
Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Alabama. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Alabama. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the state of Alabama.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: No
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 0 Days
- Marriage License Valid For: 30 Days
- Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Alabama
If you haven't already, you should get ordained online with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Thousands of legally valid marriages are performed by ULC ministers around the world every year. Begin the process by clicking the big blue button below!
2 Officiating a Wedding in Alabama
Next, you should contact the office of your local marriage authority (typically your county clerk). Let them know that you are a minister of the Universal Life Church in Seattle, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage.
Select your Probate Judge to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact

Alabama's Top Wedding Spot
Gulf of Mexico at one of the stilted beach homes in Fort Morgan, Orange Beach
3 License to Marry in Alabama
After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in Alabama to get an Ordination Package. Although minister registration is not required in Alabama you may be asked to display proof of your ordination to the county clerks before they will accept the marriage as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination can also provide a great deal of peace-of-mind to any couple that you intend to marry. Additionally, please attempt to leave at least 3 weeks between the date of the wedding ceremony and your order, to ensure that you receive all of your materials in advance.
4 How to get Married in Alabama
Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Alabama marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 30 days, and there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Alabama and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Alabama, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Alabama wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.
5 Wedding Planning in Alabama
If you’ve been asked to perform a wedding in Alabama, there are a few things that are good to keep in mind. First off, unlike in many other states, spring is the most popular time of year for couples to tie the knot in Alabama – 33 percent of all weddings take place between March and May. This means high-demand locales may be booked out far in advance, and couples will be clamoring for officiants during the spring season. If the ceremony will take place at an outdoor wedding location, such as a barn wedding venue, make sure you check the forecast and choose an outfit appropriate for the elements. Outdoor summer weddings are known to be scorching, while springtime can bring with it unexpected downpours. Finally, people often wonder how much a wedding minister should charge in Alabama. The truth is, there’s no simple answer – fees can vary widely based on experience level, amount of involvement, and other responsibilities the couple might need covered. Costs can also vary geographically – in larger cities like Birmingham and Montgomery, for example, you might expect to see slightly higher average fees than you would in less-populated areas of the state.

Alabama Marriage Code
Marriage in Alabama is governed by Chapter 1 of Title 30 of Alabama's Statutes. Ministers who got ordained online with the Universal Life Church have successfully solemnized thousands of weddings in the state. Below, you will find that we have reproduced a relevant excerpt of this code.Alabama Code - Section 30-1-7: PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGES (a) Generally. Marriages may be solemnized by any licensed minister of the gospel in regular communion with the Christian church or society of which the minister is a member; by an active or retired judge of the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Court of Civil Appeals, any circuit court, or any district court within this state; by a judge of any federal court; or by an active or retired judge of probate. View the Alabama Statutes on the official state site.
To view the in-depth wedding laws for Alabama state:
Alabama Marriage Laws⇓ Show the rest
Autauga County
176 W 5th StPrattville, Alabama
36067
Phone: (334) 361-3728
Autauga County website »
Baldwin County
220 Courthouse SqBay Minette, Alabama
36507
Phone: (251) 937-0260
Baldwin County website »
Barbour County
303 East Broad StreetEufaula, Alabama
Phone: (334) 687-1500
Barbour County website »
Bibb County
8 Court Square West, Suite ACentreville, Alabama
35042
Phone: (205) 926-3108
Bibb County website »
Blount County
220 2nd Ave E. Room 101Oneonta, Alabama
35121
Phone: (205) 625-4191
Blount County website »
Bullock County
217 Prairie St N, Room 103Union Springs, Alabama
36089
Phone: (334) 738-2250
Bullock County website »
Butler County
700 Court SquareGreenville, Alabama
36037
Phone: (334) 382-3221
Fax: (334) 382-0385
Butler County website »
Calhoun County
1702 Noble Street, Suite 102Anniston, Alabama
36201
Phone: (256) 241-2825
Fax: (256) 231-1728
Calhoun County website »
Chambers County
2 South LaFayette StreetLaFayette, Alabama
36862
Phone: (334) 864-4380
Chambers County website »
Cherokee County
260 Cedar Bluff Road, Suite 101Centre, Alabama
Phone: (256) 927-3363
Fax: (256) 927-3363
Cherokee County website »
Choctaw County
117 S Mullberry Street Room 10Butler, Alabama
