Wedding Officiant Requirements by State (2026)
The definitive legal reference: state-by-state rules on ordination, ULC and AMM acceptance, county registration, age requirements, paperwork deadlines, and who can legally marry a couple in the US.
Check Your State's Marriage License RulesIn every US state, a wedding can be legally officiated by an ordained or licensed member of the clergy, a judge or magistrate, a civil official such as a court clerk or a notary in states that allow it, or a friend or family member ordained online through an organization like the Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries. Which of these categories a state recognizes, and what paperwork the officiant has to file, is set by state law and is often narrowed further by the county where the marriage license is issued.
Requirements are not just state-specific, they are frequently county-specific too. Some counties accept any legally ordained person the moment they sign the license; others require the officiant to register in advance with a county office. A handful of places, including Colorado, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, go further and allow couples to self-solemnize their own marriage with no officiant at all (Wisconsin and Kansas allow it only within a religious tradition that recognizes it). This guide covers each category of legal officiant, how registration works, which states allow self-uniting marriages, and the glossary of terms that show up on a marriage license.
Officiant sorted. The marriage license is a separate process.
Who can officiate and how to get your marriage license are handled by two different offices, each with its own fees, waiting periods, and ID rules. See the exact license steps for your state before you show up at the clerk's office.
Legal disclaimer: Marriage law changes frequently and enforcement occurs at the county level, not just the state level. This guide reflects publicly available information current as of September 2026. Always verify requirements directly with the county clerk's office where your marriage license was issued before the ceremony.
Universal Requirements: What Every State Has in Common
While states vary significantly in who they accept as an officiant, six requirements are essentially universal across all 50 states. These are the legal non-negotiables regardless of where you are getting married.
Be an adult (18+ in many statutes)
California (Fam. Code 400) and Delaware (13 Del. C. 106) write 18 into the statute. Elsewhere, check the state's "who may solemnize" section.
Be legally authorized under state law
This means being an ordained minister of a recognized religion, a civil official (judge, magistrate, justice of the peace), or a person specifically authorized under state statute.
Ordination must be from a recognized body
Most states accept any bona fide religious organization. The contested area is non-denominational online organizations like ULC. Check state and county-specific rules.
Sign the marriage license correctly
The officiant must complete their section of the marriage license including their name, title/credentials, and signature. Errors on the license can create complications.
Ensure the license is valid on the ceremony date
Marriage licenses expire. Validity runs from 20 days in South Dakota to 1 year in Nevada, and a few states set no expiry. Confirm the expiration date; a ceremony performed with an expired license may not be legally valid.
Return the signed license within the required timeframe
Filing deadlines vary by state: 10 days in many states, 30 days in Texas, 63 days in Colorado. This is legally the most critical step after the ceremony.
Three Officiant Rules Pulled Straight From State Law
These are the rules that most often trip up a friend who plans to officiate, each checked against the statute or court record in September 2026.
Nevada certificate of permission
Ministers, notaries and other officiants apply to the county clerk for a certificate of permission to perform marriages, with a $25 application fee.
NRS 122.062 to 122.073 ->Delaware officiant age and registry
Delaware lets people over 18 solemnize marriages and requires clergy to register online with the Clerk of the Peace. The registration number goes on every marriage certificate they sign.
13 Del. C. 106 ->Tennessee online ordination ban
Tennessee amended its statute in 2019 to say people receiving online ordinations may not solemnize marriages. A 2022 Sixth Circuit ruling kept a preliminary injunction against only a few local officials, and the case ended in August 2023 with stipulations in which only three district attorneys and one county clerk agreed not to prosecute or challenge ULC marriages.
Universal Life Church Monastery v. Nabors (6th Cir. 2022) ->ULC vs AMM: Which Ordination Is Accepted Where?
The two most widely used online ordination organizations are the Universal Life Church (ULC) and American Marriage Ministries (AMM). They are similar in practice, and state statutes generally treat both the same way: as online ordinations.
