Huntsville Marriage License Records

Marriage licenses in Huntsville are filed at the Madison County Probate Court. Huntsville is the largest city in Alabama with over 230,000 residents. The city is home to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal. Madison County has the second highest marriage recording fee in the state at $89. The Probate Court has two locations to serve the county. This guide covers how to file your marriage license in Huntsville and how to search for existing records.

Where to File in Huntsville

Huntsville residents file marriage licenses at the Madison County Probate Court. The main office is at 1918 Memorial Parkway NW. This is the primary location for all probate services. The court also has a satellite office in the Madison area.

Cities do not handle marriage records in Alabama. The county Probate Court is the only office that can record your marriage license. Madison County serves both Huntsville and the City of Madison. You can file at either location.

The office is on Memorial Parkway near downtown Huntsville. Free parking is available in the lot. No appointment is needed for marriage license filing. Bring your completed form and valid photo ID. Staff can help with questions about the process.

How to Get a Marriage License in Huntsville

Alabama uses a unique marriage system. There are no marriage licenses. Instead, you file a marriage license. No ceremony is required. No officiant is needed. The process is simple.

First, download the marriage license form from the Alabama Department of Public Health. The form is at dph1.adph.state.al.us/marriage. You must type the form. Handwritten forms are not accepted. Both parties complete their sections of the form.

Next, both parties must sign the form. Each signature must be notarized by an Alabama notary public. Out-of-state notarization is not valid. Many banks, law offices, and shipping stores offer notary services. Madison County staff cannot notarize your form.

Then, file the completed form at the Probate Court. You have 30 days from the last signature to file. The fee is $89. Cash and cards are accepted. Certified checks work for mail-in requests. The marriage is legal on the date of the last signature, not the filing date.

To file your marriage license in Huntsville, bring these items:

• Completed marriage license form (typed, not handwritten)
• Both signatures notarized by Alabama notary
• Valid photo ID for the person filing
• Recording fee of $89

Huntsville Marriage License Fees

Madison County charges $89 to record a marriage license. This is the second highest fee in Alabama. Only Calhoun County is higher at $104. The fee includes the $60 Domestic Violence Trust Fund fee required by state law.

Payment methods vary by how you file. In person, you can pay with cash, credit card, or debit card. For mail requests, use a certified check or cashier's check. Personal checks are not accepted. There may be a small card processing fee.

Copies of recorded marriage licenses cost extra. Call the Probate Court at (256) 532-3330 for copy fees. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. You can request copies at the main office or by mail.

Note: The $89 fee is for recording only. If you need notary services, you must get those elsewhere. The court staff cannot notarize your form.

Can You Search Huntsville Records Online?

Madison County has limited online access for marriage records. The county does not use the Landmark WEB or Ingenuity systems that some other counties have. You can search some records through the state system.

For recent marriage licenses, contact the Probate Court directly. Call (256) 532-3330 to request a search. Staff can look up records by name or date. They can tell you if a record exists and how to get a copy.

For older records, you may need to visit in person. The state Center for Health Statistics has records from August 1936 forward. You can order copies through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. The state fee is $15 for the first copy.

Alacourt ACCESS at pa.alacourt.com has court records but focuses on court cases, not probate filings. Marriage licenses are probate records, so they may not appear in that system.

Huntsville's Aerospace Community

Huntsville is called the Rocket City. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is here. Redstone Arsenal employs thousands. Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the United States. This brings many people to the area for work.

Many couples moving to Huntsville for work need to file marriage licenses. If you got married in another state, you do not need to re-file in Alabama. Your marriage is valid. But if you want a copy of an out-of-state marriage record, you must contact that state.

If you are getting married while living in Huntsville, you can file in Madison County. Alabama has no residency requirement for marriage. You can live here one day and file the next. However, out-of-state notarization is not valid. You must use an Alabama notary.

Military personnel at Redstone Arsenal can use on-base notary services for the marriage form. The base legal office may be able to help. Call ahead to confirm. The Madison County fee of $89 applies regardless of military status.

Alabama Marriage License Laws

Alabama changed its marriage system in 2019. The state now uses marriage licenses instead of licenses. This is under Alabama Code Section 30-1-9.1. The law took effect on August 29, 2019.

Key rules for marriage in Alabama:

• Both parties must be at least 18 years old (16-17 need parental consent)
• Both signatures must be notarized by an Alabama notary
• The form must be filed within 30 days of the last signature
• No ceremony or officiant is required
• No waiting period before the marriage is valid

If you were divorced, you must wait 60 days before remarrying. This is under Alabama Code Section 30-2-10. The 60-day wait starts from the date your divorce was finalized.

Marriage records are public in Alabama. Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, anyone can request a copy. You do not need to be a spouse or family member.

Madison County Marriage Records

Huntsville is in Madison County. All marriage licenses for Huntsville residents are filed with Madison County. For more details about the Probate Court, fees, and local requirements, see the full county page.

View Madison County Marriage Records

Other Alabama Cities

Looking for marriage license info in another Alabama city? Here are the other major cities with populations over 50,000.

• Mobile (Mobile County)
• Birmingham (Jefferson County)
• Montgomery (Montgomery County)
• Tuscaloosa (Tuscaloosa County)
• Hoover (Jefferson/Shelby County)
• Auburn (Lee County)
• Dothan (Houston County)
• Madison (Madison County)
• Decatur (Morgan County)

Search Marriage Records

Use our search tool to find marriage records and other public records for Huntsville residents.