Can a Notary Perform a Wedding Ceremony?

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In most states, a notary public cannot officiate a wedding. Exactly four states give notaries that authority by virtue of the commission itself: Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Montana. Maine lets notaries solemnize marriages through a separate Marriage Officiant License (required since July 1, 2023 — free and automatic for Maine-resident notaries). Nevada is the odd case: its one-time county permit to solemnize a specific marriage is available to any designated adult, notary or not, so a Nevada notary can perform your wedding, but not because of the commission.

Where Notaries Can Officiate Weddings

State	Special Requirements	Witnesses Required?
Florida	None beyond active notary commission	No
South Carolina	Active notary commission. SC limits solemnizers to officers authorized to administer oaths — notaries included — plus ministers and judges; performances must be in South Carolina.	One witness
Tennessee	Active notary commission	No
Montana	Active notary commission	One witness
Maine	Separate Marriage Officiant License required (since July 1, 2023) — Maine-resident notaries are automatically eligible and receive it free.	Two witnesses
Nevada	One-time Certificate of Permission from the county clerk for a specific marriage — available to any designated adult, not tied to a notary commission.	One witness

A notary commissioned in one of these states cannot travel to another state to perform a wedding there. The authority is tied to the state of commission: a Florida notary can marry a couple in Florida but not in Georgia. If you are the notary side of this, our state guides cover the commissions behind the ceremony: Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Montana.

Florida Notary Weddings

Florida is the most active state for notary weddings, driven in part by the state’s large destination wedding market. A Florida notary can perform a marriage ceremony anywhere within the state’s borders with no additional licensing beyond their notary commission.

The couple must obtain a marriage license from any Florida county clerk before the ceremony. There is no waiting period for non-Florida residents. Florida residents have a 3-day waiting period unless they complete a premarital preparation course. The license is valid for 60 days.

After the ceremony, the notary completes the marriage license and returns it to the county clerk that issued it within 10 days.

Nevada Notary Weddings

Nevada is often listed as a notary-wedding state, but the mechanism is not a notary power. Any adult the couple designates can obtain a one-time Certificate of Permission to Solemnize Marriages from the county clerk for that specific marriage. A Nevada notary who wants to perform your ceremony uses that same permit — the commission itself adds nothing.

Nevada does not require a blood test or waiting period. The marriage license is valid for one year from the date of issuance. One witness is required at the ceremony.

Maine Notary Weddings

Maine changed its rules effective July 1, 2023. Notaries no longer solemnize marriages by virtue of the commission; a separate Marriage Officiant License from the Secretary of State is required. The transition is gentler than it sounds: Maine-resident notaries are automatically eligible and receive the license free. Non-resident notaries apply like anyone else. Two witnesses are required at the ceremony.

South Carolina, Tennessee, and Montana

These three states allow notaries to officiate weddings with no additional licensing beyond an active notary commission. South Carolina and Montana require one witness. Tennessee does not require witnesses.

What a Notary Wedding Involves

• The couple obtains a marriage license from the county clerk before the ceremony. Both parties appear with valid government-issued photo ID. Fees range from $20 to $100 depending on the county.
• The ceremony itself is flexible. Most notary weddings are civil ceremonies without religious elements, but couples can personalize things however they want.
• After the ceremony, the notary, the couple, and any required witnesses sign the marriage license.
• The completed license goes back to the county clerk within the required timeframe (varies by state, typically 3 to 10 days).

What Notaries Cannot Do

• Only four states give notaries this authority by commission (FL, SC, TN, MT), with Maine and Nevada as the two special cases above. Everywhere else, no.
• RON (remote online notarization) cannot be used for weddings. The ceremony must be in person.
• A notary cannot officiate their own wedding.
• The ceremony must happen in the state where the notary is commissioned.

Frequently Asked Questions

NotaryTrainingSchool.com covers notary powers and limitations across all 50 states, including which states authorize notaries to perform wedding ceremonies.