Universal Life Church (ULC)
Accepted in most states
Barred by Tennessee statute since 2019 (2023 stipulations bind only a few local officials); ruled insufficient in Virginia in Cramer v. Commonwealth (1974)
Free online ordination
Oldest and best-known online ordaining body, and the one named in most of the court cases on this topic. Some counties within generally accepting states still question online ordinations.
American Marriage Ministries (AMM)
Accepted in most states on the same terms as other online ordinations
Covered by Tennessee's 2019 ban on online ordinations like any other online body
Free online ordination
Focuses its messaging on legal support for officiants and publishes state-by-state guidance. We found no statute that treats AMM differently from ULC, so the same county checks apply before the ceremony.
States With Known Online Ordination Complications or Extra Steps
Virginia
High RiskVa. Code 20-23 lets a circuit court authorize a minister who proves ordination and regular communion with a religious society. In Cramer v. Commonwealth (1974) the Supreme Court of Virginia held that ULC ministers did not meet that test. The safer route for a friend is Va. Code 20-25: the circuit court clerk can issue an order authorizing any person to celebrate a marriage, and may require a bond of up to $500.
Tennessee
High RiskSince 2019, Tenn. Code 36-3-301(a)(2) says people receiving online ordinations may not solemnize the rite of matrimony. In Universal Life Church Monastery v. Nabors (2022) the Sixth Circuit vacated parts of a preliminary injunction and kept it only against a few local officials, and the case ended in August 2023 with stipulations binding only the Rutherford, Hamilton and Putnam district attorneys and the Putnam County clerk, so the ban has not been struck down statewide. Use clergy, a judge or another listed official.
Pennsylvania
Check LocallyPennsylvania has no statewide officiant registration, and 23 Pa.C.S. 1503 lists who may solemnize. We could not verify reports of older county rulings against ULC, so treat online ordination as a question for the Register of Wills or Clerk of Orphans’ Court that issues your license.
Delaware
Process DifferenceClergy and ministers must register with the Clerk of the Peace through an online registry before the ceremony, and the registration number goes on the marriage certificate. Officiants must be over 18, and 2 witnesses aged 18 or older sign the certificate (13 Del. C. 106).
Nevada
Process DifferenceMinisters, notaries and other marriage officiants need a certificate of permission from the county clerk before they can perform marriages, with a $25 application fee (NRS 122.062 to 122.073).
Ohio
Process DifferenceA minister produces ordination credentials to the Ohio Secretary of State and receives a license to solemnize marriages in the state (ORC 3101.10). An out-of-state friend ordained online should apply well before the date.
Ordination, Certification and Licensing, Explained on Video
American Marriage Ministries walks through the difference between getting ordained, getting certified and getting a minister license, which is the same distinction that trips up officiants in Delaware, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia. AMM is an ordaining body, so pair the video with the statute links in the table below.
Source: American Marriage Ministries, "How to Get Certified to Marry Someone: Ordination, Certification, and Minister Licensing Explained"
Every Type of Legally Authorized Officiant
Ordained Religious Clergy
Priests, pastors, rabbis, imams, ministers, and deacons of established religious organizations. Accepted in all 50 states, though Delaware, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia ask clergy to register, get a certificate or get a license before the ceremony.
Judges and Justices
Federal judges, state court judges, and justices of the peace are authorized in all states. Supreme Court justices, circuit judges, district judges, and magistrate judges all qualify. Their civil authority to solemnize marriages derives directly from their office.
Justices of the Peace / Magistrates
Civil officials with authority to perform marriages as part of their official duties. Availability for private ceremonies varies. Contact the local courthouse to inquire about private ceremonies outside official settings.
Notaries Public
Notaries can perform marriages in Florida (Fla. Stat. 741.07), in Maine (notaries get an officiant license with their commission) and in Nevada (with a county certificate of permission). South Carolina allows officers authorized to administer oaths. Arizona, Kansas, Texas and Washington do not list notaries at all.
