To become a wedding officiant in Maine, the fastest path is getting ordained online through a recognized ministry, which Maine law accepts as full authority to perform marriages with no state registration and no fee. If you’d rather not go the religious route and you live in Maine, you can apply for a marriage officiant license from the Secretary of State for $25. Either way, you’re also on the hook for a few specific ceremony and filing duties that make the marriage legally valid.
Get Ordained Online (The Fastest Path)
Maine’s marriage statute authorizes any “ordained minister of the gospel” to perform marriages, whether or not they live in Maine and whether or not they are a U.S. citizen. The law doesn’t dictate how ordination has to happen, and the state’s own temporary officiant application tells ordained ministers directly that they already have authority “even if credentials were obtained online” and do not need a certificate from the state.1Maine Department of Health and Human Services. State of Maine Temporary Officiate Application
Several organizations, including the Universal Life Church and American Marriage Ministries, offer free online ordination that takes a few minutes to complete. Once ordained:
- You must be at least 18.2Maine Secretary of State. Marriage Officiant Information
- You don’t file your credentials with any Maine office, but keep a copy of your ordination certificate. Venues and couples often ask to see it.
- Residency doesn’t matter. You can live anywhere and still officiate a Maine wedding.3Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties
The same statutory category also covers clerics serving their religious body and individuals licensed to preach by a religious seminary or association of ministers.
Apply for a Marriage Officiant License
If you’re a Maine resident who prefers a secular credential, the marriage officiant license from the Secretary of State is the route to take. This license replaced the old notary-based officiant authority. As of July 1, 2023, Maine notaries public no longer have authority to perform weddings on that basis alone.3Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties
Eligibility and Cost
To qualify, you must be at least 18, a Maine resident, and able to read and write in English.4Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 90-G – Marriage Officiant License The application is on the Secretary of State’s website and costs $25. Processing runs 10 to 15 business days, so don’t wait if a wedding date is already on the calendar.2Maine Secretary of State. Marriage Officiant Information
How Long the License Lasts
A marriage officiant license runs for seven years. The Secretary of State sends an expiration notice at least 30 days before it lapses, but if you don’t renew before the expiration date, your authority to officiate ends immediately and stays ended until a new license is issued. Missing the notice doesn’t buy you extra time.5Maine Secretary of State. Marriage Officiant Rules
If You’re Already a Maine Notary
Active notaries were automatically issued a marriage officiant license on July 1, 2023 for the remaining term of their notary commission, unless they opted out. If you opted out, or you were commissioned as a notary after that transition, you have to submit a separate marriage officiant application and pay the $25 fee. Notary commissions renewed after the transition automatically renew the officiant license too, unless you decline on the renewal form.6Maine Secretary of State. FAQs For New Marriage Officiant Licensing
Other People Maine Recognizes
Two more categories can officiate in Maine without going through either path above. Maine residents who are justices, judges, or attorneys admitted to the Maine Bar are authorized under the statute. And someone who lives outside Maine and holds secular marriage authority in their home state (a notary in a state that allows notaries to officiate, for example) can apply for a one-time temporary registration certificate from Maine’s Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics.3Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties
The temporary certificate requires proof of authority from your home state, a copy of the statute granting it, the names and residences of the couple, the expected ceremony date, and a $100 fee payable to the Treasurer, State of Maine. It covers only the single wedding listed on the application and expires when you sign the license or 90 days after issuance, whichever comes first.3Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties Ordained ministers living outside Maine do not need this certificate.1Maine Department of Health and Human Services. State of Maine Temporary Officiate Application
What You Have to Do at the Ceremony
Before the wedding, check the couple’s marriage license. They obtain it from a municipal clerk, and Maine has no waiting period between issuance and the ceremony. The license is valid for 90 days and can only be used within Maine. Confirm both parties signed it and that your ceremony date falls inside the 90-day window.
During the ceremony itself, Maine law requires two things: the couple must make a formal declaration of intent to marry, and you must pronounce them married.7Maine Department of the Secretary of State. Performing a Marriage Ceremony in Maine Everything else, vows, readings, format, is up to you and the couple.
Two witnesses must be present and sign the license. You can’t serve as one of them. All signatures must be in black ink.7Maine Department of the Secretary of State. Performing a Marriage Ceremony in Maine
After the ceremony, complete the officiant section. Print or type everything except signatures. You’ll enter the date and location of the marriage, your signature, your title (ordained minister, marriage officiant, and so on), your printed name, and the date of your ordination or commission.7Maine Department of the Secretary of State. Performing a Marriage Ceremony in Maine
Return the License Within Seven Days
This is where officiants most often trip. You are responsible for returning the completed marriage license to the clerk of the municipality that issued it, and the statutory deadline is seven days after the ceremony. You can mail it or hand-deliver it.3Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties
Until the license is filed, the marriage may not show up in official records, which can hold up name changes, insurance, tax filings, and property transactions. A late return gets flagged as a late filing in the vital records system.
What Happens If You Officiate Without Authority
Maine treats unauthorized solemnization as a criminal matter. The State Registrar of Vital Statistics enforces the officiant requirements and, when a violation is found, must refer the matter to the district attorney in the county where it occurred. The district attorney is then required to prosecute.8Maine State Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A 655 – Authorization; Penalties The statute doesn’t set a specific fine, but the referral means criminal charges are on the table.
The Secretary of State can also deny, suspend, or revoke a marriage officiant license if the holder fails to comply with any part of Maine’s marriage chapter or the Secretary of State’s rules.4Maine Legislature. Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 90-G – Marriage Officiant License If you’re licensed, missing the seven-day filing deadline or officiating after your license has lapsed can put your credential at risk.