Autauga County Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses in Autauga County are filed at the Probate Court in Prattville. The county seat sits just north of Montgomery. About 59,000 people live here. Autauga County uses the marriage license system established in 2019. One key fact: the court staff cannot notarize your form. You must get your marriage license notarized before you arrive. This guide covers everything you need to file in Autauga County.

Autauga County Probate Court Office

The Probate Court handles all marriage licenses in Autauga County. The office is in the courthouse in downtown Prattville. You can walk in during business hours. No appointment is needed. The staff is helpful with questions about the process.

The court opens at 8:00 AM each weekday. It closes at 4:30 PM. Plan to arrive before 4:00 PM if you need to file. This gives staff time to process your paperwork. The office is closed on weekends and state holidays. Call ahead if you plan to visit on a day near a holiday.

Note: Some records are available online at altags.com, the county's Ingenuity portal for tag and property records.

Autauga County Marriage License Fees

The recording fee in Autauga County is $78. This is a one-time charge when you file. The fee covers the full process. It includes the recording, state filing, and one certified copy. Most of this fee goes to state-mandated funds.

The fee breaks down like this. The base court fee is $10. The state adds $60 for the Domestic Violence Trust Fund. Additional charges cover processing and certification. This total of $78 is about average for Alabama counties. Some charge less. A few charge more.

The court accepts several forms of payment. Cash works best. Checks are also accepted. Credit and debit cards may have an extra fee. Ask when you arrive. If you mail your form, include a check or money order. Make it payable to Autauga County Probate Court.

Extra copies cost more. If you need more than one certified copy, plan to pay around $5 per extra copy. These are useful for name changes, insurance updates, or other legal matters. Get a few when you file to save a trip later.

How to File in Autauga County

Filing a marriage license in Autauga County takes a few steps. The process is not hard. But you need to prepare in advance. Here is what to do.

First, get the official form. Go to the Alabama Department of Public Health website at dph1.adph.state.al.us/marriage to download it. The form must be typed. Handwritten forms are not accepted. Fill out all sections. Both parties must complete their parts.

To complete your Autauga County marriage license filing, you need these items:

• Completed marriage license form (typed, not handwritten)
• Valid photo ID for both parties (driver's license or passport)
• Both signatures notarized by an Alabama notary
• Payment of $78 recording fee
• Social Security numbers for both parties

The notary step is critical. Both people must sign in front of a notary. The notary stamps and signs the form. This makes it valid. Remember, court staff in Autauga County cannot notarize. You must do this before you come. Banks, UPS stores, and some law offices offer notary services. Some may charge a small fee.

Once you have the notarized form, bring it to the Probate Court. Hand it to the clerk with your IDs and payment. They will check everything. If the form is complete, they file it right away. You get a certified copy on the spot. The whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Your marriage is legally valid on the date of the last signature. Not the filing date. But you must file within 30 days of that signature. Do not wait too long. If you miss the 30-day window, the form expires. You would need to start over with a new form.

Can You Search Autauga County Records Online?

Autauga County has limited online access for marriage records. The county uses the Ingenuity platform at altags.com. This site lets you handle some services online. Tag renewals and property records are available. Marriage license records are harder to find online.

For recent marriage records, you may need to contact the Probate Court directly. Call (334) 361-3728 and ask. Staff can look up records by name or date. They can tell you if a record exists. To get a certified copy, you usually need to visit in person or send a written request by mail.

The state also keeps marriage records. The Alabama Center for Health Statistics has records from 1936 to now. You can order copies through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. This is an option if you cannot visit the county office. The state charges $15 for a search and first copy. More copies cost $6 each.

For older records or family history research, try FamilySearch.org. They have digitized many Alabama marriage records. Autauga County records may be in their database. This is free to access. You just need to create an account.

Notary Services in Autauga County

A key fact about Autauga County: the Probate Court staff cannot notarize your marriage license. This is different from some other counties. In some places, the court offers notary services. Not here. You must get both signatures notarized before you go to the courthouse.

Finding a notary in Prattville is not hard. Many businesses offer this service. Banks are a good option. If you have an account, the service is often free. UPS stores usually have a notary on staff. The fee is typically $5 to $10 per signature. Law offices and real estate firms also provide notary services.

Here are places to find notary services in Autauga County:

• Local banks (free for account holders)
• The UPS Store in Prattville
• Shipping and mail centers
• Law offices in the Prattville area
• Some insurance agencies

Both parties must sign in front of the notary. You cannot sign separately. The notary must witness both signatures at the same time. Bring your IDs. The notary will check them. Once signed and stamped, your form is ready to file.

Note: Out-of-state notarization is not valid for Alabama marriage licenses since June 2022. Make sure your notary is commissioned in Alabama.

Marriage License Laws in Alabama

Alabama changed its marriage laws in 2019. The state no longer issues marriage licenses. Instead, couples use a marriage license form. This is a legal contract. No ceremony is required. No officiant is needed. The new system is unique to Alabama.

The main law is Alabama Code Section 30-1-9.1. This statute sets up the new system. It says the marriage is valid when both parties sign and the form is recorded. The form must be filed within 30 days.

Age rules are clear. Under Section 30-1-4, you must be at least 16 to marry. If you are 16 or 17, you need parental consent. Section 30-1-5 covers the consent requirement. A parent or guardian must sign a notarized affidavit. People under 16 cannot marry in Alabama.

Marriage records are public. Section 22-9A-21 makes this clear. Anyone can request a copy. You do not have to be related to the couple. This makes it easier to search historical records for family history.

One more rule to know. If you were recently divorced, you must wait 60 days before remarrying. This cooling-off period is state law. A few counties have slightly different rules. Autauga County follows the standard 60-day wait.

Search Autauga County Records

Use our search tool to find marriage records and other public records in Autauga County, Alabama.

Cities in Autauga County

Autauga County has several towns and communities. The largest is Prattville, the county seat. Other towns include Autaugaville, Billingsley, and Pine Level. All residents file marriage licenses at the Probate Court in Prattville. There is only one filing location in the county.

Prattville is the main population center. It has about 40,000 residents. The city sits close to Montgomery. Many Prattville residents work in the capital. The Probate Court is in the heart of downtown, easy to reach from anywhere in the county.

No cities in Autauga County have a population over 50,000. For marriage license services, everyone uses the single Probate Court location. If you live in a rural part of the county, the drive to Prattville is your only option for in-person filing.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Autauga County. You can file your marriage license in any Alabama county, not just where you live. Consider these options if another location is more convenient.