Michigan Wedding Laws
As a location for a wedding, Michigan has a lot to offer. There are over 16,000 square miles of largely untouched wilderness in the upper peninsula and over 3,000 miles of freshwater coastline statewide, not to mention fall colors almost everywhere you go in autumn. Another advantage is that marriage laws in Michigan are relatively easy to understand. The following guide can make it even easier for you and your minister to be sure that you are in compliance.
Michigan Marriage Requirements
- Min. Age of Couple:
- Age 18 or Age 16 with Guardian Consent
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Min. Distance of Kin Allowed:
- Second Cousins
- Marriage Equality:
- Yes
Like other states, Michigan forbids incestuous unions. However, it frames this in an odd and unnecessarily sexist way, forbidding women from marrying their sons, fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, nephews, and just about any other male relative you can imagine, including first cousins. Michigan's law has not yet been updated to remove the stricture against a woman marrying "any other woman," but fortunately, it doesn't matter because that provision was overridden by the 2015 Supreme Court decision affirming marriage rights for all same-sex couples across the country, including in Michigan.
Michigan is also similar to other states in prohibiting minors from getting married. Typically, you must be at least 18 to consent to get married, but an exception can be made for those ages 16 or 17 whose parent or legal guardian has given consent in writing.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 551.51 Age of consent; effect of act on powers of probate judge.
Sec. 1.
A marriage in this state shall not be contracted by a person who is under 16 years of age, and the marriage, if entered into, shall be void. This act shall not prohibit probate judges from exercising their powers to perform marriages as provided by Act No. 180 of the Public Acts of 1897, being sections 551.201 to 551.204 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 551.101 Marriage license; requirements; place to obtain, delivery to person officiating.
Sec. 1.
It shall be necessary for all parties intending to be married to obtain a marriage license from the county clerk of the county in which either the man or woman resides, and to deliver the said license to the clergyman or magistrate who is to officiate, before the marriage can be performed. If both parties to be married are non-residents of the state it shall be necessary to obtain such license from the county clerk of the county in which the marriage is to be performed.
Mich. Comp. Laws § 551.4 Incapacity; persons woman prohibited from marrying.
Sec. 4.
A woman shall not marry her father, brother, grandfather, son, grandson, stepfather, grandmother's husband, daughter's husband, granddaughter's husband, husband's father, husband's grandfather, husband's son, husband's grandson, brother's son, sister's son, father's brother, mother's brother, or cousin of the first degree, or another woman.
How to Get a Michigan Marriage License
- Who Picks Up License:
- The Couple
- Where License is Valid:
- County of Issuance
- Marriage License Pick-Up:
- In Person Only
- Cost of License:
- $20 + Fees by County
- Accepted I.D. Types:
- Driver's License, or State-Issued ID and Birth Certificate
- Proof of Divorce Required (If Applicable):
- Varies by County
- Blood Test Required:
- No
Specific licensing requirements vary by county, so these should be confirmed before you apply. If neither you nor your spouse-to-be lives in Michigan, you can apply for your license in the county where the wedding will take place. Otherwise, you can apply in the county where you live, and if you live in different counties, the choice between the two is up to you. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some counties are allowing couples to apply through the mail or online.
In any case, the base fee is $20, while in some counties, additional fees may apply. In addition to the information you provide in your application, you must prove your age with a birth certificate and state-issued identification, such as a driver's license. There are no blood tests required but, if applicable, you may have to provide proof of prior divorce. A parent wishing to give consent to the marriage of a minor must either provide a notarized application or deliver it in person. You must swear an oath that all the information provided in your application is correct.
551.103 Persons capable of contracting marriage; age requirement; proof of age; filling out license; written consent; compliance; filing consent; signing, certification, and copy of license; fee; allocation for family counseling services; return and disposition of unexpended funds; waiver of fee; additional fee for nonresidents; delivery of license and certificate to officiating individual; recording information; forwarding licenses and certificates to state registrar; imposition of fee by certain charter counties.
Sec. 3.
