Iowa Marriage Laws
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 Iowa. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Iowa. 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 Iowa.
- ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
- Minister Registration Required: No
- Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
- Minister's Minimum Age: 18
- Marriage License Waiting Period: 3 Days
- Marriage License Valid For: Never Expires
- Marriage License Return Within: 15 Days
1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Iowa
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 How to Officiate a Marriage in Iowa
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 county to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.
Select a county
Iowa's Top Wedding Spot
Festhalle Barn, in the Amana Colonies, is a classic restored dairy barn
3 License to Marry in Iowa
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 Iowa to get an Ordination Package. While Minister registration is not technically required in Iowa you may be required to present proof of your ordination to the county clerk before the marriages you perform will be accepted as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination will also provide 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.
4 How to Perform a Wedding in Iowa
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 Iowa marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is never expires, but there is a mandatory 3-day waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Iowa and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office within 15 days of the completion of the wedding ceremony. At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Iowa, 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 Iowa 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.
Iowa Marriage Code
Marriage in Iowa is governed by Chapter 595 of Title 15 of Iowa's Codified Statutes. 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.595.10 Who may solemnize.
Marriages may be solemnized by:
1. A judge of the supreme court, court of appeals, or district court, including a district
associate judge, associate juvenile judge, or a judicial magistrate, and including a senior judge
as defined in section 602.9202, subsection 3.
2. A person ordained or designated as a leader of the person's religious faith.
[C51, §1472; R60, §2524; C73, §2193; C97, §3145; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §10436; C4
View the Iowa Statutes on the official state site⇓ Show the rest
Adair County
400 Public Square, Suite 6Greenfield, Iowa
Phone: (641) 743-2411
Fax: (641) 343-0121
Adair County website »
Adams County
500 Ninth StreetCorning, Iowa
Phone: (641) 322-3744
Fax: (641) 322-3744
Adams County website »
Allamakee County
110 Allamakee St NWWaukon, Iowa
Phone: (563) 568-2364
Fax: (563) 568-6419
Allamakee County website »
Audubon County
318 Leroy St #7Audubon, Iowa
Phone: (712) 563-2119
Fax: (712) 563-4677
Audubon County website »
Benton County
1st Floor Courthouse 111 E. 4th St.Vinton, Iowa
Phone: (319) 472-3309
Fax: (319) 472-3647
Benton County website »
Boone County
201 State StreetBoone, Iowa
Phone: (515) 433-0514
Fax: (515) 433-4972
Boone County website »
Bremer County
415 E. Bremer AvenueWaverly, Iowa
Phone: (319) 352-0401
Fax: (319) 352-0518
Bremer County website »
Buchanan County
210 5th Ave NE - 1st FloorIndependence, Iowa
Phone: (319) 334-4259
Fax: (319) 334-7453
Buchanan County website »
Buena Vista County
215 E. 5thStorm Lake, Iowa
Phone: (712) 213-7430
Fax: (712) 749-2708
Buena Vista County website »
Butler County
428 Sixth StreetAllison, Iowa
Phone: (319) 267-2735
Fax: (319) 267-2675