Online-Ordained Ministers
ULC and AMM ordained ministers are the most common choice for friend/family officiants. Acceptance is broad but not universal: Tennessee bars online ordinations by statute, and Virginia courts have rejected ULC ministers. Always verify with the issuing county clerk before the ceremony.
Self-Solemnization
A handful of places allow couples to legally marry without any officiant. Colorado, Pennsylvania and DC permit self-solemnization, and Wisconsin and Kansas allow it within a religious tradition that recognizes it. The couple signs the marriage license themselves with witnesses. This option is popular for intimate elopements.
How Officiant Registration Works
"Requirements by state" is only half the picture. Registration is frequently administered at the county level, so the same state can behave differently depending on which county clerk issues the marriage license. Here is the general pattern, not a substitute for calling the specific office.
No Advance Registration (Most Counties)
In the majority of US counties, an ordained officiant, whether clergy or online-ordained, does not need to register or file anything before the ceremony. They simply complete and sign their section of the marriage license after the vows.
Pre-Ceremony Registration Required
Some counties require the officiant to file credentials with a specific office before the wedding, such as the Delaware Clerk of the Peace registry, a Nevada county clerk certificate, the Ohio Secretary of State or the New York City Clerk. Missing this step can mean the license is rejected when it is returned for recording.
Temporary or One-Time Officiant Status
A few jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia, let a friend or family member register as a one-time or "temporary officiant" tied to a single couple’s license, with that authority expiring once the license is filed.
Always Confirm With the Issuing County
Rules change and enforcement varies by county even within a permissive state. Before finalizing who will officiate, call or check the website of the specific county clerk’s office where the marriage license itself will be issued.
DC’s temporary officiant process is on the DC Courts Marriage Matters page (accessed 2026); persons authorized to solemnize DC marriages are set out in D.C. Code § 46-406. If your officiant is not a listed category, verify with the county or district clerk first.
States That Allow Self-Uniting Marriage: No Officiant Required
A self-uniting, or self-solemnized, marriage is one where the couple legally marries each other directly, with no officiant signing the license at all. This is not available everywhere; it exists only where a specific state statute permits it. The following states have verified, currently-in-force statutory provisions for self-uniting marriage. Laws can change, so confirm current practice with the county clerk’s office issuing your license before you rely on this option.
ColoradoC.R.S. § 14-2-109
Colorado law explicitly permits the parties to a marriage to solemnize their own ceremony, with no officiant and no witnesses required. Either party (or the officiant, if one was used) must complete and forward the marriage certificate to the county clerk and recorder within 63 days of the ceremony.
Pennsylvania23 Pa.C.S. § 1503
Pennsylvania offers a "self-uniting" marriage license as a distinct license type, historically tied to Quaker meeting-style ceremonies. The couple exchanges vows themselves and, along with two required witnesses, signs the return of marriage; no third party pronounces the couple married. You must specifically request the self-uniting license from the county Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans’ Court that issues it.
WisconsinWis. Stat. § 765.16
Wisconsin permits self-marriage only when the ceremony is carried out in accordance with the customs, rules, and regulations of a religious society, denomination, or sect that recognizes self-marriage, with at least two competent adult witnesses present. It is not a general self-solemnization option open to every couple, so eligibility depends on the couple’s stated religious affiliation.
KansasK.S.A. 23-2504(c)
Kansas lets the two parties marry by their own mutual declarations, without an officiating person, when they follow the customs, rules and regulations of a religious society, denomination or sect that either of them belongs to. Like Wisconsin, it is a religious exception, not a general self-solemnization option.
District of ColumbiaD.C. Code § 46-406; DC Courts self-officiating option
The DC Courts Marriage Bureau offers a self-officiating option on the marriage license application: both partners write their own names in the fields normally reserved for the officiant, and the completed license goes back to the Marriage Bureau after the ceremony, by the deadline shown on the license. Both parties must appear in person when applying for the license.
