• Prior to the ceremony:
  • Confirm that the couple getting married has obtained their marriage license from a Vermont town/city clerk.
  • Confirm the spelling of names and addresses before completing the Temporary Officiant registration form. Names and physical addresses of parties being married MUST be the same on the marriage license AND temporary officiant registration.
  • Register & pay $100 filing fee to become a temporary officiant prior to the wedding date.
  • After submitting the registration form, you'll receive an email containing two attachments: 1) a receipt for the transaction, & 2) a copy of the registration form and the certificate of authorization.
  • Use this Civil Marriage Checklist as a guide for the rest of the process.
• After the ceremony:
  • After performing the ceremony, the Temporary Officiant needs to sign the marriage license in black ink & return it, along with the marriage license & printed certificate of authorization, to the issuing town/city clerk.

APPLY now to become a temporary officiant!

Pursuant to 18 VSA § 5144a, the Vermont Secretary of State provides temporary authorization for an individual to officiate at specific marriages in Vermont. To officiate a wedding, you must apply and pay a filing fee through our online system for each ceremony you wish to officiate.

Registering as a temporary officiant is just one part of the process of performing a wedding in Vermont. There are specific steps the couple and the officiant need to follow to ensure the ceremony is done accurately and the correct paperwork is obtained and filed with the right officials. The Vermont Department of Health’s Vital Records Department is responsible for marriage records. It has published the Getting Married in Vermont Information Sheet. We recommend reading that publication for answers to common questions. Additionally, the Vermont Department of Health and the relevant town/city clerk can provide guidance to make sure the process goes smoothly.

Please allow 2 business days for corrections.

Legally, we cannot backdate certificates of authorization.

Refund Policy: If you find you no longer need a Temporary Officiant Authorization, this is not eligible for a refund. However, we are able to edit the authorization for use in a future ceremony.

For all change requests please email: sos.temporaryofficiants@vermont.gov