Butler County website »
Calhoun County
Calhoun County Courthouse416 Fourth Street, Suite 3
Rockwell City, Iowa
Calhoun County website »
Cedar County
400 Cedar Street Suite 105Tipton, Iowa
Phone: (563) 886-2230
Fax: (563) 886-2120
Cedar County website »
Cerro Gordo County
220 North WashingtonMason City, Iowa
Phone: (641) 421-3056
Fax: (641) 421-3154
Cerro Gordo County website »
Cherokee County
520 W. MainCherokee, Iowa
Phone: (712) 225-6735
Fax: (712) 225-6754
Cherokee County website »
Chickasaw County
8 East ProspectNew Hampton, Iowa
Phone: (641) 394-2336
Fax: (641) 394-2816
Chickasaw County website »
Clarke County
100 S Main St.Osceola, Iowa
Phone: (641) 342-3313
Fax: (641) 342-1124
Clarke County website »
Clay County
300 W 4th St Suite 3Spencer, Iowa
Phone: (712) 262-1081
Fax: (712) 264-3983
Clay County website »
Clayton County
111 High Street NortheastElkader, Iowa
Phone: (563) 245-2710
Fax: (563) 245-2454
Clayton County website »
Clinton County
1900 North Third StreetClinton, Iowa
Phone: (563) 244-0565
Fax: (563) 242-8412
Clinton County website »
Crawford County
1202 Broadway, 2nd FloorDenison, Iowa
Phone: (712) 263-3643
Fax: (712) 263-3413
Crawford County website »
Dallas County
801 Court Street, Room 203Adel, Iowa
Phone: (515) 993-5804
Fax: (515) 993-5970
Dallas County website »
Davis County
100 Courthouse Square, Suite 7Bloomfield, Iowa
Phone: (641) 664-2321
Fax: N/A
Davis County website »
Decatur County
207 N. Main St.Leon, Iowa
Phone: (641) 446-4322
Fax: (641) 446-7528
Decatur County website »
Delaware County
301 E Main Street Rm. 204Manchester, Iowa
Phone: (563) 927-4665
Fax: (563) 927-3641
Delaware County website »
Des Moines County
513 N. MainBurlington, Iowa
Phone: (319) 753-8221
Fax: (319) 753-8721
Des Moines County website »
Dubuque County
720 Central AvenueDubuque, Iowa
Phone: (563) 589-4434
Fax: (563) 589-4484
Dubuque County website »
Emmet County
609 1st Avenue North, Suite 7Estherville, Iowa
Phone: (712) 362-4115
Fax: (712) 362-7454
Emmet County website »
Fayette County
114 North Vine StreetWest Union, Iowa
Phone: (563) 422-3687
Fax: (563) 422-3739
Fayette County website »
Floyd County
101 S. Main St. Suite #306Charles City, Iowa
Phone: (641) 257-6154
Fax: (641) 228-6458
Floyd County website »
Franklin County
12 - 1st Ave. NWHampton, Iowa
Phone: (641) 456-5675
Fax: (641) 456-6009
Franklin County website »
Fremont County
506 Filmore St.,Sidney, Iowa
Phone: (712) 374-2315
Fax: (712) 374-2826
Fremont County website »
Greene County
114 N. Chestnut StreetJefferson, Iowa
Phone: (515) 386-5670
Fax: (515) 386-5274
Greene County website »
Guthrie County
200 North 5th StreetGuthrie Center, Iowa
Phone: (641) 747-3412
Fax: (641) 747-3081
Guthrie County website »
Hamilton County
2300 Superior Street, Suite 6Webster City, Iowa
Phone: (515) 832-9535
Fax: (515) 832-8620
Hamilton County website »
Hancock County
855 State StreetGarner, Iowa
Phone: (641) 923-2464
Fax: (641) 923-3912
Hancock County website »
Hardin County
1215 Edgington Avenue Suite 4Eldora, Iowa
Phone: (641) 939-8178
Fax: (641) 939-8245
Hardin County website »
Harrison County
111 N 2nd Ave.Logan, Iowa
Phone: (712) 644-2545
Fax: (712) 644-3157
Harrison County website »
Henry County
100 E. Washington St. Suite 201Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
Phone: (319) 385-0765
Fax: (319) 385-0770
Henry County website »
Howard County
137 North Elm StreetCresco, Iowa
Phone: (563) 547-9210
Fax: (563) 547-9252
Howard County website »
Humboldt County
203 Main StDakota City, Iowa
Phone: (515) 332-3693
Fax: (515) 332-3694
Humboldt County website »
Ida County
401 Moorehead StreetIda Grove, Iowa
Phone: (712) 364-2220
Fax: (712) 364-3929
Ida County website »
Iowa County
901 Court AvenueMarengo, Iowa
Phone: (319) 642-3622
