how to become an ordained minister in ohio

This part is important: Ohio ministers must submit marriage applications at the state level, to the Marriage Licensing office at the Secretary of State. So, your next step would be to contact them or visit their office to learn what documentation they'll need. The address for the Marriage Licensing Office is located at:

Ohio Secretary of State Minister's License
P.O. Box 1658
Columbus, OH 43216

and the phone number to reach the office is (614) 728-9200.

Select your Clerk or Recorder to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.

3 How to Register as an Officiant in Ohio

Once you've contacted the marriage licensing office to get more information, you should head over to the Church Supplies section to order any necessary documents or materials. The state of Ohio has stricter minister registration rules than almost every other state in the country. In Ohio, every ordained minister needs to register with the Secretary of State before she or he will be permitted to legally perform a wedding.

Please note that only the official documents included in the Classic Wedding Package will satisfy these requirements. That's why we urge our ministers to order that package, as well as a Letter of Good Standing to be sure that their ordinations will be accepted by the Ohio authorities. Shipping times can vary, so please order documents well in advance of the wedding (at least 3 weeks prior is our recommendation) just to be safe.

4 How to Officiate an Ohio Wedding

Ohio's Top Wedding Spot

A lakeside ceremony at a Lake Erie winery

Don't worry, we're almost done with the legal stuff! The last thing to be aware of, as the officiant, is rules governing marriage licenses. A few tips:

Double check that the wedding couple has an Ohio marriage license before the ceremony.
In Ohio, marriage licenses expire 60 days after they are issued, so it needs to be used before that date. There is no waiting period assessed.
Officials need the signed and completed marriage license to be returned to them within 30 days of the ceremony.

Whew, okay we made it. With all those items checked off the list, you can now focus your energies on the wedding itself! Performing a marriage ceremony is a tremendous honor, and the ULC wants to ensure its ministers feel supported with the resources and tools they need to make sure everything goes smoothly. On that note, please explore the Wedding Training Center here on our website for pointers and assistance. If you've already got the basics down, consider books like this in-depth wedding ceremony guide, available in our online catalog.

5 Important Ohio Wedding Tips

Wedding officiants in the Buckeye State should bear in mind a few things when preparing to perform a ceremony. There are countless beautiful places to get married in Ohio, both in the larger cities such as Columbus and in the countryside. Lakeside weddings on Lake Erie and barn weddings are popular for large or small gatherings. If the ceremony will be at an outdoor wedding venue, know that the summer months can get a bit humid and warm so you may want to consider a short-sleeve clergy shirt to remain comfortable. Due to this, most couples prefer to set a date in late spring or early fall.

How much should an officiant charge for weddings in Ohio? That depends on a number of factors, including the officiant's experience level, need to travel, how involved they will be in the process, and how well they know the couple. Obviously, performing a ceremony for close friends or family may alter the equation, and some officiants choose to simply gift their ceremony services to the couple as it is an honor to be asked to preside over the event. However, if an officiant is being asked to perform a ceremony they would not otherwise be attending, most will want some reimbursement to the tune of at least $150 or more, depending on how much effort and travel is involved.