How to Become a Wedding Officiant in West Virginia

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 Officiate a Wedding in West Virginia

Good work on getting through the West Virginia wedding guide – you're all set! We realize that was a lot to read. We've also created a video guide explaining all aspects of performing a wedding in West Virginia. Give it a watch to learn what you'll need to do to prepare for the ceremony and how to ensure all the important boxes get checked!

How to Get a West Virginia Marriage License

Once you've determined what you need, simply log in to your account and order the materials from our online catalog. Because ministerial registration is required in West Virginia, the Secretary of State may ask you to present proof of your ordination.

To allow for a smooth registration process, ministers in West Virginia should order an Ordination Credential Kit along with a Letter of Good Standing. Please try to place your order well in advance of the wedding to avoid complications.

How to Perform a Wedding

Licenses are issued by the County 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 West Virginia and its individual counties. For example, if the couple plans to get a Lewis County marriage license, you should double-check if there are any rules specific to Lewis County.

In the state of West Virginia, the license is valid for 60 days. There is a mandatory 2-day waiting period between the time the license application is submitted, and when the ceremony can be legally performed. Lastly, please note that the signed marriage license must be returned to the issuing office before the sixth day of the month after the month in which the marriage was celebrated.

Select a county from the drop-down menu below to find the address and contact details for the local county clerk's office. In addition to issuing marriage licenses, they can be a valuable resource for ministers preparing to officiate weddings in the area.

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!