
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 Rhode Island. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island.
- 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: 90 Days
- Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island
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 City or Town Clerk to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact

Rhode Island's Top Wedding Spot
Centrally located in the downtown harbor, the Newport Yachting Center
3 License to Marry in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island to get an Ordination Package. Although minister registration is not required in Rhode Island you may be asked to display proof of your ordination to the county clerks before they will accept the marriage as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination can also provide a great deal of peace-of-mind to any couple that you intend to marry. Additionally, 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.
Please note that weddings in Rhode Island require the presence of 2 witnesses in addition to the presence of the ordained minister.
4 How to get Married in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 90 days, and there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Rhode Island and when the ceremony may be legally performed Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its expiry.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island Wedding Tips
Congratulations on officiating a wedding in Rhode Island. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: The most popular time to hold a wedding in Rhode Island is the summer, and the Ocean State’s summers are wonderfully temperate. Highs average in the mid-seventies, and lows typically fall in the mid-fifties. Dress warmly if you’re someone who is always cold—otherwise, enjoy officiating in a climate that allows you to wear whatever you find most comfortable. Rhode Island boasts wedding destinations rich in colonial history and luxurious mansions constructed for the Gilded Age. Narragansett, Warwick, and Providence all make popular wedding locations, but Newport, with its collection of Castle Hill, Aldrich Mansion, Belle Mer, and more, is the crown jewel of Rhode Island’s wedding scene. Expect ocean views wherever your wedding ceremony leads you. Now that you know a little about Rhode Island, it’s time to answer the most important question. How much should I charge? Your fee should account for your experience, time commitment, and travel. The average cost for a pastor or minister in Rhode Island is $263, according to the Bridal Association of America.

Rhode Island Marriage Code
Marriage in Rhode Island is governed by Chapter 3 of Title 15 of Rhode Island's Statutes (the RI general laws). Ministers who got ordained online with the Universal Life Church have successfully solemnized thousands of weddings in the state. Below, you will find that we have reproduced a relevant excerpt of this code.15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-3-8. Witnesses to ceremony. The solemnization of marriage shall be in the presence of at least two (2) witnesses besides the minister, elder, justice, or warden officiating. View the Rhode Island Statutes on the official state site.
To view the in-depth wedding laws for Rhode Island state:
Rhode Island Marriage Laws⇓ Show the rest
Barrington
283 County RoadBarrington, Rhode Island
02806
Phone: (401) 247-1900 ext 305
Fax: (401) 247-3765
Barrington website »
Bristol
10 Court StreetBristol, Rhode Island
02809
Phone: (401) 253-7000
Fax: (401) 253-3080
Bristol website »
Burrillville
105 Harrisville Main StreetBurrillville, Rhode Island
02830
Phone: (401) 568-4300
Fax: (401) 568-0490
Burrillville website »
Central falls
580 Broad StreetCentral falls, Rhode Island
02863
Phone: (401) 727-7400
Fax: (401) 727-7406
Central falls website »
Charlestown
4540 South County TrailCharlestown, Rhode Island
02813
Phone: (401) 364-1200
Fax: (401) 364-1238
Charlestown website »
Coventry
