Minister ID Cards - What they’re used for, Where to get one, and Why you might need one

If you’ve ever asked “How do I get Clergy Identification Badge?” or found yourself at a wedding ceremony without your ordained minister ID number, this article is for you. 

An Ordained Minister ID Card, also called a Clergy Identification Card, is a professionally made card that can be placed in your wallet, pocket, or clear lanyard card holder at events so that others can quickly recognize your role as an ordained minister.

 

We live in a society where we encounter thousands of strangers each year, and identifiers like an AMM Ordained Minister ID Card help us signal to people who might not know us what our qualifications are, what our values are, and what business we’re about. It’s another way of showing the world that you’re passionate about celebrating love and building community!

 

A Minister ID Card is similar to a Clergy Badge, but has additional purposes.

 

Here’s a quick breakdown of what minister cards are, and aren’t, used for, where to get one, and why you might need one. 

 

… and if you’re not already, become an ordained minister with American Marriage Ministries and learn why AMM offers the most robust online ordination -- backed up by real-world advocacy and training so that you can confidently officiate legal, memorable, and lasting marriages.

 

 

Ready to order your Minister ID Card? Head here. 

 

 

 

What a Clergy Identification Card is Used For, and Why You Might Need One 

 

• An Ordained Minister ID Card conveys a sense of professionalism and care when worn or carried to a wedding ceremony, funeral, baby blessing, baptism, and other rites and rituals, and make it easy for guests to recognize you as a clergy member in a crowd. 

 

• Minister identification is frequently required when visiting hospitals and other medical facilities to perform rites and counseling as a member of the clergy, or when performing a prision wedding ceremony.

 

• A Minister Identification Card contains important information that’s vital to identify a minister on the move, such as your title, name, the name of the church with which you’re ordained, and your ordination date. AMM’s Minister Wallet ID cards also display your minister ID or license number, making it easy to reference when filling out a marriage license and other documents as you move from wedding to wedding. 

 

• Like a clergy identification badge, a minister ID card can be proudly worn using a clear lanyard card holder or lapel clip. (But unlike a simple clergy badge, which is often awkwardly sized, a card fits easily into your wallet.)

 

• Clergy ID cards fit easily into your wallet, purse, or suit pocket for safe-keeping, so that you’re never without yours when you need it most. Because many ministers choose to frame and display their ordination credentials in their home or workspace, ID cards are a convenient and necessary credential-on-the-go.  

 

Do Ministers Carry ID Cards?

 

Yes, as described above, many ministers choose to carry an ID card with them when performing a wedding, funeral, baby blessing, or other rites, to signify their role. Minister ID cards can be placed in your wallet, worn on a lanyard, or clipped to your lapel and worn as a badge, making it easy for others to identify you as a clergy member. 

 

 

 

What a Clergy ID Card Isn’t Used For 

 

• A Minister ID Card does not take the place of your Minister Ordination Certificate or Letter of Good Standing when registering as an ordained minister in your state. You’ll still need copies of those credentials in order to officiate weddings in states that require registration or licensing, or when confirming your ordination with a government agency or department. You can order AMM Minister credentials here. 

 

• Ordained minister cards are not government issued IDs. Instead, they are issued and honored by the church with which you’re ordained. (Like AMM!)

 

• On a similar note: In the same way that clergy badges aren’t legal ordination credentials, clergy parking passes aren’t legal parking permits. You may see them available in other places online, but be warned: Your local parking enforcement will only recognize permits and passes issued by your city or county. That’s why AMM doesn’t sell them, and just like our Government Registration Guarantee to protect our ordinations, we’ll never offer you anything we can’t stand behind completely. 

 

 

Ready to order your Minister Wallet ID Card?

Get yours in the store here! 

 

  

 

 

AMM also offers fashionable enamel lapel pins and wedding officiant stoles to compliment your style, along with a number of wedding planning guides and officiant training books!

 

 

  

Above: AMM's custom lapel pins for wedding officiants, and a few of our many officiant training books and wedding planning resources. 

 

Updated February 13, 2025

 

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More Wedding Officiant Tips & Advice from American Marriage Ministries

 

• Right Before You Step on Stage: A Wedding Officiant’s (Very) Last Minute Checklist
   
• What to Wear (and Not Wear) as a Wedding Officiant
   

• ...So What Does a Wedding Officiant Really Do?

 

• Articles for First Time Officiants

 

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