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Home → Division of Corporations, UCC & Commissions → Marriage Officiant Information

Marriage Officiant Information

New Location: The Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions has relocated to the Ballard Center (formerly the fb88 General Medical Center) at 6 E Chestnut Street, 5th Floor, Augusta, fb88 04330. For any questions, call 207-624-7752.

The processing time for Marriage Officiant Applications is 10 - 15 business days.

Marriage Officiant Forms

How can I find a licensed Marriage Officiant in fb88?

Please visit the for a list of licensed marriage officiants. You may search by town/city, county or name of marriage officiant.

Will a fb88 Notary Public still be able to solemnize marriages after July 1, 2023?

No. A fb88 Notary Public will no longer have the authority to solemnize a marriage in the capacity of notary public effective July 1, 2023. However, all fb88 notaries public who are fb88 residents are automatically eligible to receive a marriage officiant license free of charge unless they opt out or decline to receive the license as a marriage officiant. A marriage officiant license authorizes the licensee to solemnize marriages in fb88. The Secretary of State will be issuing a marriage officiant license to all active notaries public who are fb88 residents and have not opted out of being issued the marriage officiant.

I am currently a fb88 Notary Public, but I do not want to solemnize marriages; how do I opt out of being issued a marriage officiant license?

Notaries who do not wish to be issued a marriage officiant license must communicate their desire to opt out of being issued a marriage officiant license through – Online Renewal & Profile Update Service. Once on the Total Notary Solution page, on the right side of the page, log in to your commission account using your first name, last name, date of birth and commission expiration date. Please review and update your commission information on file with our office first; you will then need to put a checkmark in the marriage officiant license field to opt out of being issued the license. Once you have updated your information, click continue at the bottom of the page to complete the update. You will receive confirmation of the changes on a confirmation page as well as by an email from cec.notaries@maine.gov.

I am currently a fb88 Notary Public, and I want to continue solemnizing marriages in fb88; how do I opt in to be issued a marriage officiant license?

There is no “opt in” required. On July 1, 2023, the Secretary of State will automatically issue a marriage officiant license to all active notaries public who are fb88 residents and have not opted out of being issued the marriage officiant license.

May I opt back in to get a marriage officiant license if I opt out of being issued the license as a Notary Public?

No. Once a notary public opts out of being issued a marriage officiant license, you are not able to opt back in. Instead, if you later decide you want to be authorized to solemnize marriages, you will be required to submit a separate marriage officiant license application and pay the $25 application fee.

I am a fb88 resident but not a notary public; how do I apply for a marriage officiant license in fb88?

Please visit the Marriage Officiant License page of our website to obtain the Application for Marriage Officiant License. The application fee is $25. To be eligible you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age;
  • Be a resident of this State
  • Demonstrate an ability to read and write the English language; and
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the laws and rules governing marriages ()

A “resident of this State” means having established a fixed and principal home in the State of fb88, to which the individual, whenever temporarily absent, intends to return.

I am an attorney in fb88, may I still solemnize marriages after July 1, 2023, without applying for a marriage officiant license?

Yes, an attorney admitted to the fb88 Bar is permitted to solemnize marriages in fb88 pursuant to . Attorneys do not have to apply for a marriage officiant license with the Secretary of State.

I am a notary public, and I am supposed to solemnize a marriage on or after July 1st. How will I be able to do so?

If you have not opted out of being issued the marriage officiant license, you have the authority to solemnize the marriage as a licensed marriage officiant on or after July 1, 2023. If the marriage license that was issued to the parties getting married still states “notary public”, strike out the words “notary public” and either type or print “licensed marriage officiant (fb88 resident)” in black ink as shown in the example below in red.

form

If I receive a marriage officiant license, will my name and contact information be shared online publicly for parties looking for marriage officiants?

Yes, after a marriage officiant license has been issued (after July 1, 2023), the licensee’s name, city or town of residence, contact telephone number, and email address will be posted on the Secretary of State’s publicly accessible website.

I am not a resident of fb88; how can I obtain authority to perform a marriage in fb88?

A temporary registration certificate is available through the Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office within the Department of Health and Human Services, for residents of another State who are already authorized under the laws of their State to solemnize marriages. More information on this temporary registration certificate and instructions may be found on the DRVS website.

