Becoming ordained in Ohio.

Alyssa18o6

So my little brother (he's 18) asked me if he could become ordained and marry my FI and I. I looked up the information but couldn't find direct answers. I know he has to file a form with the secretary of state, but I can't find out what the clerk of courts would want from him. I found the Universal Life Church online and was going to have him go through there to be ordained. Has anyone had someone get ordained to perform their wedding, could you share what the process is like? I just wanna make sure it's not gonna be a super hard thing to do before I stop searching for an officiant!

Jessica2426

iI just became ordained. under the records tab on sec of state website theres a form you mail a copy of the stuff you get from universal life church, the application, and the $10.00 fee. only takes a few days!

Alyssa18o6

Jessica2426 said:

iI just became ordained. under the records tab on sec of state website theres a form you mail a copy of the stuff you get from universal life church, the application, and the $10.00 fee. only takes a few days!

Yeah I got that much, but apparently there is a bunch of other stuff from the county clerks office you need as well. I tried calling but was getting no where, maybe i'll try again closer to our wedding date! Thanks.

Jessica2426

no theres nothing else. iI have my license iI can legally marry people in ohio. theres nothing more. when you register with the sec of state they put u on a list and anyone can contact you. so not sure where you heard theres other stuff but what iI typed is what iI did. 

mlg78

The rest of the stuff is what the bride and groom do when they get a license to wed...they get the forms you need to complete and then send back upon marrying them.

Alyssa18o6

Jessica2426 said:

no theres nothing else. iI have my license iI can legally marry people in ohio. theres nothing more. when you register with the sec of state they put u on a list and anyone can contact you. so not sure where you heard theres other stuff but what iI typed is what iI did. 

We got the info from the clerk of courts in mahoning county where we are getting married. Also from two other ordained ministers in the area. They said once you file with the SoS that you need to send a form, and a letter of good standing from the place you became ordained then they approve you to go ahead with the marriage license. Maybe all counties are different? But this came straight from the clerk of court office so i'd assume it's correct.

Alyssa18o6

mlg78 said:

The rest of the stuff is what the bride and groom do when they get a license to wed...they get the forms you need to complete and then send back upon marrying them.

I'm gonna assume that is it. When I called the clerk of courts they kept giving me a different answer. But that does sound about right from what i've read/what I was told. Thanks for your help

mlg78

I don't know where you live but you get your marriage license where you live, not where you marry. I don't know if that makes a difference for you.

Jessica2426

when you send in the info to the sec of state (who iI spoke with on the phone several times) you send in the certificate that shows good standing. look at my post  (look what came in the mail) it is my certificate and my license to perform marriages anywhere in ohio. so not still sure what your talking about. its not different for the counties this is for the entire state of ohio. call the sec of states office thats what iI did. 

Alyssa18o6

Jessica2426 said:

when you send in the info to the sec of state (who iI spoke with on the phone several times) you send in the certificate that shows good standing. look at my post  (look what came in the mail) it is my certificate and my license to perform marriages anywhere in ohio. so not still sure what your talking about. its not different for the counties this is for the entire state of ohio. call the sec of states office thats what iI did. 

I did call the SoS office, they were the ones who told me I needed to call the clerk of courts for my county to see if anything else was needed. I ended up finally speaking with someone yesterday finally and they explained to me what else they needed. I asked her if it varied in different counties and she told me it does

Alyssa18o6

mlg78 said:

I don't know where you live but you get your marriage license where you live, not where you marry. I don't know if that makes a difference for you.

We don't live in that county currently, but we will be when we get married.

Jessica2426

thats weird because iI have my license. iI can perform marriages in any county in ohio. just saying. 

mlg78

Nobody is talking about counties you can perform marriages in, Jessica.  I said you need to get your marriage license in the county you live, not where you get married.

Jessica2426

iI know what your talking about mlg78 but she commented on my comment saying they need something else. iI am just letting her know to become ordained you just need the license from the state.