What You Need to Do to Legally Perform Marriages in NYC
To legally perform marriages in New York City, you must be registered with the city clerk's office in the borough where you will conduct ceremonies. New York State recognizes three types of officiants: ordained clergy, judges and justices, and designated officiants — people with no religious affiliation who have completed the registration process. Most people who want to officiate weddings outside a religious context become designated officiants.
The process takes about two weeks and costs $25. You fill out a form, have it notarized, submit it to the city clerk, and receive a certificate. That certificate is what allows you to sign marriage licenses legally. Without it, any marriage you perform has no legal standing, even if you conduct the ceremony itself.
Key Takeaways
- Designated officiants must register with the city clerk in the borough where they will perform ceremonies, and registration costs $25 and takes roughly two weeks.
- You need a notarized form (the Designation of Officiant form) and a valid photo ID to register; no prior training, education, or religious credentials are required.
- Registration is specific to one borough — if you want to perform ceremonies in multiple boroughs, you must register separately in each one.
- Once registered, you can perform unlimited ceremonies, but you must sign the marriage license correctly or it will be rejected by the city clerk.
Where to Register: The Right City Clerk's Office
New York City has five borough clerk's offices: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. You register with the clerk in the borough where you will perform the ceremony. If a couple asks you to marry them in Brooklyn, you register in Brooklyn. If they later ask you to perform a ceremony in Manhattan, you must register again in Manhattan.
Each borough processes registrations independently, so timelines and procedures can vary slightly. The Manhattan clerk's office tends to move fastest. You can register in person, by mail, or sometimes by email — call the specific borough clerk's office to confirm their current process, as procedures have shifted since the pandemic.
Find the contact information for each borough clerk on the NYC Department of Finance website under "City Clerk Services." Have the couple's names and wedding date ready when you call, though you do not need to provide them to register — you only need them to sign the license after the ceremony.
The Designation of Officiant Form and Notarization
The form you need is called the Designation of Officiant form, available from the city clerk's office in the borough where you are registering. Request it by phone, email, or in person. The form asks for your name, address, phone number, and signature. That is essentially all it requires.
The form must be notarized before you submit it. A notary public verifies your identity and witnesses your signature. You can find notaries at banks (often free if you have an account), UPS stores, law offices, or online notary services. Bring a valid photo ID — a driver's license, passport, or state ID card. The notarization costs between $5 and $25 depending on where you go.
After notarization, submit the form to the city clerk's office along with a copy of your photo ID and the $25 registration fee. Some offices accept checks or money orders; others require exact cash. Confirm the payment method when you call.
Processing Time and What Happens Next
Once the city clerk receives your completed form, notarization, ID copy, and fee, processing typically takes 10 to 14 days. Some couples plan their weddings around this timeline, so give yourself buffer time. If you are registering by mail, add time for postal delivery both ways.
The clerk will mail you a certificate of designation. This is your proof that you are registered. Keep it safe — you do not need to carry it to ceremonies, but you may want to show it to couples as confirmation of your legal status. The certificate does not expire, so you can perform ceremonies indefinitely once registered.
If the couple's wedding date is sooner than two weeks away, call the borough clerk when ready and explain the timeline. Some offices can expedite registration or may allow you to register after the ceremony if you have already performed it — though this creates risk, since the license would be invalid until you register.
How to Sign the Marriage License Correctly
After you perform the ceremony, the couple signs the marriage license, and then you sign it as the officiant. The signature line will say "Officiant" or "Person Solemnizing the Marriage." Sign your full legal name — the same name on your registration certificate. If you registered as "Jane Marie Smith," sign as "Jane Marie Smith," not "Jane Smith" or "J.M. Smith."
The couple then takes the signed license to the city clerk's office to file it. The clerk checks that all signatures match the registration records. If your signature does not match what is on file, the license will be rejected and the couple will have to return to you to sign it again. This delays their official marriage certificate by weeks.
Print your name clearly and use the same signature every time. If you change your legal name after registration, you must re-register with the city clerk under your new name.
Registering in Multiple Boroughs
If you perform ceremonies in more than one borough, you must register separately in each one. There is no citywide registration. Submit the Designation of Officiant form to each borough clerk's office with the $25 fee and notarized ID copy.
Some officiants register in all five boroughs upfront so they can say yes to any couple in the city. Others register only in the boroughs where they already have bookings. You can register in additional boroughs later if your business grows — there is no limit to how many times you can register.
What You Cannot Do as a Designated Officiant
As a designated officiant, you can perform civil marriage ceremonies and sign the marriage license. You cannot perform religious ceremonies if you are not ordained in that religion, and you cannot perform ceremonies in religious buildings that require the officiant to be a member of that faith. Some churches, synagogues, and mosques have their own rules about who can lead ceremonies on their property.
You also cannot perform ceremonies outside New York State without separate authorization from that state. If a couple asks you to marry them in New Jersey or Connecticut, you have no legal standing there. They would need to hire an officiant registered in that state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any training or certification to become a designated officiant?
No. New York State does not require training, education, or any background check. You only need to be at least 18 years old, have a valid photo ID, and complete the registration form. Some officiants take courses on ceremony planning or public speaking, but these are optional and not required by law.
Can I perform ceremonies before my registration certificate arrives?
Legally, no. The marriage license will be invalid if signed by someone not yet registered. If a couple's wedding is before your certificate arrives, ask the clerk if you can register after the ceremony and have the couple file the license once you are registered. This is risky and not standard practice — it is better to delay the wedding or hire a registered officiant.
What if I move to a different borough after I register?
Your registration stays valid in the borough where you registered. You can still perform ceremonies there even if you no longer live there. If you want to perform ceremonies in your new borough, register there separately. You do not need to cancel your old registration.
How much can I charge couples for performing ceremonies?
New York State sets no limit on what you can charge. Some officiants charge $300 to $500 for a ceremony; others charge $1,000 or more. Some perform ceremonies for free. The fee is entirely between you and the couple.
Can I perform same-sex marriages?
Yes. New York State recognizes same-sex marriage, and designated officiants can perform ceremonies for any couple regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Your registration certificate covers all legal marriages equally.