To get ordained in New Hampshire to officiate a wedding, you receive ordination from a recognized religious denomination and, so long as you live in New Hampshire and remain in good standing, you can perform ceremonies without registering with the state. New Hampshire is unusual on this point: most states require some form of registration, and New Hampshire does not.1New Hampshire Secretary of State. Special Marriage Officiant Licenses
If ordination isn’t the right fit, there are two other paths worth knowing about before you commit: an $85 one-time license for any individual, and a $25 special license for out-of-state ministers. Both come from the Secretary of State.
Getting Ordained as a New Hampshire Resident
The statute requires that you be “ordained according to the usage of” your denomination. In practice, that means the ordaining body needs to be a legitimate religious organization capable of verifying your credentials if a town clerk or the Secretary of State asks. Many people get ordained through online ministries, which typically issue credentials at no cost.
New Hampshire does not maintain an approved list of denominations, so no one from the state is going to pre-clear your ordination. What matters is that you can produce documentation on request. When your ordination comes through, save the certificate and any letter of good standing. You may need to show them to the town clerk when you return the signed marriage license.
Three things have to be true for a resident minister to officiate without a state license:
- You have been ordained by your denomination.
- You live in New Hampshire.
- You are in good standing with the ordaining body.
Meet all three and you can officiate anywhere in the state without filing anything with the Secretary of State.2New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 457-31 – Solemnization of Marriage
If You’d Rather Not Get Ordained
You don’t have to be ordained to officiate in New Hampshire. Any individual can apply to the Secretary of State for a special marriage officiant license, pay $85, and perform one specific wedding.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 457-32-b – Special Marriage Officiant License No religious credentials required. This is the route most friends and family members take when a couple asks them to officiate.
The license authorizes that ceremony only. If you’re asked to officiate again later, you apply and pay again.
If You Live Out of State
Out-of-state ministers, whether ordained or not, can apply for a special license to perform a single ceremony in New Hampshire. The fee is $25, and you submit a copy of your ordination documentation with the application.1New Hampshire Secretary of State. Special Marriage Officiant Licenses Out-of-state individuals who are authorized to perform marriages in their home state fall under the same $25 category.
One exception: if you live outside New Hampshire but your pastoral charge is partly or entirely within the state, you can perform ceremonies within your parish without a special license.2New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 457-31 – Solemnization of Marriage
How to Apply for a Special License
Both the $85 individual license and the $25 out-of-state license go through the Secretary of State. You have two ways to file:
- Online through the Secretary of State’s QuickStart system, paying by credit card. This is the faster option.
- By mail to New Hampshire Secretary of State, State House, Room 204, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301-4989, with a check or money order payable to “State of New Hampshire” and any ordination documentation.1New Hampshire Secretary of State. Special Marriage Officiant Licenses
The form asks for the couple’s full legal names and addresses along with your own contact information and, if you’re applying as a minister, your ordaining body and date of ordination. The couple’s names should match their marriage license application exactly. Apply well before the wedding date, especially if you’re mailing the paperwork.
What You Do After the Ceremony
Once the couple has said their vows, you complete the officiant section of the marriage license, sign it, and fill in the date and location. New Hampshire does not require witnesses on the license.
You then have six days to return the completed marriage license to the town or city clerk that issued it.4Concord, NH – Official Website. Marriage Licenses If the Secretary of State issued you a special license, return that document with the marriage license. Missing the six-day window can delay the couple’s certified copy, which they’ll need for name changes, insurance, and anything else that depends on proof of marriage.
Penalty for Officiating Without Authority
Performing a marriage ceremony without proper authority is a misdemeanor.5New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 457-35 – Penalty for Solemnization by Unauthorized Person Because the statute doesn’t specify a class, the offense is presumed to be a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a fine but no jail time.6New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 625-9 – Classification of Crimes Beyond the criminal penalty, a ceremony performed by an unauthorized officiant can raise questions about the validity of the marriage, and the town clerk may refuse to record the license.
Confirm your credentials before the wedding. For residents, that means checking that your ordination is current and that you can produce documentation. For everyone else, it means having the special license in hand before the ceremony.