Montgomery, AL 36103-5625 | Alabama Center for Health Statistics Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Service charge | $15.00. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $6.00 each.. (County) Varies | $15 search, including one certified copy if found Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Years held or service coverage | State office has records since August 1936. Marriage records are not restricted. | From August 1936 Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Order by mail, online or through an Alabama county health department Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
Getting a marriage license in Alabama
The issuing office rule acquired for Alabama says County probate court records the Alabama Marriage Certificate form. License applications ended August 29, 2019 (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
The fee rule acquired for Alabama says Recording fee set by each county probate court (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
The issued-license validity rule acquired for Alabama says Deliver the completed, signed and notarized form within 30 days of the later signature. This is a recording deadline (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
Consult the Alabama official office for the waiting period left unverified in this comparison.
Searching Alabama marriage records
The Alabama official records office supplies the contact route for marriage searches. Search availability remains unverified as of 2026-11-11.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Beginning January 1, 2017, no common-law marriages may be entered into in Alabama. See Ala. Code § 30-1-20(a) (2016). However, common-law marriages entered into before January 1, 2017 are recognized and continue to be valid. SSA GN 00305.075. Digest effective 2023-05-30, checked 2026-11-11 |
| IRS community-property list | Outside the listed community-property states IRS 555, checked 2026-11-11 |
The common-law entry for Alabama is Beginning January 1, 2017, no common-law marriages may be entered into in Alabama. See Ala. Code § 30-1-20(a) (2016). However, common-law marriages entered into before January 1, 2017 are recognized and continue to be valid. SSA's digest is effective 2023-05-30 and applies to benefit decisions. IRS Publication 555 supplies the property classification for married taxpayers domiciled in Alabama, with its qualifications linked in the table.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 7.0 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 2.9 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 29.6 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 27.0 | 28.8 |
At 7.0 marriages per 1,000 residents, Alabama's 2024 occurrence-based rate sits above the US 6.3. Marriages performed in Alabama can include visitors.
CDC gives Alabama 2.9 divorces per 1,000 residents in 2024, above the benchmark of 2.3 for reporting jurisdictions.
ACS 2024 gives Alabama first-marriage medians of 29.6 for men and 27.0 for women, a gap of 2.6 years. The Alabama margins of error are 0.6 years for men and 0.5 years for women.
Alabama is 33rd for men and 36th for women in an oldest-first ordering of state and DC first-marriage medians. Its male median is below the national 30.8, while the Alabama female median is below the US 28.8.
Alabama and Las Vegas
In 2025, 255 licenses issued in Las Vegas carried a Alabama mailing address, putting it 35th among states and DC. Explore the Las Vegas figures, with address definitions on the method page.
Across the recent 2021 to 2025 Las Vegas files, 1,435 licenses carried Alabama mailing addresses. The Alabama share is 0.38% of the countywide total for those files. The annual Alabama maximum was 338 in 2007, compared with 284 in 2019, 291 in 2024 and 255 in 2025.
The annual Alabama Las Vegas count fell 12.37% relative to 2024, leaving Alabama 10.21% below the 2019 count. The latest Alabama volume is 24.56% below its series high.
For Alabama, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 338 licenses in 2007, 282 licenses in 2008, 304 licenses in 2009, 313 licenses in 2010, 309 licenses in 2011, 276 licenses in 2012, 228 licenses in 2013, 261 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
For Alabama, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 275 licenses in 2015, 286 licenses in 2016, 267 licenses in 2017, 293 licenses in 2018, 284 licenses in 2019, 192 licenses in 2020, 327 licenses in 2021, 267 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
For Alabama, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 295 licenses in 2023, 291 licenses in 2024, 255 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
Alabama couples using a Clark County license can order the Nevada record through the Clerk's certificate service for $20 after filing. The officiant has 10 calendar days after the ceremony to file, and the guide covers postal, online and in-person orders.