Alabama Vital Records

Before 1881, only limited information on births and deaths of a few individuals was indirectly available through probate court records, which included guardianships, apprenticeships, recorded wills, and other estate-related records. However, an act in 1881 required that all births and deaths be registered with a county health officer, with later legislation mandating that the registration be made within the first five days and that the registry books be deposited with the county probate judge. These records, if still in existence, can be found today in individual county probate courts. The mandatory state-level registration of births and deaths in Alabama began on January 1, 1908, and all original birth and death records are now filed with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

To obtain a certified copy of a birth or death certificate, a fee of is charged for a record search and one certified copy, with an additional fee for each additional copy requested at the same time. A fee is also required to amend any omission or incorrect information, and it takes approximately six to eight weeks to process each request. Certified copies of these certificates can be requested from Alabama Vital Records, or obtained through the appropriate Alabama county health department or the Alabama Center for Health Statistics website.

Alabama Birth Records

State office has records since January 1908

Alabama Death Records

State office has records since January 1908

Alabama Marriage Records

In Alabama, a marriage license has been required since 1799, with the issuance of licenses falling under the jurisdiction of the county Orphans’ Courts until 1850 when the probate court took over. To enter into a marriage contract, the man had to be at least 17 years old and the woman at least 14 years old. If either party was underage and unmarried, the consent of the parent or guardian was required. The licensed parties could then have their marriage solemnized by a judge, minister, or justice of the peace, with the officiant filing a marriage certificate with the probate judge of the county in which the marriage occurred. Marriage certificates before 1888 included the names of the bride, groom, bondsmen, and officiant, along with the license bond and marriage date. Starting in 1910, records may also include the names of parents, physical descriptions, ages and occupations of the parties, the number of previous marriages for each, and the blood relationship, if any, between the parties. The Alabama Center for Health Statistics began filing marriage certificates in August 1936 for marriages that occurred in Alabama. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate, a fee is required, and it takes six to eight weeks to receive a response from the probate judge of the county where the certificate was recorded.

State office has records since August 1936. For marriages prior to August 1936, contact the Alabama county Probate Judge in county where license was issued.

  • Alabama County Marriage Records
    Alabama county marriage records : A miscellaneous collection of records for the most part compiled by various local DAR Chapters and presented to Birmingham Public Library and now bound into volumes of convenient size.
    • Volume 1
      • Clark County 1814-1834
      • Coosa County 1835-1847
      • Dallas County 1818-1845
      • Jefferson County 1856-1864
      • Mobile County 1856
      • Montgomery County 1854-1860
      • Talladega County 1840?-1852
    • Volume 2
      • Baldwin County – 1899
      • Escambia County 1879-1899
    • Volume 3
      • Colbert County, 1866-1887
    • Volume 4
      • Macon County 1834-1857
    • Volume 5
      • Macon County 1858-1879
      • Mobile County 1880-1881
      • Monroe County 1833-1838
      • Montgomery County 1831-1838
      • St. Clair County 1853-1866
    • Volume 6
      • Clarke County 1834-1865
      • Jefferson County 1856-1869, 1871-1876, 1876-1880
    • Volume 7
      • Blount County 1820-1871
    • Volume 8
      • Coosa County 1856-1865
      • St. Clair County 1871-1894
    • Volume 9
      • Chambers County 1833-1871
      • Colbert County 1887-1902
      • Washington County 1826-1896
  • Alabama Marriage Records 1818-1898
    Transcribed records of marriages for Alabama.
    • Volume 1 – Item 1-2
      • Baldwin County 1856-1866
      • Jefferson County 1856-1869
      • Marengo County 1818-1836
      • Mobile County 1872-1875, 1904-1921
      • Morgan County 1821-1861
      • Perry County 1820-1832
      • Talladega County 1833-1846
    • Volume 2 – Item 3
      • Baldwin County 1856-1889
      • Calhoun County (formerly Benton) 1834-1870
    • Volume 3 – Item 4
      • Dallas County 1818-1845
      • Henry County 1821-1868
      • Jefferson County 1854
      • Marengo County 1818-1836
      • Mobile County 1872-1875
      • Montgomery County 1850-1853
    • Volume 4 – Item 1
      • Lawrence County County 1828-1860
      • Macon County County 1833-1843
    • Volume 5 – Item 2
      • Madison County, 1820-1850 approx.
    • Volume 6 – Item 3
      • Baldwin County 1889-1898
      • Shelby County 1818-1868
    • Volume 7 – Item 1
      • Benton (now Calhoun Co.) County 1834-1850
      • Coosa County 1833-1847
      • Henry County 1821-1868
      • Montgomery County 1839-1850
      • Shelby County 1869-1875
  • Alabama marriage records 1853-1894 – Item 3
    Transcribed records of marriages for Alabama.
    • Baldwin County 1899
    • Calhoun County 1870-1889
    • Colbert County 1866-1887
    • Escambia County 1879-1899
    • St Clair County 1853-1894
  • Alabama marriage records – Item 1
    Transcribed records of marriages for Alabama.
    • Clarke County 1834-1864
    • Mobile County 1880-1881
    • Monroe County 1833-1838
    • Montgomery County 1831-1838
  • Alabama marriage records – Item 2
    Transcribed records of marriages for Alabama.
    • Macon County 1866-1872
    • Madison County 1871-1875
  • Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950 
    This collection of marriage records for Alabama counties includes: a) indexed records with images; b) indexed records without images; and c) images which can be browsed but do not have searchable indexes.
  • Alabama County Marriages, 1818-1936 
    Index to selected marriage records
  • Alabama Marriages 1800-1900
    A collection of marriage records for Alabama accumulated by Charles Barnum.

Alabama Divorce Records

Divorce decrees were tried in county chancery court until 1865, after which the state legislature had exclusive rights to finalize all divorce decrees. The early decrees were thus included in the legislative record and published in the Senate and House Journals. Starting in 1865, the county chancery court was authorized to issue final divorce decrees, with the court merging with the circuit court of the county in 1917. Divorce records from 1819 are maintained among the equity records of the circuit court of the county where the suit was filed, although some county clerks kept divorce records separate from other equity files. A certified copy of a divorce certificate can be obtained from the circuit court clerk of the county where the divorce suit was tried, with a fee required and six to eight weeks needed for a response.

State office has records since January 1950. For divorces prior to 1950, contact Clerk of Circuit Court in county where divorce was granted.

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