Bigamy is the act of marrying one person while being legally married to another. Polygamy is the practice or custom (often religious) of having more than one wife or husband at a time. Most states prohibit a party from having more than one marriage license at a time, and in most states bigamy is a crime.
In Alabama, both bigamy and polygamy are illegal. Under Alabama law, bigamy occurs when a person who is legally married marries another person while the first marriage is still in effect. This is considered a Class C felony, as per Section 13A-13-1 of the Alabama Criminal Code. The law does not distinguish between bigamy as a secular legal violation and polygamy as a potential religious practice; both are treated as the offense of bigamy under the law. A person convicted of bigamy in Alabama could face penalties including imprisonment and fines. It is also illegal to apply for or possess more than one valid marriage license at the same time in the state.