Created and reviewed for accuracy by researchers at the Universal Life Church Ministries

Montana Outline

Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Montana. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Montana. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the state of Montana.

Quick Facts
  • ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
  • Minister Registration Required: No
  • Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
  • Minister's Minimum Age: 18
  •  
  • Marriage License Waiting Period: 0 Days
  • Marriage License Valid For: 6 Months
  • Marriage License Return Within: 30 Days
Regional Information

For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Montana, choose a location below. If your area isn't listed, don't worry - just continue scrolling to review the helpful general information on this page.

1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Montana

If you haven't already, you should get ordained online with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Thousands of legally valid marriages are performed by ULC ministers around the world every year. Begin the process by clicking the big blue button below!

2 Officiating a Wedding in Montana

Next, you should contact the office of your local marriage authority (typically your county clerk). Let them know that you are a minister of the Universal Life Church in Seattle, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage.

Select your Clerk of Courts to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.



Select a of courts contact

3 Montana Officiant Requirements

After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in Montana to get an Ordination Package. Please attempt to leave at least 3 weeks between the date of the wedding ceremony and your order, to ensure that you receive all of your materials in advance.

An interesting fact for Montana wedding officiants: Montana is one of the few states in the United States that permits marriage by proxy per the Montana code annotated. If one of the persons to be wed is unable to be at the ceremony, the couple may authorize in writing a third person to act as proxy in the wedding. If the minister is satisfied that the absent person is unable to be present and has the consented to the marriage, the person may continue with the marriage by proxy.

4 How to get Married in Montana

Montana's Top Wedding Spot

Montana's Top Wedding Spot

Open-air Apgar Amphitheater, inside Glacier National Park, overlooks Lake McDonald

Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Montana marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 6 months, and there is no waiting period between when the couple picks up the marriage license and when the ceremony may legally be conducted. Please note that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office within 30 days of the ceremony.

At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Montana, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Montana wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.

5 Important Montana Wedding Tips

Forests, meadows, mountains, and more wildflowers than you can imagine wait to set the backdrop for your Montana wedding. The summer season sees over 60% of weddings in the state, and with so much natural beauty, it's not hard to understand why. Summer months are warm and balmy, with slight breezes being very common. Planning ahead is, as ever, always important. If you are officiating a wedding outdoors in the Summer, you may need to plan a number of outfits in advance, depending on the weather conditions. Winter weddings, which are not as common, will be easier to plan, with many indoor venues available to provide shelter from the rainy and snowy Montana winters. Wedding officiant fees in Montana can vary substantially depending the officiant’s level of experience, whether travel is involved, and how complex the ceremony will be. With so much natural beauty surrounding you, Montana is the perfect destination for a memorable wedding that will be remembered for years to come.


Montana Marriage Code

Montana Flag

Montana Marriage Code

Marriage laws in Montana are primarily directed by Chapter 1 of Title 40 of the Montana code annotated, which defines the persons authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Montana. This includes ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church, among other individuals. We've reproduced this item in the state code below.

40-1-301. Solemnization and registration. (1) A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of record, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor, city judge, or justice of the peace, by a tribal judge, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination, Indian nation or tribe, or native group. Either the person solemnizing the marriage or, if no individual acting alone solemnized the marriage, a party to the marriage shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the clerk of the district court. View the Montana Statutes on the official state site.

⇓ Show the rest

Learn All About Marriage Law in Montana

See the Full Statutes

Are you Considering Becoming a Minister in Montana?

