- ULC Ordination Recognized: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: Yes
- State Residency: Irrelevant
- Minimum Age to Officiate: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: None
- Marriage License Validity Period: 65 Days
- Marriage License Return Period: By Expiration
- Documents Recommended: Classic Wedding Kit, Letter of Good Standing
How to Become an Ordained Minister in Connecticut
If you haven't yet become ordained with the Universal Life Church, that is the first step. 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. Once you have your minister license, you'll be eligible to officiate a wedding. To become a minister, start by clicking the button below!
How to Officiate a Wedding in Connecticut
In Connecticut, ministers are required to register before they are eligible to legally solemnize marriages. To do this, contact the County Clerk's office in the county where the ceremony will take place. Introduce yourself as a minister officiating a wedding, and ask them what documents they will need from you. They may ask to see a number of things, and be aware that these requirements vary from county to county. Rest assured that any materials or documents you might need are available in the Church Supplies section of our website.
Select your county to view contact information for each office:
Barkhamsted
67 Ripley Hill Rd.
Barkhamsted, CT 06063
(860) 379-8665
(860) 379-9284
Barkhamsted website »
Beacon Falls
10 Maple Ave
Beacon Falls, CT 06403
(203) 729-8254
(203) 729-8204
Beacon Falls website »
Bethel
Clifford J. Hurgin Municipal Center, 1 School Street
Bethel, CT 06801
(203) 794-8505
(203) 778-7516
Bethel website »
Bloomfield
800 Bloomfield Avenue
Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 769-3507
(860) 769-3547
Bloomfield website »
Bolton
222 Bolton Center Road
Bolton, CT 06043
(860) 649-8066 x 6106
(860) 643-0021
Bolton website »
Bridgeport
45 Lyon Terrace, Room 204
Bridgeport, CT 06604
(203) 576-7081
(203) 332-5608
Bridgeport website »
Bridgewater
44 Main Street South
Bridgewater, CT 06752
(860) 354-5102
(860) 350-2815
Bridgewater website »
Burlington
200 Spielman Highway
Burlington, CT 06013
(860) 673-6789 ext.2
(860) 675-9312
Burlington website »
Canterbury
1 Municipal Drive
Canterbury, CT 06331
(860) 546-9377
(860) 546-9295
Canterbury website »
Chaplin
495 Phoenixville Road
Chaplin, CT 06235
(860) 455-0073 ext 312
(860) 455-0027
Chaplin website »
Colchester
127 Norwich Avenue Suite 101
Colchester, CT 06415
(860) 537-7215
(860) 603-2471
Colchester website »
Colebrook
562 Colebrook Road
Colebrook, CT 06021
(860) 379-3359 ext.213
(860) 379-2342
Colebrook website »
Columbia
323 Jonathan Trumbull Highway
Columbia, CT 06237
(860) 228-3284
(860) 228-2335
Columbia website »
East Granby
9 Center Street
East Granby, CT 06001
(860) 653-6528
(860) 653-4017
East Granby website »
East Hampton
20 East High Street
East Hampton, CT 06424
(860) 267-2519 ext 310
(860) 267-1027
East Hampton website »
East Hartford
740 Main Street - 1st Floor
East Hartford, CT 06108
(860) 291-7230
(860) 291-7238
East Hartford website »
East Lyme
108 Pennsylvania Ave.
East Lyme, CT 06357
(860) 739-6931
(860) 739-6930
East Lyme website »
East Windsor
11 Rye Street Broad
East Windsor, CT 06016
(860) 292-8255
(860) 623-4798
East Windsor website »
Glastonbury
2155 Main Street
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 652-7616
(860) 652-7639
Glastonbury website »
Greenwich
101 Field Point Road,
Greenwich, CT 06830
(203) 622-7700
(203) 622-3767
Greenwich website »
Hartford
550 Main St., Ground Floor, Room 103
Hartford, CT 06103
(860) 757-9690
(860) 722-8041
Hartford website »
Killingworth
323 Route 81
Killingworth, CT 06419
(860) 663-1765 ext. 502
(860) 663-4050
Killingworth website »
Lisbon
Lisbon Town Hall
1 Newent Road
Lisbon, CT 06351
(860) 376-2708
(860) 376-6545
Lisbon website »
