Aleutians East Borough Marriage License

Getting a marriage license in Aleutians East Borough means working with the Alaska state vital records office, since this remote borough has no local licensing office of its own. Residents in Sand Point, King Cove, Cold Bay, False Pass, and Nelson Lagoon all apply through the Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section, known as HAVRS. Most people here apply by mail, though you can also visit the Juneau or Anchorage office in person. This page walks through the full process: what to bring, how much it costs, how long the license is good for, and where to get a certified copy after the ceremony.

How to Get a Marriage License in Aleutians East Borough

Because Aleutians East Borough has no local vital records office, you must go through the state. Alaska law under AS 25.05.021 and AS 25.05.121 places marriage licensing authority with the state, not individual boroughs. That means every couple in this borough applies to HAVRS, either by mail or in person at one of the two state offices. The Juneau HAVRS office at 5441 Commercial Boulevard, Juneau, AK 99811-0675 can be reached at (907) 465-3391. The Anchorage office is at 3901 Old Seward Hwy, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503, phone (907) 269-0991. Walk-in hours at both locations run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mail applications are the most practical choice for most Aleutians East residents. To apply by mail, both parties must complete the marriage license application form, have their signatures witnessed and sworn before a notary or licensing officer, and mail everything to the Juneau office with a $70 check or money order (that is the $60 fee plus a $10 shipping charge). The license comes back by mail. Give yourself enough time before the ceremony. The state recommends sending the application at least two weeks ahead to allow for processing and the mandatory 3-day waiting period.

Applications are also available at any Alaska courthouse. If you find yourself near a court location while traveling for other reasons, staff there can provide the form. The court directory is online at courts.alaska.gov.

Note: Both parties must sign the application in person before a licensing officer or notary, even when applying by mail. You cannot simply mail in unsigned forms.

Requirements for the Marriage License

Alaska sets clear rules on who may marry and what you need to bring. Under AS 25.05.171, both parties must meet the age requirement. Each person must show a valid government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state-issued ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or a Tribal and BIA-issued identification card. Tribal IDs are specifically listed as valid in Alaska, which matters for many Aleutians East Borough residents who are members of federally recognized tribes in the area.

Both applicants must appear together before a licensing officer or notary and be sworn in. They sign the license application at that time. This cannot be done by proxy. Under Alaska law, AS 25.05.261 governs who may perform the actual marriage ceremony, but the signing of the license application is a separate step that both parties must complete themselves. There is no way around this requirement, even in remote communities.

If either party was divorced within the past 60 days, they must bring a certified copy of the divorce decree. This is a hard rule with no exception. Alaska also does not recognize common law marriages, so if you have been living with a partner but have no valid marriage certificate from another state, you are not legally married in Alaska's eyes. The license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. If the ceremony does not happen within that window, the license expires and you must apply again.

No blood test is required. There is no residency requirement either. You do not have to live in Alaska to get married here, though the license is only good for ceremonies performed in Alaska or on Alaska state waters.

The Alaska vital records ordering page provides an overview of how residents, including those in Aleutians East Borough, can order certified marriage certificates and other vital documents through HAVRS or the authorized VitalChek service.

Ordering a certified marriage certificate works the same way for Aleutians East Borough couples as it does for the rest of the state. After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to HAVRS within 7 days, and the marriage is then registered in the state vital records system.

License Fees and Marriage Certificates

The marriage license fee in Alaska is $60 when you pick it up in person, or $70 when you apply by mail (which includes $10 for shipping). For Aleutians East Borough residents who almost always apply by mail, the cost is $70. Payment should be in the form of a check or money order made out to the State of Alaska. Do not send cash.

After your wedding, you will likely need a certified copy of your marriage certificate as proof of marriage. This is different from the license itself. A certified copy costs $30 for the first one and $25 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. HAVRS also offers a decorative heirloom certificate for $65 for the first copy and $60 for each additional copy. These heirloom versions are suitable for framing but carry the same legal weight as a standard certified copy.

You can order certificates directly from HAVRS by mail or in person. The only authorized online ordering service is VitalChek at vitalchek.com. Be careful about other websites that claim to process Alaska vital records orders. VitalChek is the only one HAVRS officially endorses for online requests.

The 3-Day Wait and License Validity

Alaska requires a 3-day waiting period between the time the license is issued and the time the ceremony may be performed. This waiting period is mandatory and cannot be waived under any circumstances. For couples in Aleutians East Borough who apply by mail, the practical wait is longer since mailing adds days to the process on both ends. Plan well ahead if you have a ceremony date in mind. The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, so you have a decent window once it arrives.

After the ceremony, whoever performed it must return the signed license to HAVRS within 7 days. The officiant handles this step. Once HAVRS receives and processes the signed license, the marriage is officially registered in the Alaska state vital records system. At that point, either spouse can order a certified copy of the marriage certificate. Marriage licenses themselves are public records under Alaska law, but the full marriage certificate is confidential for 50 years from the date of the event. The license application is open to the public right away.

Proxy marriages are not allowed in Alaska. Both parties must be physically present during the ceremony. This is laid out in state law and there are no exceptions. The civil contract language in AS 25.05.011 makes clear that marriage is an agreement entered into personally by both parties.

Historical Marriage Records for Aleutians East

If you are looking for older marriage records from the Aleutians East area, the best starting point is the Alaska State Archives. Alaska has been collecting marriage records since the 1890s, though many records from before 1930 were never formally registered with the territorial or state government. The Alaska State Archives genealogy resources page at archives.alaska.gov describes what is available and how to request access.

FamilySearch has also done significant work digitizing Alaska vital records. According to their Alaska Vital Records wiki at familysearch.org, more than 1.1 million Alaska documents have been digitized through a partnership with the Alaska State Archives. This collection includes marriage records from the Aleutian Islands region going back to the territorial period. Church and mission records from the area also survive and may fill gaps where civil registration was incomplete.

The Alaska State Archives genealogy page also covers FamilySearch records covering the Aleutians East area and broader Aleutian Islands historical marriage documentation.

Researchers looking into Aleutian Islands family history will find that some records held by tribal offices and local communities supplement the state archives, particularly for events that were recorded by missionaries or community leaders rather than civil registrars.

Who Can Perform the Ceremony

Alaska gives couples a good amount of flexibility here. Under AS 25.05.261, anyone who is 18 or older can be appointed as a marriage commissioner and perform a ceremony. The appointment costs $25 and is done at any Alaska court. This means a friend or family member can legally marry you after going through the simple appointment process. Judges, magistrates, and religious officials are also authorized to perform ceremonies.

In remote communities like those in Aleutians East Borough, having this option is genuinely useful. If a couple wants a community elder or tribal leader to officiate, they can arrange the marriage commissioner appointment ahead of time. The FAQ on the Alaska Court System website at courts.alaska.gov explains the appointment process and answers common questions about who is eligible.

Communities in Aleutians East Borough

Aleutians East Borough includes several remote communities along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands chain. The major communities are Sand Point, King Cove, Cold Bay, False Pass, and Nelson Lagoon. None of these communities currently have pages in our city directory, but all residents follow the same statewide marriage license process described on this page.

Nearby Boroughs

These areas neighbor Aleutians East Borough. Marriage license rules are the same across all of Alaska, handled through the state HAVRS offices.