Michigan Marriage Laws


Rev Douglas Trouten
 Share

Recommended Posts

Was looking at the local county clerks webpage on the state and county marriage laws, this is what I found:

Pursuant to Michigan Compiled Law 551.7:

(1) Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following:

(a) A judge of the district court, anywhere in this state.

(b) A district court magistrate, anywhere in this state.

© A municipal judge, in the city in which the judge is serving or in a township over which a municipal court has jurisdiction under section 9928 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.9928.

(d) A judge of probate, anywhere in this state.

(e) A judge of a federal court.

(f) A mayor of a city, anywhere in a county in which that city is located.

(g) A county clerk (NOTE: The Genesee County Clerk does not perform ceremonies.)

(h) In counties having more than 2,000,000 in population, by a county clerk employee (NOTE: This provision does not apply in Genesee County.)

(i) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is ordained or authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of the denomination.

(j) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is not a resident of this state but is authorized to solemnize marriages under the laws of the state in which the minister or cleric or religious practitioner resides.

(2) A person authorized by this act to solemnize a marriage shall keep proper records and return licenses and certificates as required.

Michigan State law does not require individuals who solomize marriages to be registered with the county or the state.

Parts (i) and (j) are the portions pertaining to ULC Ordained Ministers, in a nut shell it says as long as we are authorized or ordained we can perform the marriage. We also do not need to register with the state (as I live in Genesee County I dont need to register with them either).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have looked at a couple other County Clerk pages for counties other then Genesee County (where I live) and those also mention the above law and mention that they don't require you to register with the county in order to to solemnize marriages.

Though not all of the County Clerk pages have any reference to the above state law so they may require you to register with them before preforming the wedding. As a rule of thumb contact the County Clerks office first if there is no mention on whether they require you to register or not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

This is correct.  I've solemnized marriage in the State of Michigan [two of them in Genesee County, actually].  The State has no registration requirement -- only that an individual solemnizing marriage on religious grounds be an ordained minister of a church or other religious society, authorized by the same to solemnize marriage, and complete the Michigan marriage license as per statute.

-- Rev. Samuel
Universal Life Church of Michigan

Edited by RevSam
expounding on explanation
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share