See the Steps to MT Ordination

Proceed to your Ordination Application

Become Ordained

Beaverhead County

2 South Pacific St., Suite 5
Dillon, Montana
59725

Phone: (406) 683-3725
Fax: (406) 683-3769
Beaverhead County website »

Big Horn County

121 West 3rd St, Room 221
Hardin, Montana
59034

Phone: (406) 665-9750
Fax: (406) 665-9755
Big Horn County website »

Blaine County

421 Ohio St
Chinook, Montana

Phone: (406) 357-3231
Blaine County website »

Broadwater County

515 Broadway St.
Townsend, Montana
59644

Phone: (406) 266-9219
Broadwater County website »

Carbon County

102 N. Broadway
Red Lodge, Montana
59068

Phone: (406) 446-1225
Fax: (406) 446-0103
Carbon County website »

Carter County

214 Park St.
Ekalaka, Montana
59324

Phone: (406) 775-8749
Carter County website »

Cascade County

415 2nd Avenue North 200A
Great Falls, Montana
59401

Phone: (406) 454-6780
Fax: (406) 454-6907
Cascade County website »

Chouteau County

1308 Franklin Street
Fort Benton, Montana
59442

Phone: (406) 622-5024
Chouteau County website »

Custer County

1010 Main Street
Miles City, Montana
59301

Phone: (406) 874-3328
Fax: (406) 874-3451
Custer County website »

Daniels County

213 Main Street
Scobey, Montana
59263

Phone: (406) 487-5561
Daniels County website »

Dawson County

207 West Bell St.
Glendive, Montana

Phone: (406) 377-3967
Dawson County website »

Deer Lodge County

800 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Anaconda, Montana
59711

Phone: (406) 563-4040
Deer Lodge County website »

Fallon County

10 West Fallon Avenue
Baker, Montana
59313

Phone: (406) 778-8114
Fallon County website »

Fergus County

712 W Main, Suite 303
Lewistown, Montana
59457

Phone: (406) 535-5026
Fax: (406) 535-6076
Fergus County website »

Flathead County

920 South Main, Suite 300
Kalispell, Montana
59901

Phone: (406) 758-5870
Flathead County website »

Gallatin County

615 South 16th Ave, Room 302
Bozeman, Montana
59715

Phone: (406) 582-2165
Gallatin County website »

Garfield County

352 Leavitt Ave
Jordan, Montana
59337

Phone: (406) 557-2760
Garfield County website »

Glacier County

512 East Main Street
Cut Bank, Montana
59427

Phone: (406) 873-3609
Fax: (406) 873-5627
Glacier County website »

Golden Valley County

107 Kemp St.
Ryegate, Montana
59074

Phone: (406) 568-2231
Golden Valley County website »

Granite County

220 N Sansome St.
Philipsburg, Montana
59858

Phone: (406) 859-3712
Granite County website »

Hill County

315 4th St
Havre, Montana
59501

Phone: (406) 400-2414
Hill County website »

Jefferson County

201 W Centennial Ave
Boulder, Montana
59632

Phone: (406) 225-4041
Fax: (406) 225-4042
Jefferson County website »

Judith Basin County

91 Third Street North, 3rd Floor
Stanford, Montana
59479

Phone: (406) 566-2277 Ext. 113
Fax: (406) 566-2211
Judith Basin County website »

Lake County

106 Fourth Avenue East
Polson, Montana
59860

Phone: (406) 883-7254
Lake County website »

Lewis and Clark County

228 Broadway
Helena, Montana
59601

Phone: (406) 447-8216
Fax: (406) 447-8275
Lewis and Clark County website »

Liberty County

111 1st St. E.
Chester, Montana
59522

Phone: (406) 759-5615
Liberty County website »

Lincoln County

512 California Ave
Libby, Montana

Phone: (406) 283-2342
Fax: (406) 283-2350
Lincoln County website »

Madison County

100 W Wallace St.
Virginia City, Montana

Phone: (406) 843-4230
Fax: (406) 843-5207
Madison County website »

McCone County

1004 C. Avenue
Circle, Montana
59215

Phone: (406) 485-3410
McCone County website »

Meagher County

15 W. Main
White Sulphur Springs, Montana

Phone: (406) 547-3030
Fax: (406) 547-3836
Meagher County website »

