Ministers of Marriage Under Civil Law
Legal Statutes Regarding Ministers Performing Weddings
The following excerpts from the statutes of states within the Greek Orthodox of Denver specify who is considered to be a legitimate "minister" for the performance of weddings according to civil law.
Clergy are required to have two licenses before they can legally or sacramentally marry a couple:
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The civil license, which must be obtained by the bridal couple from the county courthouse, and
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The Episcopal License to Marry, which the priest must obtain from the Metropolitan
Colorado
Marriages may be performed by any ordained or licensed minister. Ministers must send a marriage certificate to the county clerk. A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. For further information contact the County Clerk.
Idaho
Marriages may be performed by priests or ministers of the gospel of any denomination. Ministers must give a marriage certificate to the bride and to the groom. Also, the minister must complete the license and marriage certificate and return it to the recorder who issued it within 30 days after the marriage. For further information contact the County Recorder.
Kansas
Any ordained clergyman of any religious denomination or society might perform marriages. Ministers are required to file credentials of ordination with the judge of a probate court before performing marriages. Minister must return the marriage license and a certificate of marriage to the probate judge who issued the marriage license within 10 days after the marriage. For further information contact the Clerk of the Probate Court.
Louisiana
Ministers of the gospel or priests of any denomination in regular communion with any religious society may perform marriages. Ministers must register with the clerk of the district court of the parish or with the health department if in New Orleans. After performing a marriage, the minister must complete a marriage certificate and return it to the clerk of the district court. For further information contact the Clerk of the District Court.
Missouri
Marriages may be performed by any clergyman who is a citizen of the United States and who is in good standing with any church or synagogue in this state. Ministers must keep a record of all marriages they perform. They must give the couple a marriage certificate and must complete the marriage license and return it to the recorder of deeds within 90 days after the marriage license was issued. For further information contact the Recorder of Deeds.
Montana
Solemnization and Registration:
(1) A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor, city judge, or justice of the peace, by a tribal judge, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination, Indian nation or tribe, or native group. Either the person solemnizing the marriage or, if no individual acting alone solemnized the marriage, a party to the marriage shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the Clerk of the District Court.
(2) If a party to a marriage is unable to be present at the solemnization, he may authorize in writing a third person to act as his proxy. If the person solemnizing the marriage is satisfied that the absent party is unable to be present and has consented to the marriage, he may solemnize the marriage by proxy. If he is not satisfied, the parties may petition the district court for an order permitting the marriage to be solemnized by proxy.
(3) The solemnization of the marriage is not invalidated by the fact that the person solemnizing the marriage was not legally qualified to solemnize it, if either party to the marriage believed him to be so qualified. Ministers of the gospel of any denomination may perform marriages. Ministers must complete and return a marriage certificate to the clerk of the district court within 30 days after the marriage. Also the minister must provide marriage certificates to the bride and groom upon request. For further information contact the Clerk of the District Court.
Nebraska
Any ordained clergyman whatsoever, without regard to the sect to which they belong may perform marriages. Ministers must report marriages they perform to the county judge who issued the marriage license within 15 days after the marriage. Also the minister must provide marriage certificates to the bride and groom upon request. For further information contact the County Clerk
New Mexico
Any ordained clergyman whatsoever, without regard to the sect to which he or she may belong may perform marriages. Ministers must provide the county clerk with a marriage certificate within 90 days after the marriage. For further information contact the County Clerk.
North Dakota
Any ordained minister of any faith who is authorized to perform marriages by his church may do so. Ministers must complete the marriage license and return it to the register of deeds that issued it. Magistrates are the only civil officials with authority to conduct marriage ceremonies in North Carolina. For information contact the Registrar of Deeds Office in the county you are to perform the marriage.
Oklahoma
Solemnization of marriages: All marriages must be contracted by a formal ceremony performed or solemnized in the presence of at least two adult, competent persons as witnesses, by a judge or retired judge of any court of record in this state, or an ordained or authorized preacher or minister of the Gospel, priest or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any denomination who has been duly ordained or authorized by the church to which he belongs to preach the Gospel, or a rabbi and who is at least eighteen (18) years of age. The preacher, minister, priest, rabbi or ecclesiastical dignitary who is a resident of this state shall have filed, in the office of the court clerk of the county in which he resides, a copy of his credentials or authority from his church or synagogue authorizing him to solemnize marriages. The preacher, minister, priest, rabbi or ecclesiastical dignitary who is not a resident of this state, but has complied with the laws of the state of which he is a resident, shall have filed once, in the office of the court clerk of the county in which he intends to perform or solemnize a marriage, a copy of his credentials or authority from his church or synagogue authorizing him to solemnize marriages. Such filing by resident or nonresident preachers, ministers, priests, rabbis or ecclesiastical dignitaries shall be effective in and for all counties of this state; provided, that no fee shall be charged for such recording; but no person herein authorized to perform or solemnize the marriage ceremony shall do so unless the license issued therefore be first delivered into his possession nor unless he has good reason to believe the persons presenting themselves before him for marriage are the identical persons named in the license, and for whose marriage the name was issued, and that there is no legal objection or impediment to such marriage.
South Dakota
Marriages may be performed by a minister of the gospel, or priest of any denomination. Ministers must provide the bride and groom with marriage certificates upon request. Ministers must also keep a record book of all marriages they perform. Finally, the minister must send a marriage certificate to the clerk who issued the marriage license within 30 days after the marriage. For further information contact the Clerk of Courts.
Texas
Ordained Christian ministers and priests; Jewish rabbis and persons who are officers of religious organizations and who are duly authorized by the organization to conduct marriage ceremonies may perform marriages. Ministers must complete the marriage license and return it to the county clerk who issued it within 30 days after the marriage. For questions contact the County Clerk.
Utah
Ministers of the gospel or priests of any denomination who are in regular communion with any religious society may perform marriages. Ministers must provide a certificate of marriage to the county clerk who issued the marriage license within 30 days after the marriage. For further information contact the County Clerk.
Wyoming
Every licensed or ordained minister of the gospel may perform marriages. Ministers must give a marriage certificate to the bride and groom upon request and must return a certificate to the county clerk. For further information contact the County Clerk.