This is not an exhaustive list of every possible self-marriage exception nationwide. Some states carve out narrow religious self-marriage allowances similar to Wisconsin’s and Kansas’s. If self-uniting matters to your plans and your state is not listed here, verify directly with the county clerk where you would be licensed rather than assuming it is unavailable.
State-by-State Reference Table (22 Key States)
This table covers 22 of the most populated and most commonly asked-about states, each checked against the state statute or clerk page linked in the Source column. For states not listed, read the state's "who may solemnize" statute and ask the issuing clerk, since we have not verified the rest row by row.
| State | Online-ordained friend | Advance step | Notary can officiate | Notes | Source | License rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not needed | None | Not needed | No license or ceremony requirement since 2019. The couple files a signed marriage certificate form with the probate court within 30 days | Ala. Code 22-9A-17 | License rules -> |
| Alaska | Confirm with the state | None in statute | Not listed | Statute lists clergy of a church or congregation in the state, marriage commissioners, judicial officers and elected officials | AS 25.05.261 | License rules -> |
| Arizona | Confirm locally | None in statute | No | Statute lists licensed or ordained clergy and judges only, so notaries cannot officiate | A.R.S. 25-124 | License rules -> |
| California | Confirm locally | None in statute | Not listed | Religious officiants must be 18 or older. Signed license goes back within 10 days | Cal. Fam. Code 400 | License rules -> |
| Colorado | Not needed | None | Not needed | Couples may solemnize their own marriage. Return the certificate within 63 days | C.R.S. 14-2-109 | License rules -> |
| Delaware | Only if registered | Clergy register online with the Clerk of the Peace | No | Officiants must be over 18. Registration number goes on every certificate. 2 witnesses aged 18+ | 13 Del. C. 106 | License rules -> |
| Florida | Confirm locally | None in statute | Yes | Clergy, judges, circuit court clerks and notaries may officiate. 10-day return | Fla. Stat. 741.07 | License rules -> |
| Georgia | Confirm locally | Not confirmed | Check statute | We have not checked this row against the Georgia statute. Ask the county probate court that issues the license | County probate court | License rules -> |
| Illinois | Confirm locally | Not confirmed | Check statute | Officiant returns the certificate to the county clerk within 10 days | 750 ILCS 5/209 | License rules -> |
| Kansas | Confirm locally | None in statute | No | Clergy and judges may officiate, with 2 witnesses over 18. Religious self-marriage allowed | K.S.A. 23-2504 | License rules -> |
| Maine | Confirm locally | Resident non-clergy need an officiant license | Yes | Clergy may officiate whether or not they live in Maine. Notaries get an officiant license with their commission unless they opt out | 19-A M.R.S. 655 | License rules -> |
| Michigan | Confirm locally | None in statute | Not listed | Judges, magistrates, mayors, county clerks and clergy may officiate | MCL 551.7 | License rules -> |
| Nevada | With a county certificate | Certificate of permission from the county clerk ($25 application fee) | Yes, with certificate | Ministers, notaries and other officiants all need the certificate. Licenses expire 1 year after issue | NRS 122.062 | License rules -> |
| New York | Confirm locally | NYC: register with the City Clerk ($15 fee) | Check statute | Officiants in the five boroughs register with the Office of the City Clerk first. Outside NYC, ask the town or city clerk | NYC City Clerk | License rules -> |
| North Carolina | Confirm locally | None in statute | Check statute | The statute sets who may officiate. It does not create a Register of Deeds officiant registration | N.C.G.S. 51-1 | License rules -> |
| Ohio | With a state license | Ministers get a license from the Secretary of State | Check statute | Ministers file ordination credentials with the Secretary of State before officiating | ORC 3101.10 | License rules -> |
| Pennsylvania | Confirm locally | None statewide | Check statute | Self-uniting licenses available. Signed license returned within 10 days | 23 Pa.C.S. 1503 | License rules -> |
