Georgia laws (Georgia Code Annotated ยง 19-3-30) specify who can solemnize marriage and they including all ministers (including online ordained ministers) of Cibus Mission.
Once ordained as an online minister with Cibus Mission, you’re immediately equipped with the legal authority to officiate weddings across Georgia. If you’ve been entrusted with officiating a wedding in Georgia, get ordained with Cibus Mission today!
Cibus Mission offers a fast, free, and straightforward ordination process. For more information on becoming ordained in Georgia with Cibus Mission, visit our Wedding Officiant page.
KEEP RECORDS OF YOUR MINISTRY CREDENTIALS
Though there’s no officiant registration mandate in Georgia, being an ordained minister is a prerequisite for legally officiating marriages. Local regulations dictate that wedding officiants labeled as “Ministers” must be ordained by a recognized religious organization, such as Cibus Mission.
While registration with a Georgia government office isn’t required for wedding officiants, it’s advisable to maintain personal records of your official Ministry Credentials. Having proof of your ordination is crucial in case the couple, government officials, or the wedding venue request verification.
Consider ordering your Georgia Minister Ordination Package to receive your official ministry credentials. This package may include your official Ordination Certificate and Letter of Good Standing and there are options to be a Featured Officiant where you may have your photo and contact info for you to serve your community directly!
Moreover, a portion of the proceeds from your order supports our charitable activities. By obtaining your Cibus Mission ministry credentials, you’re also contributing to supporting our community work.
OFFICIAL CODE OF GEORGIA ANNOTATED 19-3-30
Issuance, Return, and Recording of Marriage Licenses
(a) Marriage licenses shall be exclusively issued by the judge of the probate court or their clerk at the county courthouse between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M., Monday through Saturday.
(b) (1) Marriage licenses shall not be issued to individuals of the same sex. (2) If one of the parties to be married is a resident of Georgia, the license may be issued in any county of the state. If neither party is a resident of Georgia, the license shall be issued in the county where the ceremony is to take place.
(c) The license shall be addressed to the Governor or any former Governor of the state, any judge, including judges of state and federal courts of record, city recorder, magistrate, minister, or any other individual of a religious society or sect authorized by the rules of such society to conduct marriage ceremonies. This license shall authorize the marriage of the named individuals and require the aforementioned authorized individual to return the license to the judge of the probate court, accompanied by the marriage certificate indicating the date and fact of marriage, within 30 days following the marriage date. The judge shall then record the license and certificate in a book maintained for this purpose.
(d) The issuance of any unrecorded marriage license may be proven by the affidavit of either party to the marriage ceremony, detailing the date, location, and the name and title of the issuing official.
(e) If a marriage license is not returned for recording as required in subsection (c), either party to the marriage ceremony may establish the marriage by providing the judge of the probate court with affidavits from two witnesses to the ceremony, outlining the date, location, and the name of the official or minister conducting the ceremony. The judge shall then reissue the marriage license and enter the marriage certificate, dates, and names accordingly, recording and cross-indexing them in chronological order.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code section or other laws to the contrary, the judge of the probate court of any county containing a municipality with a population greater than that of the county seat, as determined by the United States decennial census, may appoint a clerk to issue marriage licenses within the municipality, following the hours specified in subsection (a).
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