(1) A person who is 18 years of age or older may contract marriage. A person who is 16 years of age but is less than 18 years of age may contract marriage with the written consent of 1 of the parents of the person or the person's legal guardian, as provided in this section. As proof of age, the person who intends to be married, in addition to the statement of age in the application, when requested by the county clerk, shall submit a birth certificate or other proof of age. The county clerk on the application submitted shall fill out the blank spaces of the license according to the sworn answers of the applicant, taken before the county clerk, or some person duly authorized by law to administer oaths. If it appears from the affidavit that either the applicant for a marriage license or the person whom he or she intends to marry is less than 18 years of age, the county clerk shall require that there first be produced the written consent of 1 of the parents of each of the persons who is less than 18 years of age or of the person's legal guardian, unless the person does not have a living parent or guardian. The consent shall be to the marriage and to the issuing of the license for which the application is submitted. The consent shall be given personally in the presence of the county clerk or be acknowledged before a notary public or other officer authorized to administer oaths. A license shall not be issued by the county clerk until the requirements of this section are complied with. The written consent shall be preserved on file in the office of the county clerk. If the parties are legally entitled to be married, the county clerk shall sign the license and certify the fact that it is properly issued, and the clerk shall make a correct copy of the license in the books of registration.
(2) A fee of $20.00 shall be paid by the person applying for the license and shall be paid by the county clerk into the general fund of the county.
Applying For a Marriage License in Michigan
- ULC-Officiated Ceremony Type:
- Religious
- Mandatory Waiting Period:
- 3 Days
- License Valid For:
- 33 Days
- License Must Be Submitted:
- Within 10 Days of Ceremony
Even though non-residents are asked to apply for their licenses in the same county where the wedding will occur, you can use your license anywhere in the state of Michigan, not only in the county that issued it. However, you will have to act quickly because the license is only valid for 33 days. After you apply for your license, you typically have to wait three days before the county clerk will issue it. If you can show good and sufficient cause, the clerk can expedite it, but this will cost an additional fee.
Once you receive the license, you must provide it to the officiant who will preside over your wedding. Within 10 days after the ceremony, the officiant will have to complete it and return it to the issuing county clerk.
551.103a Marriage license; time of delivery; solemnization of marriage required.
Sec. 3a.
A marriage license shall not be delivered within a period of 3 days including the date of application. However, the county clerk of each county, for good and sufficient cause shown, may deliver the license immediately following the application. If the county clerk delivers the license immediately following the application, the person applying for the license shall pay a fee to be determined by the county board of commissioners, which the county clerk shall deposit into the general fund of the county. A marriage license issued is void unless a marriage is solemnized under the license within 33 days after the application.
551.104 Certificate completion; officiating person duty; original license return; record.
Sec. 4.
It shall be the duty of the clergyman or magistrate, officiating at a marriage, to fill in the spaces of the certificate left blank for the entry of the time and place of the marriage, the names and residences of 2 witnesses, and his own signature in certification that the marriage has been performed by him and any and all information required to be filled in in the spaces left blank in the certificate shall be typewritten or legibly printed. He shall separate the duplicate license and certificate, and deliver the half part designated duplicate to 1 of the parties, so joined in marriage, and within 10 days return the original to the county clerk issuing the same. It shall be the duty of such clergyman or magistrate to keep an accurate record of all marriages solemnized in a book used expressly for that purpose.
How to Become a Wedding Officiant in Michigan
- Min. Age of Minister:
- Age 18
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Document(s) Required:
- Ordination Credential and Letter of Good Standing
- Online Ordination Recognized:
- Yes
- Relevant Office of Registration:
- County Clerk
- Latest Document(s) Submission Date Allowed:
- Before the Ceremony
- Minister I.D. # Issued:
- No
Prior to the ceremony, the officiant performing the ceremony must present a letter of good standing and ordination credentials to the county clerk. Ministers of Universal Life Church can order the Classic Wedding Package that includes all the necessary documentation at their online ordination.
Ministers of ULC are sanctioned under Michigan law as "religious actors" regardless of personal beliefs, stated gender, or place of residence. The minimum age to be ordained by ULC is 18, which is also the minimum to perform a wedding in Michigan.
Other religious practitioners or ministers of the gospel so authorized by their organization can solemnize marriages in Michigan, as can civil officers such as clerks, judges, mayors, and magistrates.
