Planning to elope to Alaska but living somewhere else? Good news: getting an Alaska marriage license is far easier than most out-of-state couples expect.
You don’t have to live in Alaska, there’s no blood test, and you can handle the entire process by mail before you ever land to begin your adventure.
As an elopement photographer who has spent multiple seasons working in Alaska — from helicopter landings on Knik Glacier to the Kenai Fjords coastline — I’ve walked many out-of-state and international couples through this exact process. And yes, this is the kind of thing I handle so you don’t have to. The paperwork is the smallest piece of a honeymoon with vows woven in — but it’s the piece that has to be right.
Here’s what an Alaska marriage license costs, how long it takes, and the mail-in option that makes this one of the simplest states for Alaska elopement planning from anywhere in the world.
Alaska Marriage License Requirements at a Glance
No. Alaska has no residency requirement; residents and non-residents alike can apply for a marriage license, so out-of-state and out-of-country couples are fully eligible.
Here are the basics, confirmed with the Alaska Department of Health’s Vital Records office, where the official application is also available to download:
- Where it’s valid: An Alaska marriage license is only valid for a ceremony performed in Alaska or in Alaska state waters. This matters most for cruise couples — more on that below.
- Residency: Not required. Anyone can apply, regardless of where they live or where they’re from.
- Age: Both people must be 18 or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be requested as proof of age.
- Blood test: Not required.
- Witness: One witness must sign, and your officiant can’t be that witness. (More on that below.)
- Both of you must be present: Alaska doesn’t allow proxy marriages, so both partners must attend the ceremony in person.
How Much Does an Alaska Marriage License Cost?
An Alaska marriage license costs $60 if you apply in person, or $70 if you complete the process by mail, the extra $10 covers Priority Mail with tracking. Mailed payments must be made by check or money order, payable to Alaska Vital Records.
One cost that catches couples off guard: your official Certificate of Marriage, the document you’ll need for name changes, insurance, and joint taxes, is a separate $30 order after the fact. Alaska doesn’t mail it automatically. (Details in the after-the-ceremony section below.)
How Long Does It Take to Get a Marriage License in Alaska?
There’s a three-business-day waiting period that begins once your application is received — whether you apply in person or by mail. Once issued, the license is valid for three months (about 90 days), and the ceremony must happen inside that window. There are no refunds or extensions.
If you apply in person, that means arriving in Alaska with a few extra weekdays (not weekend days!) built in before your ceremony. If you apply by mail, plan for the waiting period plus mailing time in both directions; give yourself a few weeks of buffer before you travel.
How to Get Your Alaska Marriage License in Person
If you’d rather handle it once you arrive, the in-person process is straightforward:
- Download and fill out the marriage license application from the Alaska Department of Health.
- Bring your printed application and a government-issued photo ID to the Alaska Vital Records or court office of your choice. Plan to pay the $60 fee when you apply — I always suggest having a check or money order ready.
- Wait the required 3 business days, then return to the same office to pick up your license.
- Get married in Alaska within 90 days.
The only catch with this route is timing… the waiting period comes out of your trip.
Can You Get an Alaska Marriage License by Mail?
Yes!! And this is the part most out-of-state couples are looking for. Alaska’s mail-in process means you can complete everything from home and arrive with your license already in hand:
- Download and fill out the marriage license application from the Alaska Department of Health.
- Take your printed application and a government-issued photo ID to a notary where you live. Don’t sign anything until you’re with the notary (that’s the whole point of the notarized signature.)
- Follow the current mailing instructions on the application. Mail your completed, notarized documents to the Vital Records office with the $70 payment (check or money order). The $70 includes Priority Mail with tracking; standard mail can take four weeks or longer and can’t be tracked.
- Vital Records mails the finalized license back to you. Build in a buffer for slow mail so it returns before you travel.
- Bring the prepared license with you to Alaska.
- Get married within 90 days.
The mail-in route takes a little planning, but it removes both the ground logistics and the waiting period from your trip entirely, which means your time in Alaska is spent on the experience, not on paperwork.
Who Can Officiate a Wedding in Alaska?