Mineral County

300 River Street, Third Floor
Superior, Montana
59872

Phone: (406) 822-3538
Mineral County website »

Missoula County

200 West Broadway
Missoula, Montana
59802

Phone: (406) 258-4780
Missoula County website »

Musselshell County

506 Main Street
Roundup, Montana
59072

Phone: (406) 323-1413
Fax: (406) 323-1710
Musselshell County website »

Park County

414 East Callender St, Room 106
Livingston, Montana
59047

Phone: (406) 222-4125
Park County website »

Petroleum County

302 East Main
Winnett, Montana
59087

Phone: (406) 429-5105
Fax: (406) 429-6328
Petroleum County website »

Phillips County

314 S 2nd Ave W
Malta, Montana
59538

Phone: (406) 654-1023
Phillips County website »

Pondera County

20 4th Ave SW
Conrad, Montana
59425

Phone: (406) 271-4026
Fax: (406) 271-4081
Pondera County website »

Powder River County

119 North Park Avenue
Broadus, Montana
59317

Phone: (406) 436-2320
Fax: (406) 436-2325
Powder River County website »

Powell County

409 Missouri Ave., Suite 203
Deer Lodge, Montana
59722

Phone: (406) 846-9786
Fax: (406) 846-3891
Powell County website »

Prairie County

217 West Park Street
Terry, Montana
59349

Phone: (406) 635-5575
Fax: (406) 635-5576
Prairie County website »

Ravalli County

205 Bedford Street, Suite D
Hamilton, Montana
59840

Phone: (406) 375-6710
Fax: (406) 375-6721
Ravalli County website »

Richland County

300 12th Ave. NW, Suite 6
Sidney, Montana

Phone: (406) 433-2815
Fax: (406) 433-4021
Richland County website »

Roosevelt County

400 2nd Avenue South
Wolf Point, Montana
59201

Phone: (406) 653-6266
Fax: (406) 653-6203
Roosevelt County website »

Rosebud County

1210 Main St
Forsyth, Montana
59327

Phone: (406) 346-7322
Fax: (406) 346-2719
Rosebud County website »

Sanders County

1111 West Main St.
Thompson Falls, Montana
59873

Phone: (406) 827-6962
Sanders County website »

Sheridan County

100 W Laurel Ave
Plentywood, Montana
59254

Phone: (406) 765-3403
Fax: (406) 765-2609
Sheridan County website »

Silver Bow County

Courthouse <br> 155 W. Granite St., Room 313
Butte, Montana
59701

Phone: (406) 497-6350
Silver Bow County website »

Stillwater County

400 East 3rd Avenue North, 3rd Floor
Columbus, Montana
59019

Phone: (406) 322-8030
Stillwater County website »

Sweet Grass County

200 West 1st Avenue
Big Timber, Montana
59011

Phone: (406) 932-5154
Fax: (406) 932-5433
Sweet Grass County website »

Teton County

1 Main Avenue South
Choteau, Montana
59422

Phone: (406) 466-2909
Fax: (406) 466-2910
Teton County website »

Toole County

226 1st St South, Suite 301
Shelby, Montana
59474

Phone: (406) 424-8330
Toole County website »

Treasure County

1200 Main Street
Forsyth, Montana
59327

Phone: (406) 342-5547
Fax: (406) 342-5445
Treasure County website »

Valley County

501 Court Square, Room 2
Glasgow, Montana
59230

Phone: (406) 228-6220
Fax: (406) 228-9027
Valley County website »

Wheatland County

201 A Avenue Northwest
Harlowton, Montana
59036

Phone: (406) 632-4893
Fax: (406) 632-4873
Wheatland County website »

Wibaux County

203 South Wibaux St.
Wibaux, Montana
59353

Phone: (406) 796-2484
Wibaux County website »

Yellowstone County

217 N. 27th Street, Room 702
Billings, Montana
59107

Phone: (406) 256-2851
Fax: (406) 256-2995
Yellowstone County website »