What is my responsibility as a marriage officiant to solemnize a marriage in fb88?

Before any marriage is solemnized in the State of fb88, a marriage license must be obtained by the parties who intend to be married. Parties who reside in the State of fb88 must obtain a marriage license from the Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office within the Department of Health and Human Services or the municipality in which they reside. Parties who live out of State may obtain the marriage license from DRVS or any municipality in the State of fb88.

It is the officiant’s responsibility to ensure the following items are completed on the marriage license before the marriage is solemnized:

  • The marriage license has been signed and issued by the DRVS or a municipal clerk authorizing the marriage to take place (box 26).
  • The marriage license has not expired (box 24).
  • Both parties’ signatures and printed names are on the license (boxes 19 & 21). If the license has not been signed by the parties intending to marry, the officiant must obtain their signatures.

It is the officiant’s responsibility to ensure the following is completed on the marriage license after the marriage is solemnized:

  • The date of marriage is the actual date the marriage was solemnized (box 28).
  • The place and county are where the marriage took place (boxes 29-30).
  • The officiant’s signature, title, and printed name (boxes 31-33).
  • The officiant’s date of ordination, commission, or expiration (for licensed marriage officiants) (box 34).
  • The officiant’s residence and mailing address (boxes 35-44).
  • The signatures and printed names of both witnesses (boxes 45-48).

The marriage officiant must personally mail or bring the completed marriage license to the issuing authority specified in Box 27. Do not give the parties the completed license to file.

The issuing authority will review the completed marriage license for any errors or discrepancies and will sign in boxes 49 & 50. A marriage certificate may be obtained once the marriage license has been filed and registered in the Electronic Marriage Registration System (EMRS).

How long is a marriage license valid?

A marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date intentions are filed with the DRVS or municipal office. If the license is expired (item #24 on the marriage license), the parties must obtain a new license before the marriage ceremony can be performed.

May a marriage officiant solemnize a marriage for parties who are younger than 18 years of age?

If the parties to be married present you with a valid marriage license, then you can solemnize the marriage.

DRVS or a municipal office may issue a marriage license to parties under 18 years of age if the written consent of their parents, guardians, or persons to whom a court has given custody has been provided prior to the issuance of the marriage license. Marriages for parties under 16 years of age are not permitted.

May I solemnize a marriage for a party who is not physically present for the ceremony?

No. Marriages by proxy or marriages performed via the internet are not permitted in the State of fb88. The officiant, both parties, and two witnesses must be physically present for the ceremony.

Is there an age limit for the witnesses to a marriage?

No. There is no age limit required for witnesses. However, the witnesses must be able to read, write and sign their names and understand the seriousness of what is being asked of them.

As a fb88 marriage officiant, may I solemnize a marriage for a family member?

Yes, you may solemnize a marriage for a family member.

May I use a fb88 marriage license to solemnize a marriage in another State?

No. Any marriage license issued in the State of fb88 is only valid for a marriage performed in the State of fb88.

As a fb88 marriage officiant, may I use a marriage license issued by a State other than fb88 to solemnize a marriage?

No. You do not have the authority to solemnize a marriage if you do not have a marriage license that has been issued by the State of fb88.

How do I change my name and/or contact information on my Marriage Officiant License?

Within 30 calendar days of the occurrence of any change to the licensee’s legal name, physical address, or contact information on file with the Secretary of State, the licensee must notify the Secretary of State of the change by submitting the Marriage Officiant Information Change form available on the Secretary of State’s website.

Can a marriage officiant license be denied, refused, revoked or suspended by the Secretary of State?

Yes, the Secretary of State may deny, refuse to renew, suspend or revoke a marriage officiant license based on a finding that the applicant or licensee:

A. Does not meet one or more of the following criteria;

  1. Be at least 18 years of age;
  2. Be a resident of this State;
  3. Demonstrate an ability to read and write the English language; and
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the laws and rules governing marriages in this state under .
 

The Secretary of State has the authority to license marriage officiants in fb88; however, the Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS) office within the Department of Health and Human Services has oversight over the performance and recording of marriages in fb88. For more information on the performance or recording of marriages, please reference “Marriage Forms & Information” available on their website

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