
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 Tennessee. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Not Generally
- Minister Registration Required: Sometimes
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 0 Days
- Marriage License Valid For: 30 Days
- Marriage License Return Within: 3 Days
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Tennessee
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 Tennessee
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. As a result of a 2015 Attorney General's opinion requested by Republican State Senator Todd Gardenhire, many Tennessee counties will no longer accept Universal Life Church ordinations.
Select your County Clerk to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county contact

Tennessee's Top Wedding Spot
Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park is just five minutes away in Pigeon Forge
3 License to Marry in Tennessee
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 Tennessee to
get an Ordination Package
and to add a Letter of Good
Standing to your order. While minister registration is not required in the
state of Tennessee, it has been frequently reported to us by ULC ministers in
the area that county clerks will ask for proof of your ordination before
accepting any marriage you perform as having been legally solemnized.
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. We've recently become aware of an attorney general's
opinion that calls into question the validity of Universal Life Church
ordinations. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully
performed thousands of weddings in this state before the opinion was released.
Again, this opinion was published at the request of Republican State Senator
Todd Gardenhire, and beginning summer 2015 our ministers began to report that
their ordinations were being actively rejected by Tennessee County Clerks. We
are keeping eyes on the situation and investigating all of our options.
We would appreciate you letting us know if you personally encounter
any problems with a government official in your area.
We've recently become aware of an attorney general's opinion that seems to call into question the validity of Universal Life Church ordinations. Please know that ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of weddings in this state before the opinion was released, and have continued to successfully perform legal weddings after its release. We are keeping eyes on the situation, and would appreciate you letting us know if you personally encounter any problems with a government official in your area.
4 How to get Married in Tennessee
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 Tennessee marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is only valid for 30 days, but there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple picks up the marriage license in Tennessee and when the ceremony may legally be conducted. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office within 3 days after the ceremony has been conducted.
At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee Wedding Need-To-Knows
For those looking to officiate a wedding in Tennessee, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind. Weddings are popular in June as well as the early autumn months, so keep the weather in mind if the couple is considering outdoor wedding venues in Tennessee. Summer months can be very hot and humid, and heavy rains have been known to occur year-round. If you want the feel of an outdoor wedding but don’t want to risk getting rained out, there are plenty of barn wedding venues in Tennessee (just be sure to wear some shoes that can handle getting a bit dirty, just in case!). An average of 15 tornadoes touch down in Tennessee each year; if that’s a concern then traditional wedding chapels in Tennessee may be a better option. Keep in mind that venue costs can vary drastically by type and location. While there is no set rate ministers should charge to officiate a ceremony, wedding costs in Tennessee average about $16,000, so you may want to keep this in mind when considering how much to charge.

Tennessee Marriage Code
Marriage laws in Tennessee are primarily directed by Chapter 3 of Title 36 of Tennessee's general code, which defines the persons authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Tennessee This includes ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church, among other individuals. We've reproduced a portion of this code below.36-3-301. Persons who may solemnize marriages. (a) (1) All regular ministers, preachers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other spiritual leaders of every religious belief, more than eighteen (18) years of age, having the care of souls [...] (2) In order to solemnize the rite of matrimony, any such minister, preacher, pastor, priest, rabbi or other spiritual leader must be ordained or otherwise designated in conformity with the customs of a church, temple or other religious group or organization; and such customs must provide for such ordination or designation by a considered, deliberate, and responsible act. View the Tennessee Statutes on the official state site.
