Retrieve Free Alaska Marriage Records: Certificates & Licenses

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Free Alaska Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in Alaska, free of charge.

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State ALAKAZARCACOCTDEDCFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWY

Search free Alaska marriage records to find out if someone is married in the state.

Checking someone’s marital history is often done before or during marriage to look up a partner’s past or determine what information is publicly available about oneself. With various databases available at the state, city, and municipal levels, you can successfully search for an individual’s marriage records in Alaska.

The key is knowing where and how to start your inquiry; this resource will outline the search process to expedite lookups no matter which method you choose.

Are Alaska Marriage Certificates Open to the Public?

Each state decides whether marriage certificates are open to the public or only available to authorized individuals, and most make older records public after a certain number of years.

In Alaska, like other states, marriages are maintained as civil records. Marriage certificates are kept strictly confidential and released as public records after 50 years.¹

They’re protected under the right to privacy according to Article 1, Section 22, of the Alaska Constitution, as well as the Personal Information Protection Act, AS 45.48.010 – 45.48.995.

The exceptions to this law are:

• An applicant ordering his or her own marriage certificate
• A legal representative with Power of Attorney (POA) or legal guardianship of either party listed on the certificate, provided they show their original or notarized copy of the POA or guardianship documents
• Other persons who can prove they are legally entitled to the record

Any individual or agency who is authorized to obtain marriage records in Alaska receives certified copies.

When recent records aren’t available, curious individuals can perform a search through third-party providers partnered with online and government databases to find separations or divorces unavailable through the state or find information for those in another state.

It is important to remember that while you can find out if someone is married in Alaska through third-party providers, they cannot be used for official purposes unless they have been endorsed by the state, county, or city the individual is searching in.

Exceptions for agencies include the Census Bureau for statistical data purposes, which does not include any personal identifying information. Census facts about marriage are useful for researchers who are interested in rates for the entire state; the marriage rate for females ages 15 and older in 2021 was 23.5 per 1,000 of the Alaskan population, one of the highest in the nation.²

In 2022, there were 4,425 opposite-sex marriages performed in the state. Same-sex marriage has been recognized in the state since 2014. In 2022, there had been a total of over 641 same-sex marriages conducted with 81 performed that year.⁴

Common law marriages are not recognized in Alaska. After matrimony, the state recognizes what are called “domestic partnerships,” in which the state, certain employers, and policy providers allow people to share benefits with their partners.

When the relationship ends, it’s known as the dissolution of a domestic partnership, and assets in the event of a dissolution or death are treated similarly to those in a marriage.

The equivalent to a prenup is a cohabitation or domestic partnership agreement. Also, common law marriages established in other states could mean couples can have certain benefits, although these are not explicitly defined for public inquiry.

How To Find Free Alaska Marriage Records, Documents & Licenses

To start conducting your free search for marriage records on any individual, your lookup must be done at the state level. The state began recording marriages in 1913. A few were recorded in 1890, but most were recorded after 1930. Most are available through the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics.

You can choose from any one of several possible methods to submit a request. All of these methods are available when the seeker is one of the spouses.

In Person: You may visit the office on a walk-in basis. Complete the marriage certificate request form and bring the payment of $30 for the first certified copy and $25 for each additional copy, plus a copy of your ID.⁵

You have the option to visit the Vital Records office in Anchorage or the location in Juneau. The latter is the main office.

Anchorage Vital Records Office
3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907)269-0991
Walk-in Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Juneau Vital Records Office
5441 Commercial Blvd.
Juneau, AK 99801

Phone: (907)-465-3391
Walk-in Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Payment can be made by credit or debit card. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Driver’s License
• State-Issued ID
• Military ID
• Passport
• Tribal/BIA Card With Picture

An expired ID must be less than one year from the date of expiration. If you do not have any form of ID, you must call (907)-465-3391 to receive instructions on how to provide an alternative means of verifying your identity.

By Mail: Complete the form, include credit or debit card information for payment, and mail it along with a copy of your ID to the following Post Office Box address. There is no fee for shipping by regular mail, although this option does not provide tracking information. The priority mail options, which include tracking, are $10 without a signature required and $14 with a signature, respectively.

Health Analytics & Vital Records
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99811

By Fax: To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate by fax or to submit an expedited request, complete the form with payment by providing credit or debit card details and fax it with a copy of your ID to (907)465-3618. Fax hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

By Phone: Any inquirer who wishes to order certified copies of Alaska marriage certificates by phone, or that is not the bride, groom, or spouse, must call (907)-465-3391 Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Online: VitalChek is a government-authorized third-party company that can provide Alaska marriage certificates for online and expedited requests. Use the VitalChek online order form.

Archived marriage records are public. Even when you don’t know the county or city where the marriage occurred, you can still perform searches for genealogy purposes. If you are seeking older marriage records in the state, there are other resources available for you as outlined further below.

How To Check Alaska Archives for Ancestral Marriage Records

At least one state archive and marriage index are often available for finding ancestral records. The main source is the Alaska State Archives.