1670 Flat River RoadCoventry, Rhode Island
02816
Phone: (401) 821-6400
Fax: (401) 822-9132
Coventry website »
Cranston
869 Park AvenueCranston, Rhode Island
02910
Phone: (401) 461-1000
Fax: (401) 780-3165
Cranston website »
Cumberland
45 Broad StreetCumberland, Rhode Island
02864
Phone: (401) 728-2400
Fax: (401) 724-1103
Cumberland website »
East Greenwich
125 Main StreetEast Greenwich, Rhode Island
02818
Phone: (401) 886-8665
Fax: (401) 886-8625
East Greenwich website »
East Providence
145 Taunton AvenueEast Providence, Rhode Island
02914
Phone: (401) 435-7500
Fax: (401) 438-1719
East Providence website »
Exeter
675 Ten Rod RoadExeter, Rhode Island
02822
Phone: (401) 294-3891
Fax: (401) 295-1248
Exeter website »
Foster
181 Howard HillFoster, Rhode Island
02825
Phone: (401) 392-9200
Fax: (401) 392-9201
Foster website »
Glocester
1145 Putnam PikeGlocester, Rhode Island
02814
Phone: (401) 568-6206
Fax: (401) 568-5850
Glocester website »
Hopkinton
1 Town House RoadHopkinton, Rhode Island
02833
Phone: (401) 377-7777
Fax: (401) 377-7788
Hopkinton website »
Jamestown
93 Narragansett AvenueJamestown, Rhode Island
02835
Phone: (401) 423-9801
Fax: (401) 423-7230
Jamestown website »
Johnston
1385 Hartford AvenueJohnston, Rhode Island
02919
Phone: (401) 351-6618
Fax: (401) 331-4271
Johnston website »
Lincoln
100 Old River RoadLincoln, Rhode Island
02865
Phone: (401) 333-1100
Fax: (401) 333-3648
Lincoln website »
Little Compton
Town Hall<br>The CommonsLittle Compton, Rhode Island
02837
Phone: (401) 635-4400
Fax: (401) 635-2470
Little Compton website »
Middletown
350 Main RoadMiddletown, Rhode Island
02842
Phone: (401) 849-5540
Fax: (401) 845-0400
Middletown website »
Narragansett
25 Fifth AvenueNarragansett, Rhode Island
02885
Phone: (401) 789-1044
Fax: (401) 783-9637
Narragansett website »
New Shoreham
16 Old Town RdNew Shoreham, Rhode Island
02807
Phone: (401) 466-3200
Fax: (401) 466-3219
New Shoreham website »
North Kingstown
100 Fairway DriveNorth Kingstown, Rhode Island
02852
Phone: (401) 268-1556
Fax: (401) 885-7373
North Kingstown website »
North Providence
2000 Smith StreetNorth Providence, Rhode Island
02911
Phone: (401) 232-0900
Fax: (401) 231-9855
North Providence website »
North Smithfield
575 Smithfield RoadNorth Smithfield, Rhode Island
02876
Phone: (401) 767-2200
Fax: (401) 766-0016
North Smithfield website »
Pawtucket
137 Roosevelt AvenuePawtucket, Rhode Island
02860
Phone: (401) 728-0500
Fax: (401) 728-8932
Pawtucket website »
Portsmouth
2200 East Main RoadPortsmouth, Rhode Island
02871
Phone: (401) 683-3255
Fax: (401) 683-6804
Portsmouth website »
Providence
25 Dorrance StreetProvidence, Rhode Island
02903
Phone: (401) 421-7740
Fax: (401) 274-8240
Providence website »
Richmond
5 Richmond TownhouseRichmond, Rhode Island
02898
Phone: (401) 539-9000
Fax: (401) 539-1089
Richmond website »
Scituate
195 Danielson PikeScituate, Rhode Island
02857
Phone: (401) 647-2822
Fax: (401) 647-7220
Scituate website »
Smithfield
64 Farnum PikeSmithfield, Rhode Island
02917
Phone: (401) 233-1000
Fax: (401) 232-7244
Smithfield website »
South Kingstown
180 High StreetSouth Kingstown, Rhode Island
02879
Phone: (401) 789-9331
Fax: (401) 789-5280
South Kingstown website »
Tiverton
343 Highland RoadTiverton, Rhode Island
02878
Phone: (401) 625-6703
Fax: (401) 625-6705
Tiverton website »
Warren
514 Main Street, 1st FloorWarren, Rhode Island
02885
Phone: (401) 245-7340
Fax: (401) 245-7421
Warren website »
Warwick
3275 Post RoadWarwick, Rhode Island
02886
Phone: (401) 738-2000
Fax: (401) 738-6639
Warwick website »
West Greenwich
280 Victory HighwayWest Greenwich, Rhode Island
02817
Phone: (401) 392-3800
Fax: (401) 392-3805
West Greenwich website »
West Warwick
1170 Main StreetWest Warwick, Rhode Island
02893
Phone: (401) 822-9200
Fax: (401) 822-9266
West Warwick website »
Westerly
45 Broad StWesterly, Rhode Island
02891
Phone: (401) 348-2500
Fax: (401) 348-2571
Westerly website »
Woonsocket
169 Main StreetWoonsocket, Rhode Island
02895
Phone: (401) 762-6400
Fax: (401) 765-0022
Woonsocket website »