Alaska Marriage Records
Alaska marriage records are vital documents held by the Health Analytics and Vital Records section of the Alaska Department of Health. You can search for marriage records online, by mail, by fax, or in person at offices in Juneau and Anchorage. This guide covers how to find Alaska marriage records for recent events and for genealogy research, what each document type means, what you need to request a certified copy, and where to go depending on where in Alaska the marriage took place.
Alaska Marriage Records at a Glance
Where to Find Alaska Marriage Records
The main office for Alaska marriage records is Health Analytics and Vital Records (HAVRS), part of the Alaska Department of Health. This office keeps certified marriage records for all events that took place in Alaska. They do not handle marriages that occurred in other states. Vital records orders can be placed in person, by mail, by fax, or online through VitalChek. HAVRS does not accept orders by email.
The HAVRS vital records orders page is the official place to start if you need a certified copy of an Alaska marriage certificate. Walk-in, mail, fax, and online options are all described there.
Two walk-in offices handle in-person requests. The Juneau office is at 5441 Commercial Boulevard, Juneau, AK 99801, phone (907) 465-3391. The Anchorage office is at 3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503, phone (907) 269-0991. Both are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In-person requests made at either office are typically handled the same day.
Mail and fax requests take much longer. Standard mail processing runs two to three months. Expedited service is available only through VitalChek.com, the state's official online partner for vital records orders. VitalChek expedited requests process in three to four weeks before shipping. HAVRS warns that only VitalChek.com is an approved third-party vendor. Other websites that claim to help with Alaska certificates are not state-authorized and often charge high fees for work the state does directly.
Note: All requests must include a copy of a government-issued photo ID with the requester's signature under it. Requests without a valid ID copy and signature are not processed.
Marriage License vs. Marriage Certificate
A marriage license and a marriage certificate are two separate documents. Knowing which one you need saves time and money.
The Alaska Department of Health marriage license page explains the full application process, fees, waiting period, and what happens after the ceremony.
A marriage license is the legal document that allows a couple to get married. You apply for it before the ceremony. The license itself is not proof that you are married. It is permission to marry. After you apply and pay the fee, there is a three-day waiting period before you can pick up the license or have it mailed to you. The license is then valid for 90 days. If the marriage does not happen within that 90-day window, the license expires and you must start over.
A marriage certificate is the record of the marriage that was performed. After the ceremony takes place, the officiant and both parties sign the original license. That signed document must be returned to a Vital Records office within seven days of the ceremony. Once HAVRS receives and processes it, the marriage is officially registered with the state. At that point, you can order your Certificate of Marriage. That certificate is the legal proof you are married. It is what you use for name changes, insurance updates, immigration filings, and similar purposes. The Certificate of Marriage costs $30 and is ordered separately after the marriage is registered.
How to Apply for an Alaska Marriage License
Both parties must apply together. You cannot apply by yourself. The application requires both people to appear in person before a licensing officer or notary and sign the form under oath. This can be done at the Juneau or Anchorage Vital Records office, at any Alaska courthouse, by an Alaska postmaster, or by a notary in your home state if you are applying from outside Alaska.
The Alaska Court System marriage FAQ covers notarization options, commissioner appointments, and what courts can do to help couples who cannot visit the Anchorage or Juneau offices in person.
Both parties must show a valid government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state-issued ID, passport, military ID, or Tribal/BIA card with a photo. A birth certificate may also be required to prove age if the ID does not show a clear birthdate.
The license fee is $60 for in-person pickup or $70.50 for a mailed license. Payment must be by check or money order made out to the Alaska Vital Records Office. Cash is not accepted. If you need to receive the license by mail quickly, add $10 for Priority Mail with tracking. Standard mail can take four weeks or more and cannot be tracked once sent. The application itself is valid for one year from the date you submit it, but the issued license is only valid for 90 days from the date it is picked up.
Previous marriages must be disclosed. If either party has been married before, the start and end dates of each prior marriage must be listed on the application. If a divorce or dissolution happened within 60 days before the application date, a copy of the divorce decree or dissolution order must be included with the application.
Note: Proxy marriages are not allowed in Alaska. Both parties must physically be present for the ceremony along with the officiant and at least one competent witness who is 18 or older.
Who Can Perform an Alaska Marriage
Alaska allows a wide range of people to officiate a wedding ceremony. Under AS 25.05.261, marriages can be performed by ministers, priests, rabbis, and principal officers of recognized religious organizations, by commissioned officers of the Salvation Army, by marriage commissioners or judicial officers of the state, by elected public officials holding office in Alaska, and before or in any religious congregation according to its established practices.
Alaska HB 20, accessible on the Alaska Legislature website, amended AS 25.05.261 to explicitly authorize any elected public official in the state to solemnize marriages.