A few important details are necessary for you to provide to request and receive information on an individual. For marriage records, you will need at least the name of the bride or groom; additional information can help you narrow down your results:

1. His/her full name, last name, or her maiden name
2. The county in which the marriage occurred
3. The date and/or party to marriage or divorce in the state

Then, you’ll need to complete the Alaska State Archives’ Research Inquiry Form.⁶

The fee is $0.10 per page for paper copies. There is also a processing fee of $60 per hour if you choose to have duplicates made by archives staff, and $50 per hour for materials digitized by archives staff. Each processing fee is divided into 15-minute increments. For more information about fees, see the Fee Schedule. You must contact staff to prepay for all orders and services.

The physical address is at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building:

Alaska State Archives
395 Whittier Street
Juneau, AK 99801

Mailing address:

Alaska State Archives
P.O. Box 110571
Juneau, AK 99811-0571

Phone: (907)465-2270
Fax: (907)465-2151
Email: archives@alaska.gov
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can also check with the Alaska State Library Historical Collections department. The physical and mailing addresses are the same as those for the state archives.

Phone: (907)465-2925
Information services: (907)465-2920
Email: asl.historical@alaska.gov

Another source is the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library’s Alaska & Polar Regions Collections & Archives (APRCA) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.⁷

You must make an appointment at the APRCA Research Room by completing the online request form. From there, you can explore the various types of collections including film, archives (photos and manuscripts), books and periodicals, digital archives, and more.

Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
1732 Tanana Loop
Fairbanks, AK 99775

Mailing address:

Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
P.O. Box 756800
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775

Phone: (907)474-2791
Text: (907)341-4404
Email: UAF-APR-reference-Service@alaska.edu
Archives Research Room Hours: By appointment only, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Outside of Alaska, you can contact the National Archives at Seattle. You must make an appointment for the research room by email or by phone during hours of operation.

National Archives at Seattle
6125 Sand Point Way
Seattle, WA 98115

Phone: (206)336-5132
Fax: (206)336-5112
Email: seattle.archives@nara.gov
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment only

You can also search an online marriage index. Two sources are AlaskaWeb’s Marriage Index Database and BYU Idaho Western States Marriage Index.⁸

There are several other free resources to assist you in your search for ancestral marriage records, too; these are listed and linked below:

• Alaska Historical Society’s Genealogical Information Page
• AlaskaWeb’s Records of Alaska Natives in Religious Archives Page
• Alaska State Library’s Genealogical Resource Guide
• Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Tracing American Indian & Alaska Native Ancestry Guide
• Genealogical societies for specific counties, cities, municipalities, or boroughs
• Public libraries at any local level from the state onward
• Church records in the ancestor’s area of residence

The listed time ranges of available records for different sources are as follow:

• AlaskaWeb’s Marriage Index Database: 1745-1950
• Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics: 1816-1998, but mostly after 1930
• BYU Idaho Western States Marriage Index: Before 1930, usually 1896-1911
• Territorial registration of marriages (Vital Records office in Anchorage or Juneau): 1913-present

How To Obtain a Marriage License in Alaska

There are a couple of different ways to apply for a marriage license in Alaska depending on your location within the state. The fee is $60 payable by check or money order and is separate from the fee for a certified copy of the certificate after marriage has occurred. Your license will be available for pickup after 3 days.

Once you have received your marriage license, it’s valid for 3 months.

Both parties must be 18 or older to get married in the state. Any individual aged 16 or 17 must have a court order along with consent from both parents, and the other party cannot be more than 3 years older. Underaged parties must also call the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics at (907)-465-3991 to receive further instructions for completing the application.

In Person: For engaged couples in Anchorage or Juneau, you must contact the Alaska State Vital Records Section.

You can start filling out your information on the Marriage License Request Form and bring it along with payment and a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state-issued ID, military ID, passport, or tribal/BIA card to your local Vital Records office.⁹ You must both sign the form in person so that you can be witnessed.

Anchorage Vital Records Office
3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone: (907)269-0991
Walk-in Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Juneau Vital Records Office
5441 Commercial Blvd.
Juneau, AK 99801

Phone: (907)-465-3391
Walk-in Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Couples in other cities can either apply at the Bureau of Vital Records in Anchorage or in their local courthouse. Visit the Alaska Court System’s Court Directory online and choose the district your city falls under.¹⁰

Mail: For couples in Anchorage who have already applied for a marriage license, you must email ANCHBVS@alaska.gov with the full names of both parties to have it sent to you by mail. If you’re in Juneau and have already applied for a marriage license, call (907)465-3991 to request it by mail.

A FAQs page is also available.¹¹

Whether you’re seeking Alaska marriage records for personal reasons, legal requirements, or applying for a license, this resource explains the process for seeking and obtaining them online, in person, by mail, fax, or phone.

If you’re looking for details of marriages that have since been dissolved, check out the tutorial on accessing Alaska divorce information; or, for insight into warrants, crime, arrests, property taxes, births, deaths, and more, you can refer to the overview of tracking down free AK public records.