Marriage licenses in Alabama are handled locally, and the details that matter — the fee, the wait, how long the license lasts — are set by a mix of state law and local practice. This page collects the statewide rules from Alabama’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: No marriage license is issued – the Alabama Marriage Certificate form is recorded by any county probate court
- License fee: County-set (probate court recording fees; ADPH: every county probate court sets its own recording fees)
- Waiting period: None – no license and no waiting period; the notarized certificate must be delivered to a probate court within 30 days of the latter spouse signature
- License validity: N/A – no license; marriage is valid when the properly completed, signed and notarized certificate is recorded
- Witnesses: None – no witnesses or officiant signatures; both spouses sign before an Alabama notary
- Minimum age: 18 (16-17 with parent/guardian consent via Affidavit of Consent for Marriage of a Minor; must never have been married)
- Who can officiate: No officiant required – a wedding ceremony is optional and not required for a recognized marriage
- Courthouse ceremonies: Not applicable – no ceremony is legally required; probate courts record certificates, they do not issue licenses
Alabama counties in this directory
We have published 28 verified county guides for Alabama so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $70 to $104. 1 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Alabama county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/vitalrecords/marriage-faqs.html (checked 2026-11-09). County figures are checked separately against each county’s own official page and carry their own verified dates. Always confirm with your county clerk before you go — this is not a government site.