How to get Ordained in Nebraska to Officiate
Written and reviewed by the wedding law liaison team at the Universal Life Church.
Welcome to the Nebraska marriage laws guide. Officiating a wedding can be an incredible honor, but presiding also comes with plenty of responsibility. For that reason, we've created this helpful page to provide guidance to both couples and ordained ministers alike. In order to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible on the big day, we encourage you to follow the guide below. It will explain how to become a wedding minister, how to marry someone, and how to make sure the ceremony is legal in Nebraska.
Here are the basic steps one must follow to officiate a wedding:
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Getting Ordained in Nebraska
It's easier than you might think to become a marriage officiant with the Universal Life Church. Our online ordination process is straightforward, fast, and entirely free. Legally licensed ministers of the ULC perform innumerable marriages each year. Once you have your minister license in hand, officiating a wedding is just right around the corner! Simply click on the button below to get started.
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How Do You Perform a Wedding in Nebraska
First of all, you'll need to contact the marriage licensing office in the county where the wedding will be performed. Identify yourself as a minister and ask what documents the officials will need to be provided with. You may be asked to show several items to verify your ordination status. Be aware, however, that these requirements often vary from county to county so it's best to contact your local officials beforehand. Any documents or materials you may require are available in the Minister Store here on our website.
Select a county to see contact information for each office:
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Nebraska Wedding Officiant Requirements
Once you've spoken with your county's marriage officials, simply visit our website, sign in to your account, and order whatever materials you'll need via our online catalog. Most ministers in Nebraska choose to order a Classic Wedding Set and Official Letter of Good Standing.
Generally in Nebraska, ministers are not required to register. That being said, however, it's not uncommon for the county clerk to ask for proof of your ordination before giving the "go-ahead" to perform marriage ceremonies. In addition, it gives the couple peace of mind knowing that their wedding minister has all the official documents, like their ordination certificate, on hand. As requested by county officials, please order your materials well in advance of the wedding ceremony.
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How to Get a Nebraska Marriage License
Marriage licenses in Nebraska are issued by the county clerk's office. Although it is the couple's job to pick up the marriage license, it helps if the minister has a solid understanding of the rules governing marriage licenses in Nebraska and its individual counties. Let's say the couple is planning to get a Douglas County marriage license, for example. As the minister, it would be wise to double-check if there are any specific rules for getting married in Douglas County of which the couple might not be aware.
In Nebraska, marriage licenses are valid for 1 year. There is no established mandatory waiting period before the ceremony can be performed legally. Once the ceremony has been completed, the signed marriage license must be returned within 15 days.
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How Do You Officiate a Wedding?
As soon as all the paperwork is in order, you're ready to perform the wedding! If you need any guidance in this area, don't hesitate to utilize the tools found below. The carefully-tailored resources provide helpful tips and information on all aspects of performing a wedding ceremony specifically for Universal Life Church officiants. Constructed specifically with our wedding officiants in mind, they contain everything you'll need to plan the perfect wedding ceremony.
Many ULC ministers have used these same resources for guidance when becoming professional officiants!
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Signing the Marriage License in Nebraska
Last but not least, after performing the wedding, you, the couple, and the couple's witnesses must sign the marriage license. Your official title will be "Minister"; for ceremony type, put "Religious", and for denomination, write "Non-Denominational".
For the address of ministry, put your personal ministry or home address. Do not put the main address of the ULC's office. Also please note that you will not require any sort of a minister license number. Finally, remember that the signed license must be turned in to the marriage office before the deadline passes!
Nebraska Marriage Laws
Nebraska marriage laws are governed by Chapter 42 of Title 108 of the code of Nebraska. This section explains who is legally authorized to officiate weddings in the State of Nebraska. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church are among those with authorization. The relevant section is displayed below:
42-106. License issued by county clerk; contents; marriage record; forms.
When an application is made for a license to the county clerk, he or she shall, upon the granting of such license, state in the license the information contained in the application as provided in section 42-104. The license shall, prior to the issuing thereof, be entered of record in the office of the county clerk in a suitable book to be provided for that purpose.
View the Nebraska Statutes on the official government state website.
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