Marlborough
26 North Main St.
Marlborough, CT 06447
(860) 295-6200
(860) 295-0317
Marlborough website »
Middlebury
1212 Whittemore Road
Middlebury, CT 06762
(203) 758-2557
(203) 758-2915
Middlebury website »
Middletown
245 deKoven Drive
Middletown, CT 06457
(860) 638-4960
(860) 638-1910
Middletown website »
Monroe
Monroe Town Hall
7 Fan Hill Rd.
Monroe, CT 06468
(203) 452-2811
(203) 452-2253
Monroe website »
Montville
310 Norwich-New London Tpke., Room 5
Montville, CT 06382
(860) 848-6784
(860) 848-9784
Montville website »
New Britain
27 West Main Street, Room 109,
New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 826-3339
(860) 826-3348
New Britain website »
New Hartford
530 Main Street
New Hartford, CT 06057
(860) 379-5037
(860) 379-0614
New Hartford website »
New Milford
10 Main Street
New Milford, CT 06776
(860) 355-6020
(860) 210-2096
New Milford website »
North Branford
909 Foxon Road
North Branford, CT 06471
(203) 484-6015
(203) 484-6025
North Branford website »
North Canaan
100 Pease Street
North Canaan, CT 06018
(860) 824-7313 ext. 106
(860) 824-3139
North Canaan website »
North Haven
18 Church Street
North Haven, CT 06473
(203) 239-5321 x 630
(203) 234-2130
North Haven website »
North Stonington
40 Main Street
North Stonington, CT 06359
(860) 535-2877 ext. 21
North Stonington website »
Old Saybrook
302 Main Street
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
(860) 395-3135
(860) 395-5014
Old Saybrook website »
Plainville
One Central Square
Plainville, CT 06062
(860) 793-0221 Ext. 246
(860) 793-2285
Plainville website »
Rocky Hill
761 Old Main Street
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
(860) 258-2705
(860) 258-2721
Rocky Hill website »
Shelton
54 Hill Street – First Floor
Shelton, CT 06484
(203) 924-1555 ext. 1503
(203) 924-1721
Shelton website »
Sherman
Mallory Town Hall 9 Rt 39 North
Sherman, CT 06784
(860) 354-5281
(860) 350-5041
Sherman website »
South Windsor
1540 Sullivan Ave,
South Windsor, CT 06074
(860) 644-2511 Ext. 226
South Windsor website »
Southington
75 Main Street
Southington, CT 06489
(860) 276-6211
(860) 276-6229
Southington website »
Stamford
888 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 977-4054
(203) 977-4943
Stamford website »
Stratford
2725 Main Street Room 106
Stratford, CT 06615
(203) 385-4020
(203) 385-4005
Stratford website »
Tolland
21 Tolland Green, 5th Level
Tolland, CT 06084
(860) 871-3630
(860) 871-3663
Tolland website »
Torrington
140 Main Street City Hall, 1st Floor
Torrington, CT 06790
(860) 489-2241
(860) 489-2548
Torrington website »
