Notary Public Underwriters Blog

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Published: January 9, 2020

Effective August 29, 2019, the State of Alabama abolished all requirements for persons wishing to marry to obtain a marriage license.  The requirement of a ceremony to legally solemnize marriage vows is also abolished.

Persons wishing to legally marry in Alabama will now do so by completing and submitting an affidavit and forms specified in state law.

Alabama Notaries Public may perform the notarization for a couple's marriage affidavit and charge the allowed fee for the notarial act.  They may also provide additional, non-notarial services related to wedding planning and presiding over a ceremony to celebrate the marriage.  Fees for any such additional, non-notarial services should be charged separately from fees for notarizing the affidavit of marriage.

Because Alabama's statute naming individuals authorized to solemnize marriages has not been repealed, we recommend that Notaries not represent themselves as marriage "officiants" unless they are also a person named in Code of Alabama Sec. 30-1-7(a)-(c).