| South Carolina | Confirm locally | None in statute | Oath officers only | Only ministers, rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths and recognized Native American spiritual leaders may officiate | S.C. Code 20-1-20 | License rules -> |
| Tennessee | Barred by statute | None found | Check statute | Since 2019 the statute says people receiving online ordinations may not solemnize. The federal challenge ended in 2023 with stipulations binding only three district attorneys and one county clerk | Tenn. Code 36-3-301(a)(2) | License rules -> |
| Texas | Confirm locally | None in statute | No | Clergy, rabbis, authorized religious officers and judges only. No self-solemnization. 30-day return | Tex. Fam. Code 2.202 | License rules -> |
| Virginia | Court order route | Circuit court order (20-23 for ministers, 20-25 for anyone else) | Check statute | Cramer v. Commonwealth (1974) held ULC ministers did not qualify under 20-23. A 20-25 order may require a bond of up to $500 | Va. Code 20-25 | License rules -> |
| Washington | Confirm locally | None in statute | No | Judges, court commissioners, tribal judges and any regularly licensed or ordained minister or similar religious official | RCW 26.04.050 | License rules -> |
Table checked against the linked statutes and clerk pages in September 2026. Rows marked Check statute or Confirm locally were not confirmed. Always verify with your county clerk.
Related Legal Guides
This guide covers legal officiant requirements only. For typical officiant fees and what officiants charge, see our wedding officiant cost guide.
Officiant Paperwork Checklist
Confirm ordination or civil authority is valid in your state
Verify acceptance with the county clerk's office specifically
Complete any required county registration before the ceremony
Obtain a copy of the signed marriage license
Confirm the license expiration date is after the ceremony date
Know the signing requirements (your name, title, address)
Confirm witness requirements (most states: 1 to 2 witnesses)
Know the filing deadline for your state
Know who is responsible for returning the license to the clerk
Order certified marriage certificates when filing (get 3 to 5 copies)
That's the officiant paperwork handled.
The full wedding checklist covers everything else on your legal and planning to-do list: marriage license timing, vendor deposits, RSVP deadlines, and the day-of timeline, all in one free list you can check off as you go.
6 Legal Mistakes That Make a Ceremony Legally Invalid
A ceremony can be emotionally perfect and legally void. These are the most common mistakes that couples and officiants discover after the fact, sometimes not until they try to use the marriage certificate for a name change or benefits claim.
Using an expired marriage license
Marriage licenses have expiration dates, anywhere from 20 days (South Dakota) to 1 year (Nevada) after issuance. A ceremony performed after the expiration date creates no legal marriage. The couple must obtain a new license and either repeat the ceremony legally or sign a new license with the same officiant.
Officiant not registered where required
In Delaware (Clerk of the Peace registry), Nevada (county certificate of permission), Ohio (Secretary of State license for ministers) and New York City (City Clerk registration), officiants must complete a step before the ceremony. If an unregistered friend officiates and the couple later tries to file the license, the clerk may reject it. Verify county requirements well in advance, not the day before.
Missing witnesses when the state requires them
Most states require one or two witnesses to sign the marriage license during the ceremony. If the ceremony ends without witnesses signing, the license is incomplete. This is rarely noticed until someone tries to file or use the certificate.
Officiant signs with wrong title or credentials
The officiant must fill in their section accurately: full legal name, ordination status or official title, and in some states their address and ordaining organization. Sloppy or incorrect entries can cause the clerk to reject the filing.
Nobody files the license after the ceremony
The most common oversight. Everyone assumes someone else is handling it. Designate one person, usually the officiant or a detail-oriented attendant, to be responsible for mailing or delivering the signed license to the county clerk within the required timeframe.
