Record a Marriage in Choctaw County, AL

There is no license to apply for. Ala. Code § 30-1-9.1(g) says “All requirements to obtain a marriage license by the State of Alabama are abolished and repealed. The requirement of a ceremony of marriage to solemnize the marriage is abolished.” Since 29 August 2019 you complete a marriage certificate form instead: each of you signs a notarized affidavit, you both sign the form, and it is recorded with the Judge of Probate within 30 days of the later signature. The marriage is valid on the date you both sign, not on the day it is recorded.

No ceremony, and no witnesses. You may hold a ceremony with anyone you choose to officiate, but the state “shall have no requirement for any ceremony” and whether you hold one “shall have no legal effect on the validity of the marriage” (§ 30-1-9.1(d)). Nothing in the section asks for a witness — the notary on each affidavit is what replaced both the license and the witnesses. Bring photo ID to the notary, not to a wedding.

What the fee is made of. Two charges are statewide: the recording fee of $10 under § 12-19-90(b)(32) — which still reads “Issuing and recording marriage license”, wording the 2019 Act left behind, and which § 30-1-9.1(a) points at for the recording — and $60 for the domestic violence trust fund under § 30-6-11, which the “marriage recording agent shall collect”. $70 is the floor, not the price: counties add their own recording charges, and published totals run to about $85–$89. Confirm with the office before you go — (205) 459-2414.