Alabama State Vital Records
An Act of 1881 provided that all births and deaths in the state of Alabama were to be registered with a county health officer, but the legislation was adhered to carelessly at best. State-level registration of births and deaths in Alabama began January 1st, 1908. The state, however, did not achieve a 90% completeness of birth registration until 1927, and of death registration until 1925. For birth and death records prior to 1908, and marriages prior to 1936, write to the clerk of the county in question. For birth and death records after 1908, and marriages after 1936, write:
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Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) P.O. Box 303017 Montgomery, AL 36130-3017 Tel: (334) 206-5429 |
The information on this page is subject to change without notice by the State of Alabama. It is therefore, highly recommended that you confirm the price and address by calling the vital records office or checking the website before you place your order. This material was up to date as of August 28, 2020.
| Record | ADPH | Cost | Ordering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | State office has records since January 1908. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. For birth records less than 125 years old you have to be immediate family or have written permission from the next of kin in order to obtain these records. | $15.00 | Order Online |
| Death | State office has records since January 1908. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. For death records less than 25 years old you have to be immediate family or have written permission from the next of kin in order to obtain these records. | $15.00 | Order Online |
| Marriage | State office has records since August 1936. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. | $15.00 | Order Online |
| Divorce | By Alabama law, divorce certificates are unrestricted. They may be requested by anyone who can provide enough information to search for the record and submit payment of the proper fee. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $6.00 each. | $15.00 | Order Online |
There were no Alabama birth certificates before 1908. Most counties just registered births in ledgers. Some county courthouses may have kept some records. You should contact the Etowah County Health Department for more information. Contact information is on the site.