Using an online-ordained friend in Virginia without a court order
The Supreme Court of Virginia held in Cramer v. Commonwealth (1974) that ULC ministers did not qualify under the state minister authorization statute. Instead of relying on an online ordination, the friend can apply to the circuit court clerk for an order under Va. Code 20-25 authorizing them to celebrate the marriage.
Unique Rules in Specific States Worth Knowing
Most states follow the same basic framework, but several have provisions that surprise couples and officiants. These are the most commonly asked-about state-specific rules.
Colorado
Self-solemnization permitted
Colorado is one of a handful of states that allows couples to marry themselves without any officiant. The couple signs the marriage license in front of witnesses and files it. This is popular for intimate elopements and ceremonies in remote locations.
Pennsylvania
Self-uniting marriage license
Pennsylvania offers a self-uniting license, a tradition tied to Quaker ceremonies, where the couple marries themselves in front of two witnesses. There is no statewide officiant registration, and the signed license goes back to the issuing office within 10 days (23 Pa.C.S. 1504).
New York (NYC)
City Clerk officiant registration
Outside of New York City, online-ordained officiants can simply sign the license. Within the five boroughs, officiants register with the Office of the City Clerk before performing a ceremony. This is particularly relevant for destination weddings in Manhattan.
Nevada
County certificate of permission
Nevada requires ministers, notaries and other marriage officiants to hold a certificate of permission from the county clerk, with a $25 application fee (NRS 122). Las Vegas chapels usually supply an officiant who already holds one, which is why the process feels easy for couples. Nevada licenses expire 1 year after issuance.
Texas
30-day filing window, no self-solemnization
Texas Family Code 2.202 limits officiants to Christian ministers or priests, rabbis, officers of a religious organization authorized to conduct ceremonies, and current, former or retired judges. There is no self-solemnization provision. The officiant returns the license within 30 days (2.206), shorter than Colorado's 63 days.
Florida
Notaries can officiate
Florida Statutes 741.07 authorize notaries public, along with clergy, judges and circuit court clerks, to perform marriages. This creates a wider pool of potential officiants, since anyone who is a commissioned notary can legally marry a couple. Useful when a couple wants a professional but non-clergy ceremony with minimal advance planning.
Officiant and Marriage License Glossary
Marriage license paperwork uses legal terms that most couples only encounter once. Here is what the common ones mean.
Solemnize
The legal act of formally performing a marriage ceremony in accordance with state law. "Who may solemnize marriages" is the statutory phrase for who can legally officiate.
Self-uniting / self-solemnized marriage
A marriage where the couple performs the legal act of marrying each other directly, without any third-party officiant signing the license.
Celebrant
A general term for a person who performs a wedding ceremony; sometimes used interchangeably with officiant, and in some jurisdictions refers specifically to a civil official authorized to solemnize marriages.
Clerk of the Peace / Register of Wills / City Clerk
County or city offices that, in certain states, handle officiant registration (Delaware Clerk of the Peace, New York City Clerk) or issue licenses and record them after the ceremony (Pennsylvania Register of Wills).
Temporary officiant
A designation some jurisdictions use for a friend or family member authorized to officiate a single, specific wedding, with that authority expiring once the license is filed.
Marriage return
The completed marriage license, signed by the officiant (or the couple, if self-uniting) and any required witnesses, sent back to the county clerk to be recorded after the ceremony.
Witness
An adult present at the ceremony who signs the marriage license attesting that the marriage took place; most states require one or two.
County clerk
The county office that issues the marriage license before the ceremony and records the signed return afterward; the authoritative source for that county’s specific requirements.
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The Federal Framework: How Officiant Authority Works
Marriage law in the United States is entirely a state matter. There is no federal marriage law and no federal database of authorized officiants. Each of the 50 states defines who may perform a legally recognized marriage ceremony, and each county within a state may impose additional administrative requirements.
