Marriage Ceremony Formalities in Oregon
At a glance
| Who may solemnize | Judicial officer, county clerk/deputy, authorized clergy or secular celebrant, or qualifying religious/secular organization (ORS 106.120(2)). |
|---|---|
| Appointment or registration route | Authority rests on office or organization authorization; ORS 106.120(2) states no general one-day appointment route. |
| License and ceremony timing | License effective three days after application signature unless waived; valid 60 days after effective date (ORS 106.077). |
| Required declaration or form | Parties assent or declare before solemnizer and witnesses that they take each other as spouses; no particular form (ORS 106.150(1)). |
| Attending witnesses | At least two present for parties' assent or declaration (ORS 106.150(1)). |
| Religious or self-uniting route | Religious or secular organization may solemnize by established ritual; presiding person returns record (ORS 106.150(2)). |
| Proxy or remote presence | Current § 106.150 requires presence for assent; 2026 Oregon Laws ch. 20 adds limited military remote appearance Jan. 1, 2027. |
| Who signs the certificate | Solemnizer completes original application, license and record of marriage; ORS 106.170 does not list each form signer. |
| Return recipient and deadline | Solemnizer delivers completed original form to issuing county clerk within five calendar days of ceremony (ORS 106.170). |
Requirements one by one
Solemnizers and organization ceremonies
ORS 106.120(2) lists judicial officers, county clerks and deputies, authorized clergy, authorized secular celebrants, and qualifying religious or secular organizations. A religious or secular organization may use its established ritual or form; the person presiding, officiating, or celebrating then delivers the record to the issuing county clerk (ORS 106.150(2)).
License, declaration, and witnesses
The license becomes effective three days after the applicants sign the application and lasts 60 days after its effective date (ORS 106.077(1)). A written waiver of the waiting period is available for good and sufficient cause under ORS 106.077(2). At the ceremony, each party assents or declares before the authorized solemnizer and at least two witnesses that they take each other as spouses. No particular form is required beyond that declaration (ORS 106.150(1)).
Record return
The person solemnizing completes the original application, license, and record of marriage and delivers it to the clerk who issued the license within five calendar days of the ceremony (ORS 106.170). The section permits the solemnizer to keep a copy. It does not list every signature field on the form.
What trips people up
A future military exception is enacted but starts January 1, 2027 (2026 Oregon Laws ch. 20, effective-date clause). On and after that date, when active service prevents a service member from attending physically, a judicial officer may solemnize the marriage with the member appearing through communication technology if the other ORS 106.150(1) requirements are met (§ 1(3)). The act defines that technology as simultaneous sight-and-sound communication (§ 1(1)(b)). The present ceremony rule remains ORS 106.150(1) until that date.
Common questions
Can a secular organization conduct a ceremony? Yes, if it qualifies under ORS 106.120(2) and follows its established ritual or form under ORS 106.150(2).
Does the five-day deadline run from license issuance? No. ORS 106.170 starts it on the marriage ceremony date.
Statutes and sources
The quoted ORS 106.077, 106.120, 106.150, and 106.170 are from the official 2025 Edition Chapter 106, checked October 4, 2026. The enacted 2026 Oregon Laws chapter 20 and its January 1, 2027 start date were checked in the official session law on the same date. Source URLs and verbatim text appear above.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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