What you need to legally marry in Alaska: a $60 in person fee, 3 days waiting period, 1 witness and a license that is valid 90 days. You apply at the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
The eight things the Bureau of Vital Statistics will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
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A marriage license in Alaska costs $60 in person ($73 if mailed). You pay it at the Bureau of Vital Statistics when you apply. Extra certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you will want for a name change, a passport or insurance updates, often cost more.
That puts Alaska inside the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
Both partners need a valid government photo ID. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Alaska does not require proof of residency.
In most counties both of you go in person, and some offices ask you to fill in the form online or book an appointment first. Check which offices can issue your license before you drive anywhere.
Fill in the application and pay the $60 in person ($73 if mailed) fee. Have both Social Security numbers ready (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number), plus your parents' full names and your places of birth.
Alaska's waiting period: 3 days. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen and the license has to be signed inside this window. An authorized officiant leads the ceremony, see who qualifies below.
After the ceremony the officiant and any required witnesses sign the license. It goes back to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, often filed by the officiant, within the time Alaska law allows. The county then records it and issues your marriage certificate.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Alaska facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
Applicants who are 16 or 17 need permission from a superior court judge after a hearing, and the other party can be no more than three years older. The court checks whether the parents consent or are withholding consent unreasonably, and no one under 16 can marry.
Source: Alaska Stat. 25.05.171 (as amended by ch. 67 SLA 2022)
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the Bureau of Vital Statistics whether it needs a certified copy.
Alaska has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the Bureau of Vital Statistics with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Alaska.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Alaska, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Alaska with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
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Ministers, priests, rabbis, or leaders of any religious organization (including a Salvation Army officer or the principal officer/elder of a denomination without regular clergy); judges, magistrates, and other judicial officers; marriage commissioners appointed by the state; or an individual holding elective public office in Alaska. Alaska also allows a one-time marriage commissioner appointment for a friend or family member through the court system.
Officiant rules in every stateUnder HB 62 (Chapter 67 SLA 22), effective November 30, 2022, Alaska lowered the ceremony witness requirement from two witnesses to one (the witness must be 18 or older, confirm both parties intend to marry, and cannot be the officiant), raised the absolute minimum marriage age from 14 to 16, and now requires anyone age 16-17 to obtain both parental consent and a Superior Court judge's order, with the other spouse no more than 3 years older. The 3-day waiting period can be waived by a judge or magistrate for good cause. Applications are handled by the Alaska Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics; the Alaska Court System separately handles waiting-period waivers and marriage commissioner appointments. Alaska does not recognize common-law marriages formed within the state, but does recognize common-law marriages validly formed in another state that permits them.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Alaska.
An Alaska marriage license costs $60 in person ($73 if mailed). You pay it at the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you need for a name change, can cost extra. Payment methods differ by office, so call ahead to check whether it takes cash, card or check.
Yes. Alaska's waiting period: 3 days. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
An Alaska marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen inside this window, or you reapply and pay the fee again.
Each partner needs a valid government photo ID, such as a US passport, a driver's license or state ID card, a US military ID, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport. Bring it to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, and check the office's own list before you go.
Yes. Alaska's rule: 1 witness (18 or older). Witnesses usually need to be adults who can sign the license. Most couples ask the maid of honor and the best man.
No. Alaska does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the Bureau of Vital Statistics with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Alaska.