To view the in-depth wedding laws for Tennessee state:
Tennessee Marriage Laws⇓ Show the rest
Anderson County
100 N. Main St., Room 111Clinton, Tennessee
37716
Phone: (265-457-5400)
Anderson County website »
Bedford County
104 North Side Square, Suite 102Shelbyville, Tennessee
37610
Phone: (931) 684-1921
Fax: (931) 685-9590
Bedford County website »
Benton County
1 E. Court Square, Suite 101Camden, Tennessee
38320
Phone: (731) 584-6053
Fax: (731) 584-4640
Benton County website »
Bledsoe County
116 Main St.Pikeville, Tennessee
37367
Phone: (423) 447-2137
Bledsoe County website »
Blount County
345 Court St.Maryville, Tennessee
37804
Phone: (865) 273-5800
Fax: 865) 273-5815
Blount County website »
Bradley County
155 Ocoee Street Courthouse, Room 101Cleveland, Tennessee
37311
Phone: (423) 728-7226
Fax: (423) 478-8845
Bradley County website »
Campbell County
570 Main St. Suite A-21Jacksboro, Tennessee
37757
Phone: (423) 562-4985
Fax: (423) 566-3852
Campbell County website »
Cannon County
200 West Main St.Woodbury, Tennessee
37190
Phone: (615) 563-4278
Fax: (615) 563-1289
Cannon County website »
Carroll County
625 High St., Suite 103Huntingdon, Tennessee
38344
Phone: (731) 986-1960
Fax: (731) 986-1978
Carroll County website »
Carter County
801 E. Elk Ave. (Courthouse)Elizabethton, Tennessee
37643
Phone: (423) 542-1814
Fax: (423) 547-1502
Carter County website »
Cheatham County
264 South Main St., Suite 108Ashland City, Tennessee
37015
Phone: (615) 792-5179
Fax: (615) 792-2094
Cheatham County website »
Chester County
133 East Main St.Henderson, Tennessee
38340
Phone: (731) 989-2233
Chester County website »
Claiborne County
1740 Main St.Tazewell, Tennessee
37879
Phone: (423) 626-3283
Fax: (423) 626-1661
Claiborne County website »
Clay County
Clay County Government Complex 145 Cordell Hull Dr.Celina, Tennessee
38551
Phone: (931) 243-2249
Fax: (931) 243-3231
Clay County website »
Cocke County
111 Court Ave., Room 101Newport, Tennessee
37821
Phone: (423) 623-6176
Fax: (423) 623-6178
Cocke County website »
Coffee County
1327 McArthur St.Manchester, Tennessee
37355
Phone: (931) 723-5106
Fax: (931) 723-8248
Coffee County website »
Crockett County
1 South Bell St., Suite 1Alamo, Tennessee
38001
Phone: (731) 696-5452
Fax: (731) 696-3261
Crockett County website »
Cumberland County
2 North Main St., Suite 206Crossville, Tennessee
38555
Phone: (931) 484-6442
Fax: (931) 484-6440
Cumberland County website »
Davidson County
Howard Office Building 700 Second Ave. SouthNashville, Tennessee
37210
Phone: (615) 862-6251
Fax: (615) 862-6037
Davidson County website »
Decatur County
22 West Main StreetDecaturville, Tennessee
38329
Phone: (731) 852-3417
Fax: (731) 852-3152
Decatur County website »
DeKalb County
732 South Congress Blvd., Room 102Smithville, Tennessee
37166
Phone: (615) 597-5177
Fax: (615) 597-1404
DeKalb County website »
Dickson County
4 Court Square, Room 126Charlotte, Tennessee
37036
Phone: (615) 789-5093
Fax: (615) 789-0128
Dickson County website »
Dyer County
115 West Market StreetDyersburg, Tennessee
38024
Phone: (731) 286-7814
Fax: (731) 288-7719
Dyer County website »
Fayette County
1 Court Square, Room 101Somerville, Tennessee
38068
Phone: (901) 465-5213
Fax: (901) 465-5293
Fayette County website »
Fentress County
101 Main St. SouthJamestown, Tennessee
38556
Phone: (931) 879-8014
Fax: (931) 879-8438
Fentress County website »
Franklin County
1 South Jefferson St.Winchester, Tennessee
37398
Phone: (931) 967-2541
Fax: (931) 962-3394
Franklin County website »
Gibson County
1 Court Square, Suite 100Trenton, Tennessee
38382
Phone: (731) 855-7642
Fax: (731) 855-7643
Gibson County website »
Giles County
222 West Madison St.Pulaski, Tennessee
38478
Phone: (931) 363-1509
Giles County website »
Grainger County
CourthouseRutledge, Tennessee
37861
Phone: (865) 828-3511
Fax: (865) 828-3203
Grainger County website »
Greene County
204 N. Cutler St., Suite 200Greeneville, Tennessee
37745
Phone: (423) 798-1708
Fax: (423) 798-1822
Greene County website »
Grundy County
Courthouse Circle, Grundy StreetAltamont, Tennessee
37301
Phone: (931) 692-3622
Fax: (931) 692-3659
Grundy County website »
Hamblen County
511 West Second North St.Morristown, Tennessee
