How to get a license to marry people - Officiating a wedding by the book

If you were asked to officiate a wedding ceremony recently, you probably thought, 

 

“Yes! But… How do I get a license to marry someone?” 

 

This is one of the most common questions we encounter from first-time wedding officiants, and there’s a good reason for it: marriage is a legal contract and each state regulates who can and can’t officiate a marriage ceremony. So perform a wedding, you'll need to meet these local requirements. 

 

The good news is that it’s actually pretty easy to become qualified to marry people. You might be surprised to learn that you don’t need a “license” to marry people -- at least not like the one that you need to drive a car on public roads, or go hunting at certain times of the year -- but you do need an ordination, and you might need to register with your state as an officiant. 
 

Here's what you need to know: 

 

1. The first step is to get ordained (and you can do it online)

2. States use the term ‘registration’ not ‘license’ for officiants

3. Some states require an officiant to register, some don’t 

4. Online ordination is all you’ll need to officiate legal weddings in most states

5. The people you marry will need a marriage license (but that’s their responsibility)

Let’s take these one at a time...

 

 

What to Know to Officiate a Wedding

 

1. The first step is to get ordained (and you can do it online)

 

An ordination is often the first and only requirement you'll need to meet to officiate a legal wedding. Ordination grants you the authority to perform certain acts as a 'minister' or religious authority, sanctioned by a religious institution. 

 

• Get ordained online free with American Marriage Ministries (AMM)
   

When you get ordained online with AMM, it empowers you to legally marry two people and sign their marriage license as an AMM Minister. You don’t need to hold any specific spiritual or religious beliefs to become an AMM Minister; AMM ordains people from all backgrounds and faiths. All that's required is a desire to help the wedding couple celebrate their marriage just the way they want to. Learn more about what it means to be an ordained minister here. 

 

 

2. Most states use the term ‘registration’ not ‘license’ for wedding officiants

 

Instead of ‘licensing requirements’ for wedding officiants, some states have a process called ‘government registration.’

 

In these states, ordained ministers must register with the local government so that those governments can keep track of who’s performing marriages in their state, and to regulate who officiates weddings.

 

The minister registration process is different in every state, but generally it involves filling out an officiant registration form, proving that you're an ordained minister, and paying a small fee. To prove that you’re an ordained minister, these states might ask you to submit copies of your ordination credentials (which include a Letter of Good Standing and your Ordination Certificate). 

 

 

3. Some states require an officiant to register, some don’t 

 

Only some states require a wedding officiant to register with the state government before performing a marriage ceremony. If you are performing a wedding in one of the states listed below, click the state name for step-by-step instructions on how to register there to get a 'license' to marry people (aka, register to officiate). If you’re in a non-registration state, such as Oregon, all you need to officiate a wedding is your minister ordination.

 

List of states that require minister registration to perform a marriage ceremony: 

 

Arkansas

Delaware
District of Columbia (Washington, DC)
Hawaii 

Louisiana
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Nevada
New Hampshire
New York 
Ohio
Puerto Rico
Virginia
West Virginia

 

*State marriage laws can change; please confirm whether or not your state requires minister registration to officiate a wedding here: Officiant Registration by State

 

 

4. Online ordination is all you’ll need to officiate legal weddings in most states

 

Most states do not require a minister to register their ordination paperwork before conducting a wedding ceremony. If the wedding takes place in any state not listed above, all you’ll need is your online minister ordination. 

|* custom-button, "https://theamm.org/ordination-application", "ONLINE ORDINATION APPLICATION" *|

It’s still a good idea to have your ministry credentials on-hand, even in a non-registration state, in case you need to prove your ordination for a future wedding in another state, or to show the wedding couple that you take your role as their officiant seriously. 

 

Related: Can I Officiate Weddings in Other States?

 

 

5. The people you marry will need a marriage license (but that’s their responsibility)

 

One license you’ll definitely need on the wedding day, no matter what, is the marriage license.

 

A marriage license is a government-issued document that makes the couple's marriage official. The license and ceremony form legally binding contract. The marriage license is the form you’ll sign following the ceremony (along with any required witnesses) to confirm that the wedding took place. 

 

Learn more: Witness Requirements on Marriage License (by State)

 

It’s the couple’s responsibility to apply for a marriage license, and to know how much time they have to use their license before it expires (this is called the expiration period).

 

After the marriage license has been signed on the day of the ceremony, it must be returned to the correct office within a set amont of time, determined by the state (this is called the return period). The license must be returned by the newlyweds or the officiant, depending on the state’s laws. 

 

Learn more: What are the Waiting Period, Expiration, and Return? (for Marriage Licenses)

 

 

Let’s recap…

 

You don’t need a license to marry people, but you do need an ordination, and you might need to register with your state as an officiant. 

Visit our Weddings by State page and select your state name to get started!

 

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Signature Wedding Officiant Package

 

Our Signature Wedding Officiant Package includes everything you'll need to successfully officiate a wedding ceremony, including your minister credentials, a step-by-step wedding ceremony guide, and more.

|* custom-button, "https://theamm.org/store/products/signature-wedding-officiant-package", "ORDER YOUR OFFICIANT PACKAGE NOW!" *|

 

 

 

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More Advice on How to Officiate a Wedding

 

• How to Officiate a Wedding For the First Time

 

• A Simple Wedding Script to Use When a Friend Officiates Your Ceremony
   
• Right Before You Step on Stage: A Wedding Officiant’s (Very) Last Minute Checklist
   

Browse all First Time Wedding Officiant articles

 

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Asked to officiate a wedding? 

 

You only get one shot to deliver a perfect wedding ceremony.

 

There’s no ‘take-two’ when it comes time for a couple to say ‘I do’--  Wedding officiants only get one shot to perform a perfect wedding ceremony. Give yourself the tools and training you deserve to succeed as a wedding officiant with AMM's Professional Wedding Officiant Certification Course. Made for professional officiants and friend-officiants alike, so that you can stand beside the lucky couple with complete confidence on their big day. 

 

PROFESSIONAL WEDDING OFFICIANT CERTIFICATION COURSE 

 

 

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