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Marriage Officiant
Marriage Officiant
INFORMATION FOR MARRIAGE APPLICANTS AND OFFICIANTS
Applicants or officiants who have questions or concerns regarding the officiant’s authority to perform marriages
in Wisconsin should seek legal counsel. Information as to the validity of any specific religious organization or any
ordination process is not available from the County Clerk’s Office or from the State Vital Records Office.
The Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet document has two sections; the marriage
license which is completed by the County Clerk and the marriage certificate worksheet which is completed by the
officiant.
Applicants must sign the marriage license section before the ceremony, preferably in the County Clerk’s Office.
Marriage by proxy, by phone/internet camera hook‐up, or other electronic device is prohibited in Wisconsin.
The couple, officiant, and two competent adult witnesses must be physically present together at the time of the
ceremony in order for the marriage to be legal.
It is permissible to make copies of the Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet.
If the Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet document is misplaced or ruined, contact the
issuing County Clerk’s Office immediately for instructions. Counties may charge a fee to replace the document.
An Original Certificate of Marriage is a permanent legal document derived from the Wisconsin Marriage
License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet document. Certified copies of the Original Certificate of Marriage may
be needed for proof of name change, proof for insurance coverage, overseas travel, and other legal purposes.
The couple will not automatically receive a certified copy of the Original Certificate of Marriage. Upon
registration of the license/certificate worksheet document, the couple may purchase certified copies of their
Original Certificate of Marriage from the Register of Deeds in the county where the ceremony was performed or
from the State Vital Records Office. It is illegal to make photocopies of the Original Certificate of Marriage.
Corrections to fields completed by the officiant can be amended on a registered certificate and do not require a
court order if the request is received by the State Vital Records Office within 365 days of the marriage. The
Officiant Amendment Request form is available from the Register of Deeds office, the State Vital Records Office,
or on the web at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/f01481.pdf.
Corrections to the couple’s information can be amended on a registered certificate if the request is received by
the State Vital Records Office within 365 days of the marriage. Contact the County Clerk’s Office in the county
where the marriage license was issued for information on requesting an amendment.
To view Wisconsin laws and penalties on marriage, refer to Wis. Stat. ch. 765 located at:
http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/765.
OFFICIANT INFORMATION
Officiants must ensure that the parties have a valid Wisconsin marriage license to marry before performing the
marriage ceremony.
The officiating person shall determine that the parties presenting themselves to be married are the parties
named on the marriage license.
An officiant must be at least 18 years old.
It is permissible to have two officiants perform a marriage ceremony.
The completed Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet must be returned to the Register
of Deeds in the county of marriage for registration within 3 days after the date of the marriage.
See Reverse Side for Officiant Instructions for Completing the
Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage Certificate Worksheet
F‐05152C (Rev. 05/15) Chap 765 Wis. Stats.
MAY 2015
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFICIANTS
FOR COMPLETING THE WISCONSIN MARRIAGE LICENSE/MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE WORKSHEET
Officiants must correct or complete all items in the Officiant section of the Wisconsin Marriage License/Marriage
Certificate Worksheet (F‐05060) for any marriage ceremony performed in Wisconsin.
Cross‐outs and clearly written corrections are allowed.
All signatures must be original; stamped signatures are prohibited.
Review, correct, or complete all items legibly and accurately.
8. DATE OF MARRIAGE (MM/DD/YYYY)
Review and correct, if necessary, the month, day, and year the marriage was performed.
9. COUNTY OF MARRIAGE
Review and correct, if necessary, the name of the county where the marriage ceremony was performed. The
county must be a Wisconsin county.
10. CITY, VILLAGE, OR TOWNSHIP OF MARRIAGE
Review, correct, or print the city, village, or township where the ceremony occurred. Do not use unincorporated
places. Place an "X" in the appropriate box for "City," "Village," or "Township." NOTE: In the case where a
couple will be married in a moving conveyance, the place of marriage is where the couple exits the conveyance
after the ceremony.
11. OFFICIANT SIGNATURE
Sign in the space provided. If there are two Officiants, both may sign. When the marriage is performed by the
two parties themselves, both parties sign as Officiants.
12. OFFICIANT NAME (Print or Type)
Review, correct, or print the Officiant name. If there are two Officiants, both names may be printed. When the
marriage is performed by the two parties themselves, print both parties’ names.
13. OFFICIANT MAILING ADDRESS (Street, City, State, Zip Code)
Review, correct, or print the mailing address, including ZIP Code, of the Officiant. If there are two Officiants,
both addresses may be printed. This address should identify where business mail is to be sent in the event that a
Register of Deeds has a question about this record.
14. OFFICIANT PHONE
Review, correct, or print the phone number of the Officiant. If there are two Officiants, both phone numbers
may be printed.
15. OFFICIANT EMAIL
Review, correct, or print the email address of the Officiant. If there are two Officiants, both email addresses may
be printed.
16. ADULT WITNESS 1 TO CEREMONY (Sign and Print Name)
A competent adult (at least 18 years old) witness must sign and print their name in the space provided.
17. ADULT WITNESS 2 TO CEREMONY (Sign and Print Name)
A second competent adult (at least 18 years old) witness must sign and print their name in the space provided.
F‐05152C (Rev. 05/15) Chap 765 Wis. Stats.