APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF AUTHORITY TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGES IN THE STATE OF NEVADA

County Clerk's Office
Marriage Services Division, Attention:  Minister Licensing
P.O. Box 551603
Las Vegas, NV 89155-1603
Telephone 702-671-3061

For shipping services to the Clark County Courthouse, 
other than U.S. mail (i.e., express/overnight mail):

County Clerk's Office 
Marriage Services Division, Attention: Minister Licensing
201 East Clark Avenue
Las Vegas, NV  89101

Chapter 122 of the Nevada Revised Statutes ( NRS) governs the issuance of Certificates of Authority to Solemnize Marriages.  According to NRS 122, you must be a licensed, ordained, or appointed minister or other person authorized to solemnize a marriage in good standing within your church or religious organization; your church or religious organization must be incorporated, organized or established in this state (except for out-of-state ministers); and your ministry must be one of service to a church or religious organization.   Click on  NRS 122  to view the chapter of the Nevada Revised Statutes which governs marriage and authority to perform marriages.  Click on SB 130 to view the Senate bill that was enacted by the 2009 Nevada legislature and goes into effect on July 1, 2009.

NOTE:   NRS 122.064, Subsection 3 (c), mandates that ". . . the county clerk shall, before approving an initial application, satisfy himself that: . . . [T]he applicant had not been convicted of a felony, released from confinement or completed his parole or probation, whichever occurs later, within 10 years before the date of the application."  Effective July 1, 2009, a background check will be conducted by a third party vendor on all Permanent Applications, Retired Status (local ministers only) Applications and Temporary Replacement Applications.  The nonrefundable fee for this background check is $45.00 payable by the applicant.  Additional information is contained in the individual Application packets.

To obtain a Certificate of Authority to Solemnize a Marriage in the State of Nevada, please select the link for the appropriate application from the Application section of this page after reading the information below on processing.

IMPORTANT!!

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY

APPLICATIONS ARE INTERACTIVE.  THIS ENABLES THE USER TO ENTER INFORMATION DIRECTLY INTO THE APPROPRIATE FIELDS AND PRINT OUT THE COMPLETED FORM.  

How to Use Interactive Forms

APPLICATION PROCESSING :

Processing time for Applications varies, depending upon the type of Application submitted.  Background checks are required on applicants submitting a Permanent Application, Retired Status (local ministers only) Applications and Temporary Replacement Applications.  The background check will be completed within approximately 7 business days from receipt of the Application and the report will be forwarded to the Clark County Clerk.  Upon receipt of the background check report, the County Clerk will review all documents.  If everything is in order, the Certificate of Authority to Solemnize Marriages should be completed within 5 - 7 business days after receipt of the background check report.

Faxed documents will not be accepted.  Original documents are required.

To avoid any delays in processing, check to ensure that the documents are signed by the appropriate party and notarized and that the appropriate number of copies are enclosed .  (NOTE: COPIES ARE TO BE MADE AFTER THE DOCUMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED AND NOTARIZED.  DO NOT RETURN THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE APPLICATION.) 

No fee is charged for this service.


APPLICATIONS:

NOTE:  Senate Bill 130 revised the provisions for the licensing of ministers to perform marriages.  The following forms have been revised to comply with Senate Bill 130 which takes effect July 1, 2009.  It is necessary that you use the revised forms below on any Applications, effective immediately, and the Applications will be processed on or after July 1, 2009.  We will not be able to accept the old forms and they will be returned to you with instructions to resubmit the new forms.

In order to apply for a Certificate of Authority to Solemnize Marriages in the State of Nevada, click on the appropriate application below.   Applications cannot be submitted online or faxed. They must be mailed or brought into the Clerk's Office.   

Permanent Certificate of Authority (Local Applicants only)   
For first time applicants or previous certificate holders who have been removed, changed churches or religious organizations.

Temporary Certificate of Authority (Out-of-State Applicants or Temporary Replacement Applicants)
For out-of-state applicants:  NRS 122 provides that a licensed, ordained or appointed minister, or other person authorized to solemnize a marriage in good standing with his church or religious organization, or who is retired if he had active charge of a church or religious organization for a period of at least 3 years, whose residence and church or religious organization is in another state may perform marriages in the county if authorized to do so by the county clerk.  A separate authorization is required for each marriage performed.  Such a minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages may perform not more than five marriages in this state in any calendar year. 
For temporary replacement applicants: A temporary certificate may be obtained for a local applicant filling in for another minister or other person authorized to solemnize marriages during an absence for a period not to exceed 90 days.  Please contact Minister Licensing at 671-3061 for instructions.

Retired Status Certificate of Authority (Local Applicants only)
For current certificate holders wishing to change their certificate to "Retired Status" or applicants who wish to file an initial application for a "Retired Status" Certificate.  NRS 122 states that the fact that a minister is retired does not disqualify him from obtaining a certificate of authority to perform marriages if, before his retirement, he had active charge of a church or religious organization for a period of at least 3 years. 

Military Chaplain in the Armed Forces
For military chaplains in the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in Nevada. The application must be accompanied by proof of military status and current assignment as a military chaplain.

Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to Minister Licensing.

Instructions for recording the marriage certificate after a wedding ceremony.