Marriage Commissioner Information

Under Alaska Statute 25.05.261(a)(2) ¹, anyone can perform your marriage ceremony, including a friend or relative, if they first obtain a marriage commissioner appointment from an Alaskan court as authorized by AS 25.05.081.² The person should be 18 years of age or older, and does not need to be a resident of Alaska or the United States in order to perform the ceremony.

The marriage license application and instructions are available on the Vital Statistics website.

How to Obtain a Marriage Commissioner Appointment

1. Contact (by phone, by mail or fax, or in person) the court nearest to where the wedding will be performed. The online court system directory has a complete listing of court locations and contact information. You may also contact the office which handles requests for marriage commissioner appointments in the judicial district of the court nearest to where the wedding will be performed. See Alaska courts listed by judicial district to determine the district. Procedures vary by judicial district; there is no online application form.

First Judicial District	Attn: Area Court Administrator's Administrative Assistant Juneau Trial Courts P.O. Box 114100 Juneau, AK 99811 (907) 463-4765 FAX (907) 463-4720
Second Judicial District	Attn: Presiding Judge's Judicial Assistant Nome Trial Courts P.O. Box 1110 Nome, AK 99762 (907) 443-5216 FAX 907-443-2192
Third Judicial District	Anchorage Trial Courts Customer Service Division 825 West 4th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501-2004 (907) 264-0514 FAX (907) 264-0610
Fourth Judicial District	Fairbanks Trial Courts Court Services Department 101 Lacey Street Fairbanks, AK 99701 (907) 452-9277 FAX (907) 452-9330

2. The court will need the following information:
   • The name of the intended marriage commissioner.
   • The full names of the bride and groom, including middle name.
   • The month, day and year marriage is to occur.
   • The town or physical location where the marriage ceremony will be performed.
   • In the First Judicial District the marriage commissioner must also provide his or her full name and date of birth.
3. There is no charge or waiting period for this appointment. However, applications submitted in the First Judicial District should be submitted at least one week before the wedding date to allow time for the appointment to be processed.
4. The court will issue a written order appointing the marriage commissioner together with instructions. The marriage commissioner is responsible for ensuring that the marriage is performed in compliance with the law and that the marriage certificate is filed with the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
5. The marriage should not be performed until the marriage commissioner has a copy of the written order in hand.
6. If the marriage is not performed on the date stated in the order, a new marriage commissioner appointment order must be obtained.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to apply for and pick up a marriage license. A marriage commissioner does not have the authority to obtain the marriage license for the couple.

¹ Sec. 25.05.261. Who may solemnize.

(a) Marriages may be solemnized

(1) by a minister, priest, or rabbi of any church or congregation in the state, or by a commissioned officer of the Salvation Army, or by the principal officer or elder of recognized churches or congregations that traditionally do not have regular ministers, priests, or rabbis, anywhere within the state;

(2) by a marriage commissioner or judicial officer of the state anywhere within the jurisdiction of the commissioner or officer; or

(3) before or in any religious organization or congregation according to the established ritual or form commonly practiced in the organization or congregation.

(b) This section may not be construed to waive the requirements for obtaining a marriage license.

² Sec. 25.05.081. Marriage commissioners.

The presiding judge in each judicial district may, if the public interest requires, appoint one or more suitable persons as marriage commissioners. The presiding judge shall describe the marriage commissioner's area of jurisdiction in the order of appointment. A marriage commissioner may, within that jurisdiction, solemnize marriages in the same manner as a district judge or magistrate and may exercise any power, other than the power to issue marriage licenses, necessarily incident to the duties of a marriage commissioner. The clerk of court shall issue to the marriage commissioner a certified copy of the order of appointment and send a copy of it to the bureau.

Rev. 7 July 2009 © Alaska Court System www.state.ak.us/courts webmaster@courts.state.ak.us

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