Alaska Marriage Records

To get married in Alaska, both individuals must be over 18 if it is without parental consent. Parties aged 16 or 17 must get a court order and provide a parental consent form signed by their parents. If either is between 16 and 17, the person they marry cannot be three years older. A birth certificate may also be required to indicate proof of age. State law indicates that parties cannot marry if they are already married to another person. They also cannot marry someone who is related to them by blood.

To get a marriage license in Alaska, both parties must be present to sign the application before a licensing officer or a notary. This may occur at the Juneau or Anchorage Vital Records Offices or any Alaskan Courthouse. Both parties will supply government-issued identification, including state-issued IDs or driving licenses. The number of previous marriages and dates of divorce must be provided. If either of the parties was divorced within the last 60 days, they must submit a copy of the divorce and decree orders.

Marriage licenses cost $60 in the state, and the applications are valid for one year. However, once the license is given and picked up, it is only valid for 90 days. Individuals not getting married within this time frame will void their license. When the ceremony has taken place and the license has been signed, the original license should be returned to the Vital Records Office to be registered with the State.

According to Alaska’s vital statistics report, 4,425 marriages occurred in 2022, an increase from 4,757 in 2018. Alaska marriage records are accessible to particular parties, including spouses, wedding witnesses, and legal representatives, for the first 50 years following the ceremony.

What are Marriage Records?

Alaska marriage records are state-issued documents proving that a couple is joined in matrimony. They may include marriage licenses, registers, certificates, and relevant applications. The Alaskan Health Analytics and Vital Records maintain these records. Local courthouses also keep copies of marriage records via the Marriage registry.

Alaska marriage records will generally include the full names of the spouses and officiant. These will also detail the marriage ceremony's date, location, and issuing authority. Witness identities, along with the names of the party’s parents, will also be included. The records should also have the signatures of the spouses, witnesses, and the ceremony's officiant. Marriage records are essential for the government to track social trends and map the local population. They serve married parties as well by providing proof during employment or Social Security applications. They are also required when filing joint income tax returns with the Department of the Treasury or adopting a child.

Marriages in Alaska

Alaska has a moderately high marriage rate of 6.5 per 1,000 in 2022. This is a slight reduction from 8.0 in 2010. It is also higher than the national average of 6.2 for every 1000. Between 2018 and 2022, marriages were most common between individuals aged 20 to 24, indicating a high propensity for marrying young. However, the median duration of marriages is 16.8, so there is a high potential for divorce when parties reach their late 30s or 40s.

50% of people 16 years and older are married in the state. 39% have never been married, 10% are divorced, and 2.3% have widowed. The state’s population is grouped in the following way according to ethnicity:

White (non-Hispanic) - 53.59%
Asian (non-Hispanic)- 49.7%
White Hispanic - 45.36%
Black(non-Hispanic)- 35.11%
Mixed (including Hispanic)- 35.52%
Other (including Hispanic)-35.51%

The divorce rate in Alaska is 3.0 per 1000 residents, a reduction from previous years, such as 3.7 in 2018. It is also higher than the national average of 2.4. The divorce rate may be attributed to current social trends, including a rise in same-sex unions and a general reduction in people between the ages of 20 and 28 getting married.

As previously mentioned, only parties aged 18 and over can get married in Alaska. Those between 16 and 18 must provide evidence of court authorization. Individuals cannot marry people closely related to them, such as brothers, sisters, parents, children, grandparents, nephews, nieces, or cousins. All parties must be mentally sound and consent to the union beforehand. No blood test is required, though relevant identification and proof of age will be presented at the Juneau or Anchorage vital records office. Interested parties may also obtain marriage licenses from the issuing office of any Alaskan courthouse.

When couples apply for a marriage license, a three-day waiting period begins when the specific issuing office receives a mailed request. When the time has elapsed, the parties can pick the license, and the ceremony can be done. If the requesters want to get the marriage license urgently and cannot pick it up in person, $10 is required for priority mail with the application. Regular mail, though, will take up to four weeks, and it cannot be tracked. The payments for the license are made via checks or money orders paid to Alaska Vital Records. According to Alaska statutes, marriage through a proxy is not permitted. The two parties, witnesses, and a state-approved officiant have to be present for the ceremony to be performed.

Officials must be 18 years or older to perform a marriage ceremony. They do not need to be residents of the state or the country to do their duty. That said, according to Alaska Code § 25.05.261, one has to be an ordained minister to be allowed to perform the marriage. Local regulations in the state indicate that officiants under the designation of minister have to be ordained by a religious organization as well.

Alaska Marriage Certificate

Alaskan marriage certificates are official documents that prove a couple is legally married. These can be used during pension or Social Security benefit applications. They are also used by employers in security or data sectors as part of their records. Alaskan marriage certificates will include the ceremony's date, times, and location. They will also include the couple's names, witnesses, and the ceremony's officiant. Considering marriage records in Alaska are considered confidential, certificates are even more so since they are used for legal or official purposes. These may only be accessed by the parties involved in the wedding or their legal representatives. However, they are accessible to the public after 50 years have passed.

How to Find and Access Alaska Marriage Records

Alaska is not an open records state, meaning marriages are only accessible to particular parties via mail, in-person, or online.

Finding and Accessing Alaska Marriage Records in Person

There are several ways to obtain marriage records in Alaska in person. The first is to check the local courthouses. Find the court that registered the marriage license and visit their marriage registry or issuing office during office hours. The cost of each request may vary depending on the county or the court, but it should be an estimated $60 per record. Anchorage’s Municipal Clerk’s Office is also a marriage registry platform. Interested parties may visit their offices from Monday through Friday during office hours to request marriage records.

At the state level, parties may get marriage records from the Vital records offices. There is one in Anchorage and another in Juneau. These offices are open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm and offer walk-in services. In each case provided, parties must also submit government-issued identification, proof of their relationship to the party on the record, and give the required payment. If the search for the record is not successful, though, the payment will not be reimbursed.

Finding and Accessing Alaska Marriage Records by Mail

To get marriage records via mail, parties may fill out the Marriage Certificate Request form provided on the Alaska Department of Health site. Individuals must also give the names of the spouses, the date and location of marriage, and the relationship to the party on the certificate. It only offers options for a spouse of a legal representative, though. Certified marriage certificates are $30 for the first copy and $25 for additional ones. The payments may also be made by check or money order to the vital records office. Requesters will also mail the completed form and a copy of their identification to the vital records office. It should take two weeks for the records to be processed and sent back.

Finding and Accessing Alaska Marriage Records Online

To access marriage records online, visit the Alaska Department of Health Vital Records website. The platform will navigate the requester to the VitalChek site, allowing them to search for marriage certificates. Parties are required to provide full names of spouses, dates, locations of the wedding, and their relationship to the party on the certificate. They must also provide contact information and a return address for the record. The fee for the request may be processed via credit card, and it will be processed within three weeks. Expedition or the request is also possible at an additional cost.

Counties in Alaska

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
Marriages in Alaska
1. Alaska Marriage Certificate
How to Find and Access Alaska Marriage Records