The general categories of authorized officiants under state law are: ordained or licensed ministers of any religion, judges and justices of federal and state courts, justices of the peace and magistrates, and in some states (Florida, Maine and Nevada among them), notaries public. Most states also accept online-ordained ministers, though the acceptance of specific ordaining organizations varies.
The critical legal moment in any ceremony is the signing of the marriage license. A beautiful ceremony performed by a beloved friend is legally irrelevant without a properly signed and filed marriage license. The officiant's signature on that document is the act that creates the legal marriage.
After the Ceremony: Filing Requirements and Deadlines
The marriage license must be signed by the couple, the officiant, and in most states one or two witnesses during or immediately after the ceremony. The signed license must then be returned to the issuing county clerk's office within a legally specified timeframe.
Filing deadlines vary by state. California, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania allow 10 days after the ceremony, Texas allows 30 days, and Colorado allows 63 days. Missing the deadline does not void the marriage in most states, but it creates a bureaucratic problem that requires paperwork to correct.
Once filed, the clerk issues a certified marriage certificate, which is the official proof of marriage used for name changes, benefits, insurance, and legal matters. The couple should order at least 3 to 5 certified copies at the time of filing.
- •California: return within 10 days of ceremony (Fam. Code 359)
- •Texas: return within 30 days (Fam. Code 2.206)
- •Colorado: return within 63 days (C.R.S. 14-2-109)
- •Florida: return within 10 days (Fla. Stat. 741.08)
- •Illinois: return within 10 days (750 ILCS 5/209)
- •Pennsylvania: return within 10 days (23 Pa.C.S. 1504)
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Officiant Requirements: Legal FAQs
Straight answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
ULC ordinations are accepted in most US states, but not all. The Supreme Court of Virginia held in Cramer v. Commonwealth (1974) that ULC ministers did not qualify under the state's minister authorization statute, and Tennessee amended Tenn. Code 36-3-301 in 2019 to say people receiving online ordinations may not solemnize marriages, a law still on the books after the federal challenge ended in August 2023 with stipulations that bind only a few local officials. Always verify current acceptance with the county clerk where your marriage license is issued, since enforcement often happens at the county level.
It depends on the state. Most states do not require advance registration; the officiant simply signs the marriage license. A few states do require a step first: Delaware clergy register with the Clerk of the Peace, Nevada officiants need a certificate of permission from the county clerk, Ohio ministers get a license from the Secretary of State, Virginia ministers need a circuit court order, and New York City requires officiants to register with the City Clerk. Check the clerk's office in the county where the license is issued.
The Universal Life Church (ULC) and American Marriage Ministries (AMM) are both non-denominational organizations that ordain people online for free in a few minutes. AMM focuses its messaging on legal support for officiants and publishes state-by-state guidance. We found no statute that treats AMM differently from ULC: Tennessee's 2019 ban covers all online ordinations, so the same county checks apply to both. In Virginia, a court order under Va. Code 20-25 is the route that does not depend on the ordaining body.
After the ceremony, the officiant must sign the marriage license, along with the couple and typically one or two witnesses. The signed license must then be returned to the county clerk's office within the timeframe set by state law: 10 days in California, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania, 30 days in Texas, and 63 days in Colorado. A late filing usually does not void the marriage, but it delays the certified certificate and can carry a penalty for the officiant (Texas treats it as a misdemeanor under Family Code 2.206).
Yes, judges and magistrates are authorized to perform weddings in most states as part of their official duties. Some are willing to perform private ceremonies outside the courthouse; others officiate only at their office. There may be a fee, and availability varies. Contact the local courthouse directly to inquire about private ceremony availability.
Many statutes set 18 as the minimum, including California Family Code 400 for religious officiants and 13 Del. C. 106 in Delaware. We found no state with an upper age limit. Clergy of established religions are accepted in every state, though Delaware, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia still ask them to register, get a certificate or get a license before the ceremony.