Uncasville
310 Norwich-New London Tpke.
Uncasville, CT 06382
(860) 848-6784
(860) 848-9784
Uncasville website »
Wallingford
45 South Main Street, Room 108
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 294-2145
(203) 294-2150
Wallingford website »
West Hartford
50 South Main St., Room 313
West Hartford, CT 06107
(860) 561-7430
(860) 561-7438
West Hartford website »
West Haven
City Hall
355 Main Street, 1st Floor
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 937-3535
(203) 937-3504
West Haven website »
Westport
110 Myrtle Avenue, Room 105
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 341-1110
(203) 341-1112
Westport website »
Windsor Locks
50 Church Street
Windsor Locks, CT 06096
(860) 292-8696
(860) 292-1121
Windsor Locks website »
Wolcott
Wolcott Town Hall
10 Kenea Avenue,
Wolcott, CT 06716
(203) 879-8100
(203) 879-8105
Wolcott website »
Woodbridge
11 Meetinghouse Lane
Woodbridge, CT 06525
(203) 389-3422
(203) 389-3473
Woodbridge website »
Woodstock
415 Route 169,
Woodstock, CT 06281
(860) 928-6595 ext 320 or 322
(860) 963-7557
Woodstock website »

What Do You Need to Perform a Wedding in Connecticut
Once you've determined what you need, simply log in to your account and order the materials from our online catalog. Based on feedback we've received from our ministers in Connecticut, we recommend getting both a Classic Wedding Kit and a Letter of Good Standing. Also keep in mind that the couple may like to see your ordination credentials. As requested by the county clerks, please place your order well in advance of the wedding to avoid complications.
How to Get a Connecticut Marriage License
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 Connecticut and its individual counties. For example, if the couple plans to get a Fairfield County marriage license, you should double-check if there are any rules specific to Fairfield County. In the state of Connecticut, the license is valid for 65 days and there is no mandatory waiting period before the ceremony can take place. Finally, make sure the couple knows that the signed marriage license must be returned to the issuing office before the expiration date.
How to Perform a Wedding
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!
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!
Connecticut Marriage Laws
Marriage laws in Connecticut are primarily directed by Chapter 815 of the state code. This section defines persons authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Connecticut, which includes ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church, among other individuals. We've reproduced the relevant portion below:
Sec. 46b-22. (Formerly Sec. 46-3). Who may join persons in marriage. Penalty for unauthorized performance.
(a) Persons authorized to solemnize marriages in this state include (1) all judges and retired judges, either elected or appointed, including federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, (2) family support magistrates, state referees and justices of the peace who are appointed in Connecticut, and (3) all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state, as long as they continue in the work of the ministry. All marriages solemnized according to the forms and usages of any religious denomination in this state, including marriages witnessed by a duly constituted Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is, are valid. All marriages attempted to be celebrated by any other person are void.
(b) No public official legally authorized to issue marriage licenses may join persons in marriage under authority of a license issued by himself, or his assistant or deputy; nor may any such assistant or deputy join persons in marriage under authority of a license issued by such public official.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.
(1949 Rev., S. 7306; 1951, S. 3001d; 1967, P.A. 129, S. 1; P.A. 78-230, S. 4, 54; P.A. 79-37, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-316, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4, S. 27, 58; P.A. 06-196, S. 276; P.A. 07-79, S. 5.) History: 1967 act specified validity of marriages witnessed by Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is; P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs., deleted reference to county and reordered and rephrased provisions in Subsec. (a) and substituted "may" for "shall" in Subsec. (b); P.A. 79-37 authorized retired judges and state referees to perform marriages; Sec. 46-3 transferred to Sec. 46b-22 in 1979; P.A. 87-316 applied provisions to family support magistrates; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 07-79 amended Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. designators (1) to (3), revise provisions re persons authorized to solemnize marriages within the state and make technical changes.
Annotations to former section 46-3:
Minister who solemnizes marriage must be "settled in the work of the ministry". 2 R. 382. Ordained deacon performing usual duties of minister held to be authorized. 4 C. 134. A clergyman in performing marriage ceremony is a public officer and his acts in that capacity prima facie evidence of his character. Id., 219. Proof of celebration of marriage raises a presumption of its validity. 85 C. 186; 93 C. 47. In absence of proof of authority of justice of peace, marriage void. 129 C. 432. Our law does not recognize common law marriages. Id. Marriage, deficient for want of due solemnization, voidable. 163 C. 588.