37814
Phone: (423) 586-1993
Fax: (423) 585-2015
Hamblen County website »
Hamilton County
625 Georgia Ave., Room 201Chattanooga, Tennessee
37402
Phone: (423) 209-6500
Fax: (423) 209-6501
Hamilton County website »
Hancock County
418 Harrison StreetSneedville, Tennessee
37869
Phone: (423) 733-2519
Fax: (423) 733-4509
Hancock County website »
Hardeman County
100 North Main St.Bolivar, Tennessee
38008
Phone: (731) 658-3541
Fax: (731) 658-3482
Hardeman County website »
Hardin County
65 Court St., Courthouse Annex Building, Suite 1Savannah, Tennessee
38372
Phone: (731) 925-3921
Fax: (731) 926-4313
Hardin County website »
Hawkins County
110 E. Main St., Room 204Rogersville, Tennessee
37857
Phone: (423) 272-7002
Fax: (423) 272-5801
Hawkins County website »
Haywood County
1 North Washington St.Brownsville, Tennessee
38012
Phone: (731) 772-2362
Fax: (731) 772-1213
Haywood County website »
Henderson County
17 Monroe Ave., Suite 2Lexington, Tennessee
38351
Phone: (731) 968-2856
Fax: (731) 968-6644
Henderson County website »
Henry County
101 West Washington St., Suite 102Paris, Tennessee
38242
Phone: (731) 642-2412
Fax: (731) 644-0947
Henry County website »
Hickman County
114 North Central Ave., Suite 202Centerville, Tennessee
37033
Phone: (931) 729-2621
Fax: (931) 729-6131
Hickman County website »
Houston County
4725 East Main St., Room 100Erin, Tennessee
37061
Phone: (931) 289-3141
Fax: (931) 289-2603
Houston County website »
Humphreys County
Courthouse Annex 102 Thompson St., Room 2Waverly, Tennessee
37185
Phone: (931) 296-7671
Fax: (931) 296-0823
Humphreys County website »
Jackson County
101 E. Hull St.Gainesboro, Tennessee
38562
Phone: (931) 268-9212
Fax: (931) 268-4149
Jackson County website »
Jefferson County
214 W. Main St.Dandridge, Tennessee
37725
Phone: (865) 397-2935
Fax: (865) 397-3839
Jefferson County website »
Johnson County
222 West Main St.Mountain City, Tennessee
37683
Phone: (423) 727-9633
Fax: (423) 727-7047
Johnson County website »
Knox County
300 Main St.Knoxville, Tennessee
37901
Phone: (865) 215-2385
Fax: (865) 215-3655
Knox County website »
Lake County
116 S. Court St.Tiptonville, Tennessee
38079
Phone: (731) 253-7582
Fax: (731) 253-6815
Lake County website »
Lauderdale County
100 Court SquareRipley, Tennessee
38063
Phone: (731) 635-2561
Fax: (731) 635-9682
Lauderdale County website »
Lawrence County
200 West Gaines St., Suite 103Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
38464
Phone: (931) 762-7700
Fax: (931) 766-4146
Lawrence County website »
Lewis County
110 N. Park, Room 105Hohenwald, Tennessee
38462
Phone: (931) 796-2200
Fax: (931) 796-6010
Lewis County website »
Lincoln County
112 Main Ave. South, Room 102Fayetteville, Tennessee
37334
Phone: (931) 433-2454
Fax: (931) 433-9304
Lincoln County website »
Loudon County
101 Mulberry St., Suite 200Loudon, Tennessee
37774
Phone: (865) 458-2726
Fax: (865) 458-9891
Loudon County website »
Macon County
104 County Courthouse, Public SquareLafayette, Tennessee
37083
Phone: (615) 666-2333
Fax: (615) 666-2202
Macon County website »
Madison County
100 Main St., Room 105Jackson, Tennessee
38301
Phone: (731) 423-6022
Fax: (731) 423-6129
Madison County website »
Marion County
24 Courthouse Square, Room 101Jasper, Tennessee
37347
Phone: (423) 942-2515
Fax: (423) 942-0815
Marion County website »
Marshall County
1107 Courthouse AnnexLewisburg, Tennessee
37091
Phone: (931) 359-1072
Fax: (931) 359-0559
Marshall County website »
Maury County
10 Public SquareColumbia, Tennessee
38401
Phone: (931) 375-5200
Fax: (931) 375-5219
Maury County website »
McMinn County
9 East Madison Ave.Athens, Tennessee
37303
Phone: (423) 745-4440
Fax: (423) 744-1657
McMinn County website »
McNairy County
530 Mulberry, Ste. 1Selmer, Tennessee
38375
Phone: (731) 645-3511
Fax: (731) 646-1414
McNairy County website »
Meigs County
17214 State Highway 58 N.Decatur, Tennessee
37322
Phone: (423) 334-5747
Meigs County website »
Monroe County
103 College St.Madisonville, Tennessee
37354
Phone: (423) 442-2220
Fax: (423) 442-9542
Monroe County website »
Montgomery County
Veteran's Plaza 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 502Clarksville, Tennessee
37040
Phone: (931) 648-5711
Fax: (931) 553-5160
