Elopement Officiants in Utah

Who can marry you in Utah: the statute, the signature, the deadline

Start with the law itself. Utah Code 81-2-305 — the 2024 recodification of the old Section 30-1-6 — lists everyone authorized to solemnize a marriage: clergy 18 or older acting under a religious denomination's authority, Native American spiritual advisors, judges and court commissioners, mayors and county executives, county clerks and their designees, state legislators, statewide elected officials, and members of Utah's congressional delegation. Couples cannot solemnize for themselves here; someone from that list must conduct the ceremony.

Online ordination clears the bar in practice. Utah maintains no statewide officiant registry, and a friend ordained through an online ministry is treated as denominationally authorized — there is no approval list to join before the wedding day. Prefer a professional? Most county clerk offices perform civil ceremonies for a modest fee, and some counties, including Grand County in Moab, publish rosters of designated officiators.

Two duties determine whether the marriage actually gets recorded. The certificate must name at least two witnesses who were present, and whoever officiates must return the completed license to the issuing county's clerk within 30 days — skipping that step is an infraction under the code, and until the paperwork is filed, no public record of the marriage exists.

Planning budgets too? See elopement packages in Utah.

Frequently asked questions

Who is authorized to marry us in Utah?

Utah Code 81-2-305 lists who's authorized: clergy 18 or older acting under a religious denomination's authority, Native American spiritual advisors, judges and court commissioners, mayors and county executives, county clerks and their designees, and state legislators. Couples cannot solemnize for themselves.

Can a friend with an online ordination legally officiate in Utah?

Yes — Utah maintains no statewide officiant registry, and a friend ordained through an online ministry is treated as denominationally authorized, with no approval list to join before the wedding.

What happens after the ceremony — do we need to file anything?

Yes — the certificate must name at least two witnesses who were present, and whoever officiates must return the completed license to the issuing county's clerk within 30 days, or it's an infraction under the code.