A friend or family member can also officiate if they get a marriage commissioner appointment first. Under AS 25.05.081, any person who is at least 18 years old can apply for this appointment through the court nearest to where the wedding will be held. The person does not need to be an Alaska resident. There is a $25 application fee. The court reviews the request and issues a written order. The ceremony should not happen until the commissioner has the order in hand. If the ceremony date changes, a new order is required.
The ceremony itself has minimal legal requirements. Under AS 25.05.301, no specific script is required. Both parties need to declare, in front of each other, the officiant, and at least one witness who is 18 or older, that they take each other as spouses. The witness must confirm with both parties that each intends to enter the marriage freely before signing the certificate. The person performing the ceremony cannot also serve as the witness.
Fees for Alaska Marriage Records
The HAVRS division overview page covers all vital records services in Alaska, including marriage certificates, license issuance, corrections, and more.
A certified copy of an Alaska marriage certificate costs $30 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time is $25. If you need an Apostille for international use, there is a $12 fee for the first copy and $2 for each additional copy, not counting postage. These fees apply statewide.
Payment methods vary by request type. Mail and fax orders can be paid by check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). Credit card payments sent by fax or mail carry an additional $11 service fee. In-person payments at either office can be made by most standard methods. VitalChek orders are paid online with a credit card and include their own service fee on top of the state fee.
Note: Standard mail processing takes two to three months. If you need the certificate faster, use VitalChek for expedited processing, which is approximately three to four weeks before shipping.
Alaska Marriage Law and Prohibited Marriages
Alaska marriage law is in Title 25 of the Alaska Statutes. AS 25.05.021 defines which marriages are void. A marriage is prohibited and void if either party has a living spouse at the time. Marriage between persons more closely related than the fourth degree of consanguinity is also void, whether of the whole or half blood. Same-sex couples have the full right to marry under Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) and Hamby v. Parnell (2014), which struck down Alaska's prior constitutional and statutory restrictions.
The text of AS 25.05.021 on Justia sets out the complete prohibited marriages rule, including the consanguinity standard computed under civil law rules.
Age requirements are in AS 25.05.171. Anyone 18 or older may marry without extra steps. Persons who are 16 or 17 years old must provide a court order and written consent from both parents or legal guardians. No one under 16 may marry in Alaska. If one party is 16 or 17, the other party may be no more than three years older. If either party is under 18, contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics at (907) 465-3391 before filing the application.
There is no common law marriage in Alaska. Every marriage must be formally solemnized. After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to HAVRS within seven days. Alaska does not grant refunds or extensions on expired licenses.
Historical Alaska Marriage Records
The Social Security Administration POMS page for Alaska documents the history of Alaska vital records availability by city and record type, showing which communities had registration going back to 1913.
Alaska marriage records go back to 1890, though most records before 1930 are incomplete. Territorial registration of marriages began in January 1913 after Alaska became a U.S. territory in 1912. Cities with records dating to 1913 in the state system include Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Nome, Petersburg, Seward, Sitka, Skagway, Soldotna, Valdez, and Wrangell. Anchorage records go back to 1916. Palmer records begin in 1937. Homer records begin in 1950.
Alaska marriage records less than 50 years old are restricted. Only the parties named on the record, their legal representatives, or those who can prove a legal interest in the record may obtain certified copies. Once a record is 50 years old, it becomes public and anyone can request a copy.
The Alaska State Archives genealogy page is the starting point for historical research, with access to vital statistics, territorial court records, and related collections going back to the 1800s.
Marriage license applications are open to the public regardless of age. The 50-year restriction applies only to certified marriage certificates, not the license applications themselves. Church records are a good source for marriages that predate state registration. The Western States Marriage Index at FamilySearch covers some Alaska marriages from 1896 to 1911.
The Alaska State Archives collection guides cover more than 30,000 cubic feet of state and territorial records. In partnership with FamilySearch, over 1.1 million documents have been scanned and made available online, including marriage records from 1816 to 1959.
FamilySearch provides free access to Alaska vital records 1816 to 1959 through their Alaska Vital Records collection. The Alaska State Archives holds the original documents. Many records from remote communities were not registered until the 1930s or later. Alaska Native records from areas outside the major cities may be especially sparse before 1930.
Browse Alaska Marriage Records by Borough
Alaska marriage records are kept at the state level, but local courts issue marriage licenses and handle commissioner appointments. Each borough and census area below has its own court locations and local resources. Pick a borough or census area to find the court address and contact information for that area.
View All 30 Alaska Boroughs and Census Areas
Alaska Marriage Records in Major Cities
Major Alaska cities have courts that handle marriage license applications and marriage commissioner appointments. All certified marriage certificates for any city are ordered through the state HAVRS office in Juneau or Anchorage. Pick a city below for local courthouse details.