Marriage Licenses

Applying for the License

1. The completed Marriage License Application must be sent to the court or Bureau office where you will be picking it up. Remember: your marriage is not valid unless you have applied for and picked up your license prior to the ceremony.
2. Each party must complete a section of the marriage license application (pages 1, 2, and 3). All information on the marriage license application must be legible, unambiguous and reproducible.
3. You may sign the application before sending it in; however, it must be signed by both parties and witnessed by a Notary Public. You may also choose not to sign it before sending and instead sign and have it witnessed at the court or Bureau office when the marriage license is picked up.
4. All applications must include a copy of government-issued picture ID for both the bride and the groom. Enlarge the copies and lighten them as much as possible to be sure that they are clear and readable. You must also provide your signature under the copied ID.
5. A completed Alaska marriage license application, ID photocopies, and fee of $40 may be mailed to any Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics office or most Alaska courts. Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau courts do not accept marriage applications. Applications and ID photocopies may also be faxed, however, the original application and $40 fee must follow by mail. Electronically transmitted (e-mail) application forms cannot be accepted.
6. If you are mailing your application, write "MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION" on the outside of the envelope before sending it to the Bureau of Vital Statistics or Alaska court. Failure to do so will result in a significant delay in processing your license.

You may obtain a list of Alaska's courts from the following Web site:

You may obtain a list of Bureau of Vital Statistics offices from the following Web site:

• The completed Marriage License Application must be sent to the court or Bureau office where you will be picking it up. Remember: your marriage is not valid unless you have applied for and picked up your license prior to the ceremony.
• There is a three (3) business day waiting period that begins once a mailed or faxed application is received by the issuing office. This means that you must wait at least three full business days after the application is submitted before you can pick up the license and the marriage ceremony can be performed. Per Alaska Statute, a marriage is void unless a license has first been obtained.
• The license must be picked up in person during regular office hours at the court or Vital Statistics office to which the application was sent. Both parties must appear in person to receive the marriage license.
• If you are a visitor and your travel itinerary shows that you will not be in town during regular office hours, such as on a weekend or state holiday, please contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics directly at (907) 465-3391 for special processing instructions.
• You will be required to show government-issued photo identification when you pick up your license.
• You will be swearing or affirming that all information is true and correct with your signatures at the bottom of the marriage license. Please check all information carefully before leaving the Bureau or court office to be sure it is correct and error free.

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  Getting Married

• After you have picked up your license, do not change any information on the license, cross out information, use white out, etc., as it will not be accepted for registration and will require the payment for and issuance of a duplicate marriage license.
• Marriages may be solemnized by a minister, priest, or rabbi of any church or congregation in the state, or by a commissioned officer of the Salvation Army, or by the principal officer or elder of recognized churches or congregations in the state that traditionally do not have regular ministers, priests, or rabbis. The marriage may also be solemnized by a marriage commissioner or judicial officer of the state as long as they are within their jurisdiction.
• Take your license with you to the wedding and obtain signatures of both the officiate who solemnizes your marriage and of two witnesses who witness the affirmation of your marriage. The witnesses must be competent in that they must be of sound mind and capable of understanding the seriousness of the ceremony. There is no age requirement for the witnesses.
• Per Alaska Statute, the marriage officiant is responsible for submitting the original license to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for registration within seven days of the date the marriage was solemnized. Couples are strongly encouraged to confirm with their officiant that the license has been submitted timely.

• The Marriage Certificate will reflect your names as submitted on your marriage license application. The Bureau of Vital Statistics does not enter the new last name of the bride or make name changes. You will need to check with the Department of Motor Vehicles, Social Security or legal offices in the state or country where you reside for further instructions if you wish to change your name to your new married name.
• For additional information on obtaining an Alaska marriage license, please contact the Records Processing Unit in Juneau at (907) 465-3391.