Revised Statutes of 1846 (EXCERPT)
Chapter 83. Of marriage and the solemnization thereof.
551.7 Persons authorized to solemnize marriage; records; return of licenses and certificates; disposition of fees charged by mayor or county clerk.
Sec. 7.
(1) Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following:
(a) A judge of the district court, anywhere in this state.
(b) A district court magistrate, anywhere in this state.
(c) A municipal judge, in the city in which the judge is serving or in a township over which a municipal court has jurisdiction under section 9928 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.9928.
(d) A judge of probate, anywhere in this state.
(e) A judge of a federal court.
(f) A mayor of a city, anywhere in a county in which that city is located.
(g) A county clerk in the county in which the clerk serves, or in another county with the written authorization of the clerk of the other county.
(h) For a county having more than 1,500,000 inhabitants, an employee of the county clerk's office designated by the county clerk, in the county in which the clerk serves.
(i) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is ordained or authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of the denomination.
(j) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is not a resident of this state but is authorized to solemnize marriages under the laws of the state in which the minister or cleric or religious practitioner resides.
(2) A person authorized by this act to solemnize a marriage shall keep proper records and return licenses and certificates as required by section 4 of 1887 PA 128, MCL 551.104.
(3) If a mayor of a city solemnizes a marriage, the mayor shall charge and collect a fee to be determined by the council of that city, which shall be paid to the city treasurer and deposited in the general fund of the city at the end of the month.
(4) If the county clerk or, in a county having more than 1,500,000 inhabitants, an employee of the clerk's office designated by the county clerk solemnizes a marriage, the county clerk shall charge and collect a fee to be determined by the commissioners of the county in which the clerk serves. The fee shall be paid to the treasurer for the county in which the clerk serves and deposited in the general fund of that county at the end of the month.
Getting Married in Michigan
- Marriage By Proxy Allowed:
- No
- Minister Required to be Present:
- Yes
- Number of Witnesses Required:
- 2
- Min. Age of Witnesses:
- 18
- Couple's Consent Required:
- Yes
- Pronouncement Required:
- Yes
For the marriage to be legally binding, you and your spouse-to-be must make a solemn declaration of your intention to take the other as a spouse before two witnesses at least 18 years of age and the officiant presiding over the ceremony. The officiant then makes a pronouncement solemnizing the marriage. There are no other state-mandated requirements for either a civil or religious ceremony, so these can be planned according to your own needs and preferences.
551.9 Solemnization of marriage; form; declaration by parties; witnesses.
Sec. 9.
In the solemnization of marriage, no particular form shall be required, except that the parties shall solemnly declare, in the presence of the person solemnizing the marriage and the attending witnesses, that they take each other as husband and wife; and in every case, there shall be at least 2 witnesses, besides the person solemnizing the marriage, present at the ceremony.
Finalizing the Marriage
- Officiant's Title on Marriage License:
- Minister
- Church/Ordaining Body:
- Universal Life Church Ministries
- Address of Church:
- Minister's Home Address
Ministers who perform marriage ceremonies must keep a record of all that they have presided over. This is a requirement under Michigan law. The officiant must also complete the marriage certificate and separate the duplicate to return to you and your new spouse. The original must be returned to the clerk who issued it within 10 days following the ceremony.
The marriage certificate should be printed legibly or typed and bear the name, title, and signature of the officiant. Other information required on the certificate includes the names and residences of the two witnesses and the time and place of the marriage.
551.104 Certificate completion; officiating person duty; original license return; record.
Sec. 4.
It shall be the duty of the clergyman or magistrate, officiating at a marriage, to fill in the spaces of the certificate left blank for the entry of the time and place of the marriage, the names and residences of 2 witnesses, and his own signature in certification that the marriage has been performed by him and any and all information required to be filled in in the spaces left blank in the certificate shall be typewritten or legibly printed. He shall separate the duplicate license and certificate, and deliver the half part designated duplicate to 1 of the parties, so joined in marriage, and within 10 days return the original to the county clerk issuing the same. It shall be the duty of such clergyman or magistrate to keep an accurate record of all marriages solemnized in a book used expressly for that purpose.