How to Become an Ordained Minister in Kansas
The first step to performing a wedding is to become ordained with the Universal Life Church. Anyone willing can become a legal minister of the ULC, one of the world's largest religious organizations. Online ordination is fast, easy, and completely free. You should then obtain your minister license from our store; in many counties this is needed to officiate a wedding. Just click the button below to become a minister!
Congratulations, you're ready to officiate the wedding! If you need any assistance in this important task, we encourage you to utilize the tools below. Together these exclusive resources include everything you'll need to craft the perfect wedding ceremony for any couple. Created with our ministers in mind, they offer tips and helpful information for all aspects of performing a ceremony. Fun fact: many ULC ministers have become professional officiants using these tools as a guide!
Video: How to Perform a Wedding in Kansas
Well, congrats! You're now ready to officiate a wedding in Kansas. More of a visual learner? Check out this in-depth video guide to performing weddings in Kansas! We'll walk you through each step of the process and provide clear action items to ensure you're properly prepared.
Officiant Requirements in Kansas
The Kansas state flower, the Sunflower
Contact District Court Clerk's office in the county where the wedding will take place. Introduce yourself as a minister and ask what documents they will need from you. They may request to see a number of things, and be aware that these requirements vary from county to county. Any materials or documents you might need are available in the Church Supplies section of our website.
The state of Kansas also allows for common law marriages. This is a great option for couples that cohabitate and publicly declare their intention to be married, but want to avoid the hassle and cost of a formal ceremony. The couple simply fills out a Common Law Agreement Form provided by the state and they are considered married in the eyes of the government!
Select your county to view contact information for each office:
How to Get a Kansas Marriage License
Once you've discovered what documentation you will need to officiate in Kansas, you'll want to log in to your account and and visit our online store. The Classic Wedding Kit is the most popular set of documents for officiants in Kansas. Although ministers are generally not required to register here, it's possible the office issuing the marriage license will ask you to show proof of your ordination. At the very least, you might want to show the couple your credential for their peace of mind. Please try to place your order well in advance to avoid any possible complications.
How to Perform a Wedding
Licenses are issued by the District Court Clerk's office, and will be picked up by the couple. As a minister, it's your responsibility to understand how marriage licenses work in Kansas and its individual counties. For example, if the couple plans to get a Kansas City marriage license, you and the couple should double-check if there are any rules specific to Wyandotte County.
In the state of Kansas, the license is valid for 6 months. There is a mandatory 3-day waiting period between the time it is picked up, and when the ceremony can be legally performed. Lastly, the signed marriage license must be returned to the issuing office within 10 days of the ceremony.
Finalizing the Marriage
After you perform the ceremony, you will sign the marriage license along with the couple and their two witnesses. Your title is 'minister', the ceremony type is 'religious', and the denomination is 'non-denominational'. You will not be required to provide a license number. You may also wish to give the couple a commemorative gift, like a marriage certificate to mark their special day. Last thing: make sure the signed license gets resubmitted to the marriage office before the deadline!
Kansas Marriage Laws
Marriage laws in Kansas are primarily directed by Chapter 23, Article 25, Section 4 of the state code. This section defines persons authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Kansas, which includes ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church, among other individuals. We've reproduced the relevant portion below:
23-2504."Solemnizing marriage; persons authorized to officiate. (a) Marriage may be validly solemnized and contracted in this state, after a license has been issued for the marriage, in the following manner: By the mutual declarations of the two parties to be joined in marriage, made before an authorized officiating person and in the presence of at least two competent witnesses over 18 years of age, other than the officiating person, that they take each other as husband and wife. (b)"The following are authorized to be officiating persons: (1)"Any currently ordained clergyman or religious authority of any religious denomination or society; (2)"any licentiate of a denominational body or an appointee of any bishop serving as the regular clergyman of any church of the denomination to which the licentiate or appointee belongs, if not restrained from so doing by the discipline of that church or denomination; (3)"any judge or justice of a court of record; (4)"any municipal judge of a city of this state; and (5)"any retired judge or justice of a court of record. (c)"The two parties themselves, by mutual declarations that they take each other as husband and wife, in accordance with the customs, rules and regulations of any religious society, denomination or sect to which either of the parties belong, may be married without an authorized officiating person.
View the Kansas Statutes on the official government state website.
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