Phone: (334) 613-5300
Fax: (334) 240-3097
Choctaw County website »
Clarke County
114 Court StreetGrove Hill, Alabama
36451
Phone: (251) 275-3251
Fax: (251) 275-8427
Clarke County website »
Clay County
25 Court SquareAshland, Alabama
Phone: (256) 354-2198
Fax: (256) 354-4778
Clay County website »
Cleburne County
120 Vickery Street, Ste. 101Heflin, Alabama
36264
Phone: (256) 463-5655
Fax: (256) 463-1044
Cleburne County website »
Coffee County
230-P North Court StreetEnterprise, Alabama
36330
Phone: (334) 347-2688
Coffee County website »
Colbert County
201 North Main StreetTuscumbia, Alabama
35674
Phone: (256) 314-5820
Fax: (256) 386-8547
Colbert County website »
Conecuh County
111 Court StreetEvergreen, Alabama
Phone: (251) 578-1221
Fax: (251) 578-7034
Conecuh County website »
Coosa County
9709 US Highway 231Rockford, Alabama
Phone: (256) 377-4919
Coosa County website »
Covington County
1K N. Court SquareAndalusia, Alabama
36420
Phone: (334) 428-2520
Fax: (334) 428-2531
Covington County website »
Crenshaw County
29 South Glenwood AvenueLuverne, Alabama
36049
Phone: (334) 335-4749
Crenshaw County website »
Cullman County
500 2nd Avenue S.W.Cullman, Alabama
35056
Phone: (256) 775-4665
Cullman County website »
Dallas County
105 Lauderdale Street P.O. Box 987Selma, Alabama
Phone: (334) 874-2516
Dallas County website »
DeKalb County
300 Grand Avenue S.W., Suite 100Fort Payne, Alabama
35967
Phone: (256) 845-8510
DeKalb County website »
Elmore County
100 E. Commerce Street, Suite 100Wetumpka, Alabama
36092
Phone: (334) 567-1140 Ext. 5084
Elmore County website »
Escambia County
314 Belleville AveBrewton, Alabama
36427
Phone: (251) 867-0301
Escambia County website »
Etowah County
800 Forrest Ave, Suite 122Gadsden, Alabama
35901
Phone: (256) 549-5340
Fax: (256) 549-1149
Etowah County website »
Fayette County
113 N. Temple Ave.Fayette, Alabama
Phone: (205) 932-4591
Fayette County website »
Franklin County
405 North Jackson AvenueRussellville, Alabama
Phone: (256) 332-8801
Franklin County website »
Geneva County
200 N Commerce StGeneva, Alabama
36340
Phone: (334) 684-5640
Geneva County website »
Hale County
1001 Main StreetGreensboro, Alabama
36744
Phone: (334) 624-8740
Hale County website »
Henry County
101 Courtsquare, Suite AAbbeville, Alabama
Phone: (334) 585-3257
Henry County website »
Houston County
462 N. Oates StreetDothan, Alabama
Phone: (334) 677-4792
Houston County website »
Jackson County
102 E Laurel St, Room 307Scottsboro, Alabama
35768
Phone: (256) 574-9290
Jackson County website »
Jefferson County
1801 3rd Avenue NorthBessemer, Alabama
Phone: (205) 481-4100
Jefferson County website »
Lauderdale County
200 South Court StreetFlorence, Alabama
35630
Phone: (256) 760-5804
Lauderdale County website »
Lawrence County
14451 Market St, Suite 130Moulton, Alabama
35650
Phone: (256) 974-2439
Lawrence County website »
Lee County
215 South 9th StreetOpelika, Alabama
36801
Phone: (334) 737-3670
Lee County website »
Limestone County
100 South Clinton Street, Suite DAthens, Alabama
35611
Phone: (256) 233-6427
Limestone County website »
Lowndes County
1 South Washington St.Hayneville, Alabama
36040
Phone: (334) 548-2365
Lowndes County website »
Macon County
101 Rosa Parks Plaza, Suite 208Tuskegee, Alabama
36083
Phone: (334) 724-2611
Macon County website »
Madison County
100 North Side Square, Room 101Huntsville, Alabama
35801
Phone: (256) 532-3330
Madison County website »
Marion County
132 Military St. S, Room 204Hamilton, Alabama
35570
Phone: (205) 921-2471
Marion County website »
Marshall County
425 Gunter Avenue, Suite 110Guntersville, Alabama
35976
Phone: (256) 571-7764
Marshall County website »
Mobile County
151 Government St.Mobile, Alabama
36602
Phone: (251) 574-6000
Mobile County website »
Monroe County
65 North Alabama Ave. Room 220Monroeville, Alabama
36460
Phone: (251) 743-2283
Monroe County website »
Montgomery County
101 S. Lawrence Street, 2nd FloorMontgomery, Alabama
36104
Phone: (334) 832-1235
Montgomery County website »
Morgan County
302 Lee StreetDecatur, Alabama
35601
Phone: (256) 351-4675
Morgan County website »
Perry County
Courthouse Square<br> 300 Washington St.Marion, Alabama
36756
Phone: (334) 683-2200
Perry County website »
Pickens County
50 Courthouse Sq, Room 106Carrollton, Alabama
35477
Phone: (205) 367-2010
Pickens County website »
Randolph County
1 S. Main St.Wedowee, Alabama
36278
Phone: (256) 357-4933
Randolph County website »
Russell County
1000 Broad StreetPhenix City, Alabama
36867
Phone: (334) 298-7979
Russell County website »
Shelby County
112 N. Main St.Columbiana, Alabama
35051
Phone: (205) 669-3720
Shelby County website »
St. Clair County
165 5th AvenueAshville, Alabama
35953
Phone: (205) 594-2120
St. Clair County website »
Sumter County
115 Marshall StreetLivingston, Alabama
35470
Phone: (205) 652-7281
Sumter County website »
Talladega County
1 Court Square, First FloorTalladega, Alabama
35160
Phone: (256) 362-4175
Talladega County website »
Tallapoosa County
125 North Broadnax StreetDadeville, Alabama
Phone: (256) 825-4266
Tallapoosa County website »
Tuscaloosa County
714 Greensboro AvenueTuscaloosa, Alabama
Phone: (205) 464-8200
Tuscaloosa County website »
Walker County
Courthouse Annex II <br>1900 Third Ave SouthJasper, Alabama
35501
Phone: (205) 384-7291
Walker County website »
Washington County
1 Court StreetChatom, Alabama
35518
Phone: (251) 847-2201
Washington County website »
Winston County
25125 Hwy 195Double Springs, Alabama
35553
Phone: (205) 489-5219
Winston County website »