Officiating a wedding in West Virginia
Registration, the license, and who returns it — the essentials for officiants.
Informational only. Informational only, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with the county clerk or issuing office that handles the license.
Reviewed August 2026 · Issuing office: code.wvlegislature.gov
Can you officiate, and is registration required?
West Virginia asks a religious representative to be authorized by the Secretary of State, who keeps a central registry of persons authorized to celebrate marriages in the state. Registration is a single act, valid in all the counties of the state, and the Secretary may charge for each registration or reactivation. The test is that you are at least 18, duly authorized to perform marriages by your church, synagogue, spiritual assembly or religious organization, and in regular communion with it, which is a documentary determination made at registration; ask the Secretary of State which documents are accepted. Family court judges, circuit judges and Supreme Court of Appeals justices need no registration. The couple gets the license from the clerk of the county commission, and the old waiting period was repealed in 2023.
Who returns the license, and by when
The person solemnizing retains and endorses the license and forwards the original to the clerk of the county commission that issued it before the sixth day of the month following the month in which the marriage was celebrated. That is a monthly calendar rule rather than a day count: a 30 September wedding is due before 6 October, while a 2 September wedding has over a month. Confirm the date with that clerk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to register to officiate in West Virginia?
Yes. The Secretary of State authorizes religious representatives and keeps a central registry of them. One registration is valid in all the counties of the state, and the Secretary distributes updates to every county clerk.
What does West Virginia ask for at registration?
Proof that you are at least 18, duly authorized to perform marriages by your church, synagogue, spiritual assembly or religious organization, and in regular communion with it. Ask the Secretary of State which documents satisfy that.
When is a West Virginia marriage license due back?
Before the sixth day of the month following the month in which the marriage was celebrated. It is a monthly rule, so a wedding at the end of a month leaves only days.
Never miss a return deadline
RiteBinder's license tracker keeps every state's note in front of you (free, no card). On Solo it also turns the signed license into a task and reminds you before the deadline.
Confirm the current rule with the issuing office:code.wvlegislature.gov.