Montgomery County website »
Moore County
196 Main St.Lynchburg, Tennessee
37352
Phone: (931) 759-7346
Fax: (931) 759-6394
Moore County website »
Morgan County
415 S. Kingston St.Wartburg, Tennessee
37887
Phone: (423) 346-3480
Fax: (423) 346-4161
Morgan County website »
Obion County
2 Bill Burnett CircleUnion City, Tennessee
38281
Phone: (731) 885-3831
Fax: (731) 885-0287
Obion County website »
Overton County
317 E. University St., Room 22Livingston, Tennessee
38570
Phone: (931) 823-2631
Fax: (931) 823-2696
Overton County website »
Perry County
121 E. Main St.Linden, Tennessee
37096
Phone: (931) 589-2219
Fax: (931) 589-5107
Perry County website »
Pickett County
1 Courthouse Square, Suite 201Byrdstown, Tennessee
38549
Phone: (931) 864-3879
Fax: (931) 864-3879
Pickett County website »
Polk County
6239 Hwy 411, Office #102Benton, Tennessee
37307
Phone: (423) 338-4526
Fax: (423) 338-4551
Polk County website »
Putnam County
121 South Dixie AvenueCookeville, Tennessee
38501
Phone: (931) 526-7106
Fax: (931) 372-8201
Putnam County website »
Rhea County
375 Church St., Suite 101Dayton, Tennessee
37321
Phone: (423) 775-7808
Fax: (423) 775-7898
Rhea County website »
Roane County
200 E. Race St.Kingston, Tennessee
37763
Phone: (865) 376-5556
Fax: (865) 717-4121
Roane County website »
Robertson County
511 S. Brown St.Springfield, Tennessee
37172
Phone: (615) 384-5895
Fax: (615) 384-2218
Robertson County website »
Rutherford County
319 N. Maple St., Suite 121Murfreesboro, Tennessee
37130
Phone: (615) 898-7800
Fax: (615) 898-7830
Rutherford County website »
Scott County
282 Court St.Huntsville, Tennessee
37756
Phone: (423) 663-2588
Fax: (423) 663-3969
Scott County website »
Sequatchie County
307 Cherry St.Dunlap, Tennessee
37327
Phone: (423) 949-2522
Fax: (423) 949-6316
Sequatchie County website »
Sevier County
125 Court Ave, Suite 108 WSevierville, Tennessee
37862
Phone: (865) 453-5502
Fax: (865) 774-3954
Sevier County website »
Shelby County
150 Washington Ave.Memphis, Tennessee
38103
Phone: (901) 222-3000
Fax: (901) 222-3040
Shelby County website »
Smith County
122 Turner High Circle, Suite 101Carthage, Tennessee
37030
Phone: (615) 735-9833
Fax: (615) 735-8252
Smith County website »
Stewart County
225 Donelson Pkwy.Dover, Tennessee
37058
Phone: (931) 232-7616
Fax: (931) 232-4934
Stewart County website »
Sullivan County
3258 Hwy 126, Suite 101Blountville, Tennessee
37617
Phone: (423) 323-6428
Fax: (423) 279-2725
Sullivan County website »
Sumner County
355 North Belvedere Dr., Room 111Gallatin, Tennessee
37066
Phone: (615) 452-4063
Fax: (615) 452-9371
Sumner County website »
Tipton County
220 Hwy 51 North, Suite 2Covington, Tennessee
38019
Phone: (901) 476-0207
Fax: (901) 476-0297
Tipton County website »
Trousdale County
328 Broadway, Room 2Hartsville, Tennessee
37074
Phone: (615) 374-2906
Fax: (615) 374-1100
Trousdale County website »
Unicoi County
100 Main St., Suit 100Erwin, Tennessee
37650
Phone: (423) 743-3381
Fax: (423) 743-5430
Unicoi County website »
Union County
825 Main StreetMaynardville, Tennessee
37807
Phone: (865) 992-8043
Fax: (865) 992-4992
Union County website »
Van Buren County
Administrative Building 445 College StreetSpencer, Tennessee
38585
Phone: (931) 946-2121
Fax: (931) 946-2876
Van Buren County website »
Warren County
201 Locust St., Suite 2PMcMinnville, Tennessee
37110
Phone: (931) 473-2623
Fax: (931) 473-8622
Warren County website »
Washington County
100 Main St.Jonesborough, Tennessee
37659
Phone: (423) 753-1621
Fax: (423) 753-4716
Washington County website »
Wayne County
100 Court Square, Suite 200Waynesboro, Tennessee
38485
Phone: (931) 722-5544
Fax: (931) 722-6410
Wayne County website »
Weakley County
116 West Main Street, Room 104Dresden, Tennessee
38225
Phone: (731) 364-2285
Fax: (731) 264-5236
Weakley County website »
White County
1 East Brockman WaySparta, Tennessee
38583
Phone: (931) 836-3712
Fax: (931) 836-2601
White County website »
Williamson County
1320 W. Main St., Suite 135Franklin, Tennessee
37065
Phone: (615) 790-5712
Fax: (615) 790-5610
Williamson County website »
Wilson County
129 South College St.Lebanon, Tennessee
37088
Phone: (615) 444-2627
Fax: (615) 443-2615
Wilson County website »