Mississippi Wedding Laws
What to expect when officiating a wedding.
Get Ordained
Wedding Ceremony Requirements
- Marriage By Proxy: Not Allowed
- Minister Presence: Required
- Witnesses Required: None
- Couple’s Consent: Required
- Pronouncement: Required
Couples in Mississippi are free to customize their wedding ceremony, provided it includes both parties’ consent to marry, declared in the presence of an authorized minister. No witnesses are required.
Requirements for the Couple
- Minimum Age: 21 years (17 for males, 15 for females with guardian consent)
- Residency: Not Required
- Kinship Restrictions: Second Cousins
- Marriage Equality: Yes
Mississippi sets its legal age of marriage at 21. Minors may marry with parental or guardian consent, subject to age and gender restrictions. The state prohibits marriage between close relatives, including siblings, parents, grandparents, and first cousins. Same-sex marriages are fully recognized.
Marriage License Requirements
- Who Picks Up: The Couple
- Where Valid: Any County in Mississippi
- Cost: $38.00
- Accepted ID: Valid ID showing age (e.g., birth certificate, driver’s license)
- Proof of Divorce: Varies by County
- Blood Test: Not Required
Marriage license applications must be filed in person at a circuit clerk’s office. Applicants must provide personal information and documentation verifying their age. Some counties may require proof of divorce in cases of prior marriages.
Marriage License Facts
- Ceremony Type: Religious or Civil
- Mandatory Waiting Period: None
- License Validity: No Expiration
- Submission Deadline: Within 5 Days of Ceremony
Mississippi marriage licenses remain valid indefinitely. However, the completed license and marriage certificate must be returned to the issuing clerk within five days of the ceremony.
Requirements for the Minister
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Residency: Not Required
- Documents Required: Ordination Credential (varies by county)
- Online Ordination Recognized: Yes
- Registration Office: Circuit Clerk
Ministers must be at least 18 years old and may need to present their ordination credentials at the circuit clerk’s office prior to officiating. Ministers ordained by the Universal Life Church Ministries are recognized as authorized officiants in Mississippi.
Final Steps
- Officiant’s Title on Marriage License: Minister
- Ordaining Body: Universal Life Church Ministries
- Address of Church: Minister’s Home Address
The minister must complete the marriage certificate with the date, couple’s details, their title, ordaining body, and home address. All parties must sign the document, and the license must be returned to the issuing clerk within five days of the ceremony.
Wedding Ceremony Requirements
- Marriage By Proxy: Not Allowed
- Minister Presence: Required
- Witnesses Required: None
- Couple’s Consent: Required
- Pronouncement: Required
Couples in Mississippi are free to customize their wedding ceremony, provided it includes both parties’ consent to marry, declared in the presence of an authorized minister. No witnesses are required.
Requirements for the Couple
- Minimum Age: 21 years (17 for males, 15 for females with guardian consent)
- Residency: Not Required
- Kinship Restrictions: Second Cousins
- Marriage Equality: Yes
Mississippi sets its legal age of marriage at 21. Minors may marry with parental or guardian consent, subject to age and gender restrictions. The state prohibits marriage between close relatives, including siblings, parents, grandparents, and first cousins. Same-sex marriages are fully recognized.
Marriage License Requirements
- Who Picks Up: The Couple
- Where Valid: Any County in Mississippi
- Cost: $38.00
- Accepted ID: Valid ID showing age (e.g., birth certificate, driver’s license)
- Proof of Divorce: Varies by County
- Blood Test: Not Required
Marriage license applications must be filed in person at a circuit clerk’s office. Applicants must provide personal information and documentation verifying their age. Some counties may require proof of divorce in cases of prior marriages.
Marriage License Facts
- Ceremony Type: Religious or Civil
- Mandatory Waiting Period: None
- License Validity: No Expiration
- Submission Deadline: Within 5 Days of Ceremony
Mississippi marriage licenses remain valid indefinitely. However, the completed license and marriage certificate must be returned to the issuing clerk within five days of the ceremony.
Requirements for the Minister
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Residency: Not Required
- Documents Required: Ordination Credential (varies by county)
- Online Ordination Recognized: Yes
- Registration Office: Circuit Clerk
Ministers must be at least 18 years old and may need to present their ordination credentials at the circuit clerk’s office prior to officiating. Ministers ordained by the Universal Life Church Ministries are recognized as authorized officiants in Mississippi.
Final Steps
- Officiant’s Title on Marriage License: Minister
- Ordaining Body: Universal Life Church Ministries
- Address of Church: Minister’s Home Address
The minister must complete the marriage certificate with the date, couple’s details, their title, ordaining body, and home address. All parties must sign the document, and the license must be returned to the issuing clerk within five days of the ceremony.