To become a wedding officiant in New Jersey, you need to fit one of the categories listed in N.J.S.A. 37:1-13: a judge or municipal official, a member of the clergy of any religion, a civil celebrant certified by the Secretary of State, or a recognized religious organization acting under its own customs.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions For most people who want to officiate a friend’s or family member’s wedding, that means getting ordained (often online) or applying for civil celebrant certification. There’s no separate state registry to join after you qualify, but there are real duties on the day of the ceremony and in the days after.
Which Route Fits You
The statute is broader than people expect. Judges across the federal, Superior, Tax, administrative law, and municipal courts can officiate, as can county surrogates and clerks, mayors, deputy mayors authorized by the mayor, township committee chairs, and village presidents.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions If you already hold one of those offices, your authority comes with the job and no further step is required.
If you don’t, there are two realistic paths:
- Become a member of the clergy. The statute authorizes “every member of the clergy of every religion,” without specifying how ordination must be obtained. That includes traditional ordination through a seminary or denomination and online ordination through organizations like the Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions
- Become a certified civil celebrant. Under a recent amendment to N.J.S.A. 37:1-13, New Jersey recognizes civil celebrants certified by the Secretary of State, creating a formal secular path with no religious affiliation required.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions
For the celebrant route, contact the New Jersey Secretary of State’s office directly for the current application process and any fees, since program details can change.
Online Ordination and How New Jersey Treats It
Online ordination is the fastest and most common way people become officiants, and New Jersey’s statutory language generally accommodates it. The law authorizes clergy without imposing minimum training or specifying how ordination must happen, and the state does not explicitly prohibit online ordinations.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions Thousands of weddings are performed this way each year.
A few practical steps keep things smooth. Keep a copy of your ordination certificate. If your ordaining organization offers a letter of good standing or a credential letter, request one before the wedding. Some municipal registrars are more familiar with online ordination than others, and having documentation ready prevents delays when the marriage certificate is filed.
The single best thing you can do is call the registrar’s office in the municipality where the ceremony will take place, before the wedding day. Ask whether they accept marriages solemnized by online-ordained clergy and whether they want to see any particular documentation. A five-minute call saves real anxiety later. If you’d rather sidestep the question entirely, the civil celebrant certification through the Secretary of State offers a secular alternative that doesn’t rely on ordination at all.
Civil Celebrant Certification
The civil celebrant pathway is the newest addition to the statute and the most relevant option for someone who wants a non-religious credential. Certification is handled by the Secretary of State. Because the administrative details sit with that office rather than the courts or the Department of Health, the most reliable source for current application steps, documentation, and any fees is the Secretary of State directly.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions
What You Don’t Have to Do, and What New Jersey Doesn’t Offer
New Jersey does not maintain a state registry of approved clergy, and there is no requirement to file ordination credentials with a government office before performing a ceremony. Your ordination documents or celebrant certification serve as your proof of authority if a registrar asks.
Two things worth knowing before you tell a couple you can help:
- New Jersey does not offer a one-day or temporary officiant designation that would let an otherwise unauthorized friend perform a single ceremony. Whoever officiates needs actual authority under the statute.
- The state does not appear to recognize self-uniting marriages. The statute requires an authorized person to solemnize the union, so a couple cannot marry themselves without an officiant.
What the Law Requires of the Ceremony
New Jersey law doesn’t prescribe a script. There’s no mandatory “Do you take this person…” formula, no required vows, no required ring exchange or readings. The legal substance is simple: the couple must express their intent to marry each other in front of the officiant and witnesses. Everything else is up to the couple and you.
The marriage certificate must include the signature and residence of at least two witnesses who were present at the ceremony.2New Jersey Legislature. Bill S4167 – Section 37-1-17 Witnesses must be of legal age. They don’t need any particular relationship to the couple. Confirm in advance that the couple has lined up two people. At an intimate elopement, it’s more common than you’d think for nobody to have thought about this.
After the ceremony, you complete and sign the certificate. Verify every detail before anyone signs: names, date, location, the couple’s signatures, the witnesses’ signatures. Errors on this document cause real problems later when the couple needs certified copies for a name change, insurance, taxes, or an immigration petition.
Filing the Paperwork After the Ceremony
This is the part of the job that is unambiguously yours. The officiant must file the completed marriage license and certificate with the registrar of the municipality where the ceremony was performed.3New Jersey Department of Health. Entering Into a Marriage or Civil Union in New Jersey New Jersey municipal guidance generally indicates this should happen within five business days of the ceremony.
Failing to file does not automatically invalidate the marriage, but the state warns that failure to record the certificate “may cause considerable inconvenience at a later date when proof of certificate is needed.” File promptly and confirm with the registrar that the filing was accepted. After the certificate is recorded, the couple can obtain certified copies from the local registrar or from the State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.3New Jersey Department of Health. Entering Into a Marriage or Civil Union in New Jersey
One more thing you can do for the couple: remind them to apply for the license early enough to clear the mandatory 72-hour waiting period, but not so early that it risks expiring before the wedding. The license is valid for six months, the application fee is $28, and remarriages are exempt from the waiting period if the applicant brings a certified copy of their existing marriage certificate.4Department of Health. Marriage License For weddings planned months out this is a non-issue. Elopements and short-notice ceremonies are where it bites.
Officiating Across State Lines
The statute has no residency requirement for clergy. If you qualify as a member of the clergy under its broad language, you can perform a ceremony in New Jersey regardless of where you live.1Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 37 – Authorization to Solemnize Marriages and Civil Unions Civil officials are different: their authority comes from their office and generally doesn’t follow them outside their jurisdiction.
The reverse matters too. A New Jersey ordination or civil celebrant certification does not automatically transfer nationwide. If you plan to officiate in another state, check that state’s rules separately. Some require out-of-state officiants to register or obtain a temporary certificate before performing a ceremony.