Temporary Officiant Registration

The Secretary of State is aware of scam activity targeting Justices of the Peace. If you receive unsolicited, unsubstantiated requests for wedding assistance or receive a check for more than the amount of your services contact the Office of the Attorney General at AGO.CAP@vermont.gov. You may also want to verify that the wedding is actually occurring by contacting the wedding venue independently.

Did you know that you can officiate a wedding in VT? The process is simple:

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.

Becoming a Temporary Officiant:

• Prior to the ceremony:
  • Confirm the spelling of names and address(es) of parties before completing the registration form. Names and addresses (physical addresses) of parties being married MUST be the same on the marriage license AND the temporary officiant registration.
    Note: we can make corrections, but they can take up to 2 business days to complete.
  • Register & pay $100 filing fee to become a temporary officiant prior to the wedding date.
    Note: legally, we cannot backdate certificates of authorization.
  • Upon submitting the registration form, an e-mail will be sent to the address designated on the registration form 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 (see sample ceremony here) 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!

Steps for the couple getting married:

• Prior to the ceremony:
  • The couple getting married must get their marriage license from a Vermont town/city clerk before the ceremony.

For certificate of authorization change requests (name(s), addresses, date of ceremony, etc.) please e-mail: sos.temporaryofficiants@vermont.gov

Additional Information:

Contact us: sos.temporaryofficiants@vermont.gov, (802) 828-2363.

Vermont Secretary of State staff is able to assist during regular business days/hours: Monday through Friday, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm. We are closed on weekends and state holidays.

Refund Policy: If you discover you no longer need a Temporary Officiant Authorization in order to officiate a wedding, this is not eligible for a refund, and we are unable to process this request. However, we are able to edit the authorization to reflect use for a future ceremony.