Can a Friend Officiate a Wedding in Washington, D.C.?

Legal & Ordination

Yes — Washington, D.C. allows friends and family to officiate weddings after online ordination, with a process similar to nearby Maryland and Virginia.

What Washington, D.C. requires

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

2. No registration required. D.C. does not require online-ordained officiants to file separate paperwork before performing a wedding.

3. Know the 3-day waiting period. D.C. requires three days between when the marriage license application is filed and when the ceremony can take place. Encourage the couple to apply with comfortable lead time.

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 D.C. Superior Court Marriage Bureau, which handles all marriage licenses for the District — there’s no county-level system since D.C. is not divided into counties.

D.C.’s centralized system

Because D.C. is a single jurisdiction rather than being divided into counties, all marriage license activity — application, waiting period, and return — goes through the same D.C. Superior Court Marriage Bureau, which simplifies things compared to states with many separate county offices.

Bottom line

Washington, D.C. is workable for friend officiants: a manageable 3-day waiting period, no extra registration hurdles, and a single centralized office handling the entire process.

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 D.C. Superior Court Marriage Bureau.