Tennessee Officiant Government Registration Requirements
Learn what the marriage officiant registration requirements are in Tennessee. This page covers everything you need to know to legally officiate wedding ceremonies in Tennessee.
5 Useful Officiant Registration Facts
1.
Who can officiate weddings in Tennessee?
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(a) (1) All regular ministers, preachers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other spiritual leaders of every religious belief, more than eighteen (18) years of age, having the care of souls, and all members of the county legislative bodies, county mayors, judges, chancellors, former chancellors and former judges of this state, former county executives or county mayors of this state, former members of quarterly county courts or county commissions, the governor, the speaker of the senate and former speakers of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and former speakers of the house of representatives, the county clerk of each county and the mayor of any municipality in the state may solemnize the rite of matrimony.
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Tennessee Code § 36-3-301
2.
Are online ordained ministers recognized in Tennessee?
Yes. All online ordained ministers, including those ordained through AMM are recognized in Tennessee.
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3.
Am I as the minister officiant required to register with the Tennessee Government?
The Tennessee Government does not license, register, or certify ministers or wedding officiants. Officiant registration is not required in Tennessee to officiate a wedding.
4.
What Tennessee office handles officiant registration?
The Tennessee Government does not have any office that licenses, registers, or certifies wedding officiants.
5.
How old do I have to be to officiate a wedding in Tennessee?
All Wedding Officiants in Tennessee must be at least 18 years old.
What are the Wedding Officiant Registration Requirements in Tennessee?
The State of Tennessee has passed a law (HB0213) that "prohibits persons receiving online ordinations from solemnizing the rite of matrimony." However a Tennessee State Judge has put an injunction on the law before it came into effect. Until the matter is settled in court, which could take several months to a year, persons ordained online can continue to officiate wedding ceremonies.
This means that as of July 1st 2019, online ordained ministers can still officiate weddings in Tennessee.
For more information check out our Tennessee Minister Rights page.
KEEP RECORDS OF YOUR MINISTRY CREDENTIALS
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Local regulations in Tennessee stipulate that wedding officiants under the designation of "Minister" be ordained by a religious organization, such as American Marriage Ministries. While you are not required to register with any government office as a wedding minister, it is a good idea to keep personal copies of your official Ministry Credentials. Proof of your ordination is essential in the event that the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue request to see your ministry credentials.
Order your Tennessee Minister Ordination Package and receive your official ministry credentials for your personal records. 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 minister registration and wedding training information.
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 Tennessee 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.
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.
OFFICIANT GOVERNMENT REGISTRATION BY STATE
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Sample Wedding Ceremony Scripts
Need inspiration? Check out our free ceremony scripts!