Fax: (319) 642-5562
Iowa County website »
Jackson County
201 West Platt Street, Room 206Maquoketa, Iowa
Phone: (563) 652-2504
Fax: (563) 652-6460
Jackson County website »
Jasper County
101 1st St. N, Room 205Newton, Iowa
Phone: (641) 792-5442
Fax: (641) 791-3680
Jasper County website »
Jefferson County
Courthouse 51 W. Briggs, Suite 4Fairfield, Iowa
Phone: (641) 472-4331
Fax: (641) 472-5094
Jefferson County website »
Johnson County
913 S Dubuque St, Room 202Iowa City, Iowa
Phone: (319) 356-6093
Fax: (319) 339-6181
Johnson County website »
Keokuk County
101 S. MainSigourney, Iowa
Phone: (641) 622-2540
Fax: (641) 622-3789
Keokuk County website »
Kossuth County
114 W. State StreetAlgona, Iowa
Phone: (515) 295-5660
Fax: (515) 395-3660
Kossuth County website »
Lyon County
206 S. 2nd Ave.Rock Rapids, Iowa
Phone: (712) 472-8528
Fax: (712) 472-8523
Lyon County website »
Madison County
112 N. John Wayne Dr.Winterset, Iowa
Phone: (515) 462-3771
Fax: (515) 462-5006
Madison County website »
Marion County
214 E Main St, Ste 8Knoxville, Iowa
Phone: (641) 828-2211
Fax: (641) 828-3538
Marion County website »
Mills County
418 Sharp StreetGlenwood, Iowa
Phone: (712) 527-9315
Fax: (712) 527-1507
Mills County website »
Monona County
610 Iowa AveOnawa, Iowa
Phone: (712) 433-2575
Fax: (712) 433-3034
Monona County website »
Monroe County
10 Benton Ave EAlbia, Iowa
Phone: (641) 932-5164
Fax: (641) 932-5905
Monroe County website »
Montgomery County
105 E Coolbaugh StRed Oak, Iowa
Phone: (712) 623-4363
Fax: (712) 623-8915
Montgomery County website »
O'Brien County
155 S Hayes Ave.Primghar, Iowa
Phone: (712) 957-3045
Fax: (712) 957-3046
O'Brien County website »
Page County
112 E MainClarinda, Iowa
Phone: (712) 542-3130
Fax: (712) 542-3636
Page County website »
Palo Alto County
1010 BroadwayEmmetsburg, Iowa
Phone: (712) 852-3701
Fax: (712) 852-3704
Palo Alto County website »
Plymouth County
215 4th Ave SELe Mars, Iowa
Phone: (712) 546-4020
Fax: (712) 546-7304
Plymouth County website »
Polk County
111 Court Avenue Ste 250Des Moines, Iowa
Phone: (515) 286-3160
Fax: (515) 323-5393
Polk County website »
Poweshiek County
302 E. Main StMontezuma, Iowa
Phone: (641) 623-5434
Fax: (641) 623-2928
Poweshiek County website »
Ringgold County
109 W Madison St # 204Mt Ayr, Iowa
Phone: (641) 464-3231
Fax: (641) 464-0654
Ringgold County website »
Sac County
100 NW State Street, Box 2Sac City, Iowa
Phone: (712) 662-7789
Fax: (712) 662-6298
Sac County website »
Scott County
600 W. 4th St.Davenport, Iowa
Phone: (563) 326-8621
Fax: (563) 328-3225
Scott County website »
Shelby County
612 Court Street Room 201Harlan, Iowa
Phone: (712) 755-5640
Fax: (712) 755-7556
Shelby County website »
Sioux County
210 Central Ave SWOrange City, Iowa
Phone: (712) 737-2229
Fax: (712) 737-3032
Sioux County website »
Tama County
104 W. State StreetToledo, Iowa
Phone: (641) 484-3320
Fax: (641) 484-8246
Tama County website »
Union County
300 N Pine Street, Suite 5Creston, Iowa
Phone: (641) 782-1725
Fax: (641) 782-1709
Union County website »
Van Buren County
406 Dodge StKeosaqua, Iowa
Phone: (319) 293-3240
Fax: (319) 293-6327
Van Buren County website »
Washington County
224 W Main StreetWashington, Iowa
Phone: (319) 653-7727
Fax: (319) 653-7754
Washington County website »
Webster County
701 Central Avenue, 2nd FloorFort Dodge, Iowa
Phone: (515) 576-2401
Fax: (515) 574-3723
Webster County website »
Winneshiek County
201 W. Main StreetDecorah, Iowa
Phone: (563) 382-3486
Fax: (563) 382-5437
Winneshiek County website »
Worth County
1000 Central AveNorthwood, Iowa
Phone: (641) 324-2734
Fax: (641) 324-3682
Worth County website »
Wright County
115 N. Main St.Clarion, Iowa
Phone: (515) 532-3204
Fax: (515) 532-2669
Wright County website »
