Marriage Ceremony Formalities in Rhode Island
At a glance
| Who may solemnize | Ordained clergy or elders, listed judicial/court officers and former officers, New Shoreham wardens, and governor designees (§ 15-3-5). |
|---|---|
| Appointment or registration route | Governor may designate age-18+ person for one marriage on a specified date and place; certificate issued on fee payment within 21 days, expiring at solemnization (§ 15-3-5). |
| License and ceremony timing | Parties present license; solemnizer signs appended certificate before joining them; license valid for three months from issue (§§ 15-3-7, 15-2-8). |
| Required declaration or form | §§ 15-3-5 to -8 prescribe no particular spoken words; solemnizer certifies the marriage under state law (§ 15-3-12(b)). |
| Attending witnesses | At least two witnesses besides the officiant must be present (§ 15-3-8). |
| Religious or self-uniting route | Friends, Jewish-rite and local Baha’i spiritual-assembly marriages are recognized according to their rites and usages (§ 15-3-6). |
| Proxy or remote presence | The cited ceremony provisions require two witnesses' presence and state no express proxy or remote route (§ 15-3-8). |
| Who signs the certificate | Solemnizer signs appended certificate before ceremony, then endorses and certifies form; §§ 15-3-7 and -12 do not specify witness signatures. |
| Return recipient and deadline | Solemnizer completes and files License and Certificate of Marriage with issuing town or city clerk within 72 hours after marriage (§ 15-3-12(c)). |
Requirements one by one
Authorized solemnizers and one-marriage designation
Ordained clergy or elders and the judicial and court officials listed in R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-3-5 may join a couple in marriage. The list includes current and former officers and gives New Shoreham wardens authority in that town. The governor must designate an applicant aged at least 18 for a particular marriage, date, and city or town (§ 15-3-5). After the fee is paid, the secretary of state issues the designation certificate within 21 days; it expires when that marriage is solemnized. The statute sets a $20 electronic fee and a $25 mail, fax or hand-delivery fee (§ 15-3-5).
Ceremony and certificate
The license lasts three months after issue (§ 15-2-8). The couple must present it to the solemnizer, who signs the certificate appended to it before joining them (§ 15-3-7). At least two witnesses besides the officiant must attend (§ 15-3-8). The solemnizer then endorses and certifies the License and Certificate of Marriage (§ 15-3-12(b)).
What trips people up
Friends ceremonies, Jewish rites and local Baha’i spiritual-assembly ceremonies are expressly recognized according to their practices (§ 15-3-6). The solemnizer must complete and file the form with the town or city clerk that issued the license within 72 hours after the marriage (§ 15-3-12(c)). The clerk then files and preserves the return (§ 15-3-13).
Common questions
Can someone receive authority for just one ceremony? Yes. Section 15-3-5 provides a governor designation for a named marriage, date and place. The certificate expires when that marriage is solemnized.
Must the two witnesses attend? Yes. Section 15-3-8 requires their presence in addition to the officiant. The cited certificate provisions assign signing, endorsement and filing to the solemnizer (§§ 15-3-7, -12).
What happens to an unused license? After three months it is no longer valid, and the party or parties holding it must immediately return it to the issuing town or city clerk (§ 15-2-8).
Statutes and sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 15-2-8, 15-3-5 to -8 and 15-3-12 to -13. Verbatim excerpts, official section URLs and access dates appear in the source fields above.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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