Alaska is flexible about who can legally marry you. You can bring or hire your own officiant, or a friend or family member can serve as your legal officiant; there are several simple, legally recognized ways for them to qualify, and I can walk you through the details during planning.
A uniquely Alaska bonus: some helicopter pilots and adventure guides are also officiants, which means you can be married mid-adventure.
I’m a certified, non-denominational officiant as well, which means I can legally sign your marriage license in Alaska. That’s helpful if a loved one or guide leads your ceremonial exchange and you’d like someone to handle the official paperwork at the end — I’m happy to do this at no charge when you elope with me. One less thing on your list.
Do You Need a Witness to Get Married in Alaska?
Yes, but only one. Alaska requires a single witness to sign the marriage license, and that witness cannot also be your officiant.
Picturing something completely private? Don’t worry, I’ve quietly arranged a witness for couples who wanted the experience kept entirely to themselves. It’s an easy requirement to meet, even on a glacier.
With the legal piece sorted, the rest is where things get interesting, and honestly, where most couples realize what’s actually possible here. My full Alaska elopement guide walks through everything from timing and access to what a multi-day, vows-woven-into-honeymoon experience can look like on the ground.
Returning Your Signed License After the Ceremony
Once you’re married and have signed on the line, there’s one more step before the paperwork is truly done.
The signed license, with signatures from both of you, your officiant, and your witness, must be returned to Alaska Vital Records within seven days of the ceremony. It can be mailed back or dropped off in person at the Anchorage or Juneau office.
A quick note on my role here: if I’m signing your license as your officiant, I’ll make sure everything is signed and in order, but the return is yours to handle. You’ll leave our adventure with the original document in hand; mailing it back is a simple step once you’re home, or you can drop it off as you pass back through Anchorage en route to more adventures.
One thing that surprises couples: in some states, a certified copy of your marriage certificate is automatically mailed to you once it’s recorded. Alaska doesn’t do that.
PRO TIP: Once your signed license has been returned and registered, ordering your official Certificate of Marriage is a separate step and one you don’t want to forget. This is the document you’ll need for name changes, insurance updates, joint taxes, and any other legal paperwork going forward. Order it through VitalChek.com or by mail to Alaska Vital Records. It costs $30 and can only be requested after your signed license has been received and recorded.
Can International Couples Get Married in Alaska?
Yes. If you’re a resident of another country, you follow the same process as out-of-state US couples, and your finalized Alaska marriage certificate is generally accepted as valid abroad.
That said, every country handles foreign marriages differently, so check your home country’s requirements for recording a marriage performed overseas. A resource like virtualmarriage.com is a helpful starting point, and your local registry office can confirm exactly what you’ll need so your Alaska marriage is recognized as legal back home.
Can You Get Married on an Alaska Cruise?
Yes, as long as the ceremony takes place in Alaska or while the ship is inside Alaska state waters, your Alaska marriage license is valid.
That distinction matters more on a cruise than anywhere else, because it means your ceremony doesn’t have to happen on land. If your shore-day plans are foiled by weather or thrown off-balance by a port change, you can still legally marry aboard the ship as long as you’re inside Alaska state waters when the ceremony takes place.
A few things to have sorted before you sail:
- A legal officiant must perform the ceremony: someone authorized to marry couples in Alaska. Not all cruise ship captains qualify, so confirm what’s available on your ship with your cruise line well before departure. I’m a certified non-denominational officiant, which is worth knowing if you’re planning a shore-day ceremony and want one less thing to coordinate.
- The same license rules apply: apply by mail before you leave home, build in buffer time for the license to arrive before departure, and travel with it in hand. You’ll still need one witness, and the signed license must be returned to Alaska Vital Records within seven days of the ceremony.
Your cruise itinerary does the heavy lifting on location logistics. The license is the easy part.
Now for the Good Part
The paperwork is handled. The rest is what I take care of: from the lodging that anchors your trip to the helicopter, boat, or dogsled that gets you somewhere few people ever stand, for images you’ll treasure forever. If a glacier is calling, the 2-Day Hatcher Pass & Knik Glacier Heli Elopement is one of my favorite places to start dreaming.
When you’re ready to picture what your experience could look like, browse the Enchanted Canopy Collection and see which one feels like yours.
Adventure, always
— Kate
