Can a Friend Officiate a Wedding in Delaware?

Legal & Ordination

Yes — Delaware allows friends and family to officiate weddings after online ordination, with a process that includes a brief waiting period.

What Delaware requires

1. Get ordained through an online organization such as Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries.

2. No statewide officiant registration required. Delaware does not require online-ordained officiants to file paperwork before performing a wedding.

3. Know the 24-hour waiting period. Delaware requires a short 24-hour gap between when the marriage license is issued and when the ceremony can take place — much shorter than many other states, but still worth building into the timeline.

4. Perform the ceremony, including the declaration of intent.

5. Sign and return the license. After the ceremony, sign the marriage license along with the required witnesses, and confirm with the couple who is responsible for returning it to the Clerk of the Peace office in the county where it was issued — Delaware uses this specific office title rather than a standard county clerk.

Delaware’s Clerk of the Peace system

If typical “county clerk” searches don’t work for Delaware, try “Clerk of the Peace” instead — that’s the office responsible for marriage licenses throughout the state.

Bottom line

Delaware is friend-officiant-friendly: a short 24-hour waiting period, no registration hurdles, and standard requirements once you know to look for the Clerk of the Peace office.

For a complete legal checklist and week-by-week planning timeline, see our Checklist & Timeline Kit.

This guide is informational, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the specific Clerk of the Peace office handling the marriage license.