How to get Ordained in Oklahoma to Officiate
Written and reviewed by the wedding law liaison team at the Universal Life Church.
Welcome to the Oklahoma marriage laws guide. Officiating a marriage ceremony is a huge honor, but it will also come with a fair share of responsibility - which is why we've created this page specifically for Universal Life Church ministers and marrying couples. To ensure that everything goes as planned on the big day, we highly recommend that you 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 Oklahoma.
Here are the basic steps one must follow to officiate a wedding:
-
Getting Ordained in Oklahoma
Becoming a marriage officiant with the ULC is simpler than you might think. Our online ordination process is fast and entirely free, because we don't believe there should be big barriers between you and your own beliefs. Legally licensed ministers ordained by the ULC officiate loads of weddings in Oklahoma each year. After you've received your minister license in hand, officiating a wedding is just around the corner! Click the button below to get started.
-
How Do You Perform a Wedding in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, ministers may be asked by county officials to provide proof of their ordination before they are eligible to officiate weddings. Your first step will be to contact the court clerk's office in the county where the ceremony will be performed. Introduce yourself as a minister and ask what documents they'll need to see before you will be permitted to solemnize the marriage. There are a number of items you could be required to show in order to verify your ordination status. However, note that these requirements can and do vary from county to county, so it's always best to contact the office directly to make sure. Any credentials or paperwork you might be asked to present are available for purchase in the Minister Store here on our site.
Select a county to see contact information for each office:
-
Oklahoma Wedding Officiant Requirements
Once you've spoken with county marriage officials, simply visit our website, sign in to your account, and order whatever materials you'd like. Among our more popular items in Oklahoma are the Classic Wedding Set. along with the Official Letter of Good Standing.
In order to get the "go-ahead" from the county clerk, you'll need to have your physical documentation on hand. We'll ship your ordination documents as quickly as we can, but we always recommend placing your order well in advance of the ceremony to avoid complications. You wouldn't want to put the couple in a difficult situation!
-
How to Get a Oklahoma Marriage License
Oklahoma marriage licenses are issued by the Court Clerk's office. While it will be the couple's job to pick up the marriage license, the minister should still have concrete knowledge of the laws regulating marriage licenses in Oklahoma and its individual counties. Let's say for example that the couple is hoping to get a Tulsa County marriage license. This means that you, as the minister, should fully comprehend all of the rules pertinent to marriage in Tulsa County.
In Oklahoma, marriage licenses are valid for 10 days. There is no mandatory waiting period, which means that the couple can get married immediately after receiving the license. Once the ceremony has been completed, the signed marriage license must be returned within 5 days.
Oklahoma's Top Wedding Venue
Rose Briar Place -
How Do You Officiate a Wedding?
Once you have all the paperwork squared away, you're ready to perform the wedding! Don't hesitate to utilize the tools found below to help prepare yourself for the ceremony. These carefully-tailored resources will give you helpful tips and provide insight on all facets of performing a wedding. Created specifically for our wedding officiants, these guides contain all that you'll need to plan and perform the perfect ceremony.
Many ULC ministers have used these same resources for guidance when becoming professional officiants!
-
Signing the Marriage License in Oklahoma
Now there's just one final step - but it's an important one! After performing the wedding, you must sign the marriage license (along with the couple and their two witnesses). Your official title will be "Minister"; for ceremony type, put "Religious", and for denomination, write "Non-Denominational". No license number is required.
Under address of ministry, list your personal ministry or home address. Do not put the address of ULC headquarters. Lastly, remember that the signed license must be turned in to the marriage office before the deadline passes!
Oklahoma Marriage Laws
Oklahoma marriage laws are governed by Chapter 7 of Title 43 of the state code. This section explains who is legally authorized to officiate weddings in Oklahoma; among those with authorization are ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church. The relevant section is displayed below:
43 OK Stat § 43-4 (2019) No person shall enter into or contract the marriage relation, nor shall any person perform or solemnize the ceremony of any marriage in this state without a license being first issued by the judge or clerk of the district court, of some county in this state, authorizing the marriage between the persons named in such license.
View the Oklahoma Statutes on the official government state website.
Is it Legal For You to Perform a Oklahoma Wedding?
Review the Marriage LawWant to Learn More about Ministry in Oklahoma?
Explore the OK OrdinationBecome a Legal Minister Online
Get Ordained Now