Alabama Marriage Certificate System
Alabama Act 2019-340 ended the traditional county marriage license process effective August 29, 2019. Couples no longer apply for a marriage license with the probate court, and probate courts no longer issue licenses. Instead, the Alabama Marriage Certificate is a contractual document the parties complete, notarize, and deliver to the Probate Court for recording. Once properly completed and recorded, the marriage is valid. A ceremony may be performed, but solemnization is no longer required for a recognized Alabama marriage.
Jefferson County Probate Court records the marriage certificate within 30 days of the date the parties sign and notarize it. The form and instructions come from the Alabama Department of Public Health vital records system, not from the county. The county handles the filing, the fee, and the certified-copy process after recording.
How to File a Marriage Certificate in Jefferson County
The Probate Court walks through the steps on its marriage page. The process is short but every step matters; a missed signature or stale date can send the certificate back.
- Obtain the Alabama Marriage Certificate form and instructions from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
- Both parties complete the certificate.
- The certificate must be notarized.
- Submit the completed and notarized certificate to Jefferson County Probate Court within 30 days.
- Pay the filing fee. Probate Court records the certificate and issues a recording stamp.
Note: Probate Court accepts cash, money orders, and debit cards in person. By mail, payment must be a money order; personal checks are not accepted for marriage filings.
Alabama Marriage Certificate Fields
The certificate captures both parties' identifying information, signatures, and a notary block. The exact field list comes from the state form, but the categories below cover the working content.
| Field | Type | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Party 1 full legal name | Text | Yes |
| Party 1 date of birth | Date | Yes |
| Party 1 signature | Signature | Yes |
| Party 2 full legal name | Text | Yes |
| Party 2 date of birth | Date | Yes |
| Party 2 signature | Signature | Yes |
| Date of agreement | Date | Yes |
| Notary block | Stamp / Signature | Yes |
| Filing fee receipt | Payment | Yes |
Jefferson County Marriage Certificate Fees
The Probate Court publishes the filing fee and copy fee for marriage certificates. The amounts are local to Jefferson County and are not the same in every Alabama county.
| Item | Amount / Method |
|---|---|
| Marriage certificate filing fee | $84.50 |
| In-person payment | Cash, money order, debit card |
| Mail payment | Money order only |
| Marriage certificate copy | $3.00 |
| Mail copy request | Fee plus self-addressed stamped envelope |
Marriage Records Before and After June 1985
Jefferson County Probate Court says marriage certificates from June 1985 forward may be obtained at either division: Birmingham or Bessemer. Records before that date must be obtained from the office where the license was issued. That cutoff matters for genealogy and older family records, because a Birmingham-issued 1960 license is not available from Bessemer and vice versa.
For a certified copy by mail, send the $3.00 fee plus a self-addressed stamped envelope to the right Probate Court office. By in-person request, the staff can pull the record and certify it at the counter.
Jefferson County Probate Court Locations
The county runs two Probate Court divisions for marriage records. Birmingham serves the Birmingham Division, and Bessemer serves the Bessemer Cutoff Division. Both record marriage certificates and issue copies for records from June 1985 forward.
Probate Court, Birmingham
716 N. Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 325-5420
Hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Probate Court, Bessemer
1801 3rd Avenue North
Bessemer, AL 35020
(205) 481-4100
Hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Divorce Records in Jefferson County
Divorce is a court case, not a probate filing. Divorce files in Jefferson County sit on the domestic relations side of Circuit Court. The Tenth Judicial Circuit lists Honorable Patricia Stephens as Presiding Domestic Relations Judge. For a state-level case lookup, use Alacourt ACCESS; for a paper file pull or certified copy, contact the right Circuit Clerk office.
For Birmingham Division cases, the Circuit Clerk is at Jefferson County Courthouse, Room 400, with phone (205) 325-5355. Bessemer Division divorce cases sit with the Bessemer Circuit Clerk site at bessemer.alacourt.gov. Domestic relations filing fees are posted on the Tenth Judicial Circuit's domestic relations filing fees page.
The fee table covers divorce, custody, modification, and protection from abuse filings on the domestic relations docket.
How to File a Divorce in Jefferson County
Divorce filing involves more than handing in a form. The complaint or petition must meet residency rules, name the parties, and state the grounds. Required documents may include a child custody or child support form when minors are involved. Pro se filers should look at the Alabama eForms library for Jefferson County local forms before drafting from scratch.
- Confirm venue and division: Birmingham or Bessemer Cutoff.
- Prepare the complaint and required domestic relations forms.
- File with the Circuit Clerk, not Probate Court.
- Pay the domestic relations filing fee, or apply for a fee waiver if eligible.
- Serve the other party unless filing jointly or waived under rule.
- Follow judge and court orders for hearings, mediation, child support, and the final decree.
Domestic Relations Filing Fees
Divorce, custody, modification, and protection from abuse filings have their own fee table on the Tenth Judicial Circuit site. The exact amount depends on the case type and any add-ons like a jury demand. The fee page tells users to confirm with the Circuit Clerk before filing because amounts can change.
Some pro se filers qualify for a fee waiver. The Circuit Clerk's office can describe the waiver paperwork, but it cannot give legal advice on whether a filer qualifies; that determination sits with the court.
Restricted Family Information
Domestic relations cases often touch on sensitive material. Minor children's names, financial account numbers, abuse-sensitive details, and sealed documents may be redacted or limited in public access. Family Court juvenile records sit under Alabama Code Section 12-15-133, which makes juvenile legal files, social records, and identifying data confidential.
Protection from abuse filings handled in domestic relations or family court may contain victim addresses and safety details kept out of the public file. For the underlying public access framework, see public records.
Wedding Ceremony and Solemnization
Probate Court's marriage page notes a key change from the old license process: a wedding ceremony may still be performed, but solemnization is no longer required for a legally recognized Alabama marriage. The recorded marriage certificate is what creates the legal status, not the ceremony.
That has practical effects. Couples who plan a religious or civil ceremony can still hold one, but the legal step is the notarized certificate filed with Probate Court within 30 days. The date the certificate is signed and notarized is the date of marriage on the recorded file.