Minnesota Officiant Government Registration Requirements

The Minnesota Statutes § 517.04 requires that all wedding officiants must register with a county level government office before performing marriage. Depending on the county, you might register with the County Clerk, County Land Records & Vitals Department, Department of Licensing, County Treasurer, County Recorder, or County Auditor, to name a few.  Generally these offices will be located within or near the County Courthouse. 

 

It is important to note that getting registered in one county gives you the authority to perform marriage anywhere in Minnesota. You do not have to register in the same county where the wedding will be taking place. However, you will need to write the name of the county where you are registered on each marriage certificate you complete.

 

There is also another twist in Minnesota that is important to take into account. The officiant must be at least 21 years of age. (Every other state in the country has the minimum age set to 18.) Good to know! 

 So to reiterate: There is no dedicated county office that handles civil marriage officiant registration in Minnesota. The type of office that is charged with minister registration varies from county to county. It is usually the same office that issues the marriage license to the couple. 
 

This office is typically located in the County Courthouse. Below are the most likely offices that handle minister registration:

 

• County Clerk
• Department of Licensing
• County Treasurer
• County Recorder
• County Auditor

 

For more specific registration steps you will need to contact the appropriate county office. Check out Minnesota Official Marriage System should provide more information on which office you need to contact. BTW the acronym is "MOMS", isn't that Minnesota nice?

 

B. ALL OFFICIANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE

 

Minnesota is the only state where the minister must be at least 21 years old before they are legally able to perform marriage. In every other state the minimum age is 18. Why does Minnesota require Wedding Officiants to be at least 21 years old? We have no idea. This might not be an issue for you but it is worth mentioning.

 

How To Register as a Wedding Officiant in Minnesota

 

Since minister registration is done at a county level in Minnesota, the cost to file may vary from county to county. You will need to submit: 

 

1. A Certificate of Filing Form for Marriage Officiant (Either in person or by mail)
2. Application Fee (Between $30 and $100)
3. Government ID

 

You are not required to submit your Ministry Credentials with the State of Minnesota. However, it is good practice to keep official copies for your own records. 

Proof of your ordination is essential in the event that the couple or government officials request to see proof of your ordination.

We encourage you to order your Minnesota Minister Ordination Package to keep official copies of your ministry credentials. Your package includes your official Ordination Certificate and Letter of Good Standing. Your Letter of Good Standing is signed by a church officer, dated, and notarized. Your Minister Ordination Package also includes your AMM Minister's Manual, a valuable resource for guidance on how to officiate weddings.

ORDER NOW

Continue reading for step-by-step instructions on how to successfully register 
as a wedding officiant in Minnesota.
 

 

STEP 1FIND OUT WHERE YOU NEED TO REGISTER

To register as an officiant, you’ll first find out which county office you need to contact. We recommend you start by contacting the office that issues the marriage license to the couple. They will probably be the office you need to register with, and if they are not they can point you in the right direction. 

STEP 2COMPLETE THE CERTIFICATE OF FILING FORM FOR MARRIAGE OFFICIANT

Depending on the county, you may have the option to complete a Certificate of Filing Form for Marriage Officiant either in person, by visiting the county office, or by submitting the form by mail. If you complete the form in the office, you must sign it in front of a staff member. If you submit the form by mail, it must be notarized. 

We recommend you contact the county office directly to see which of these options are available for your location.

 

Note: The Certificate of Filing Form will ask for an address. You should use your personal home address when completing the form. 

 

STEP 3SUBMIT AND PAY FOR YOUR OFFICIANT APPLICATION

Review and confirm all of the information you have written on the form. At the time of filing, you will be asked to pay a fee between $30 to $100.

 

Some counties may accept payment by check when submitting a form by mail; others may require in-person payment by credit or debit card. Contact your local county office with any questions about how to pay.

 

STEP 4APPROVAL OF YOUR MARRIAGE OFFICIANT APPLICATION

Provided there are no complications your application should be approved within a few days.

 

As soon as the county registrar's office gives you the green light, you will have the authority to perform marriage anywhere in Minnesota.

Start Preparing for the Wedding Ceremony

Your next step is to learn how to officiate a wedding ceremony. If you have no experience, you are in good hands. Our Minnesota Wedding Officiant Preparation Guide covers all aspects of how to prepare for a wedding ceremony.

You will learn everything from the format for a wedding ceremony, the names of the ceremony parts, how to write a wedding ceremony, and more.

PREPARE FOR THE MINNESOTA WEDDING CEREMONY

Use Our AMM Wedding Helper

If the process of planning, scripting, and performing a wedding is daunting, then you need our Wedding Helper suite of tools.

We have distilled years of experience into an easy-to-use platform with training materials, quizzes, a personalized ceremony script generator, and tips to prepare you for performing marriage, all accessible through your minister profile.

That's only the beginning. After the wedding, you can share your wedding on the AMM Wedding Wall with our nationwide network of ministers.