5 Essential Facts to Know Before Officiating a Wedding in Washington
The facts below cover all the important aspects of what requirements you need to meet to be able to legally officiate a wedding ceremony in Washington.
1.
Who Can Officiate Weddings in Washington?
This is the relevant exerpt from the Revised Code of Washington § 26.04.050.
" The following named officers and persons, active or retired, are hereby authorized to solemnize marriages, to wit: Justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, judges of the superior courts, supreme court commissioners, court of appeals commissioners, superior court commissioners, any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest of any church or religious denomination, and judges of courts of limited jurisdiction as defined in RCW 3.02.010. "
Basically, this means that as long as you are ordained through any church, you can officiate weddings.
2.
Are Online Ordinations Recognized in Washington?
Yes. All online ordained ministers, including those ordained through AMM are recognized in Washington.
Get Ordained Now
3.
Is Government Registration Required to Officiate a Wedding in Washington?
The Washington Government does not license, register, or certify ministers or wedding officiants. Officiant registration is not required in Washington to officiate a wedding.
4.
What Office Do I Register with Before Officiating a Wedding in Washington?
The Washington Government does not have any office that licenses, registers, or certifies wedding officiants.
5.
What is the Minimum Legal Age to Officiate a Wedding in Washington?
All Wedding Officiants in Washington must be at least 18 years old.
Preparing to Officiate a Wedding in Washington
As there is no officiant registration required in Washington, once ordained your next step is to start preparing to officiate the wedding. If you have not officiated a wedding before, or it has been a while, check out our Washington Officiant Ceremony Preparation page.
PREPARE FOR THE WASHINGTON WEDDING CEREMONY