(a) The judge of the probate court to whom the application for a marriage license is made shall satisfy himself that the provisions set forth in Code Section 19-3-2 regarding age limitations are met. If the judge does not know of his own knowledge the age of a party for whom a marriage license is sought, he shall require the applicant to furnish him with documentary evidence of proof of age in the form of a birth certificate, driver's license, baptismal certificate, certificate of birth registration, selective service card, court record, passport, immigration papers, alien papers, citizenship papers, armed forces discharge papers, armed forces identification card, or hospital admission card containing the full name and date of birth. In the event an applicant does not possess any of the above but appears to the judge to be at least 25 years of age, the applicant, in lieu of furnishing the judge with one of the above, may give an affidavit to the judge stating the applicant's age. Applicants who have satisfactorily proved that they have reached the age of majority may be issued a marriage license immediately.

(b) In cases where either or both of the applicants have not yet reached the age of 16 years, the underage applicant or applicants must submit evidence in the form of a licensed physician's certificate that the female is pregnant or evidence that both applicants are parents of a living child born out of wedlock, in which case the parties may be issued a marriage license immediately. The certificate signed by a licensed physician shall be available for inspection by the parents or guardians of either the female or male applicant under this subsection, prior to the destruction of the certificate as provided in this subsection; but the certificate shall not be open to public inspection except on order of a judge of the superior court. After the birth of the child and upon the presentation of the birth certificate of the child to the judge of the probate court and the verification of the accuracy of the birth certificate, the physician's certificate that the female was pregnant and all records of the certificate under the control of the judge shall be destroyed. For purposes of this subsection, the term "licensed physician's certificate" shall include only those certificates signed by physicians licensed under Chapter 34 of Title 43.