Quaker marriages are legal in all fifty states, provided the couple complies with their state’s marriage licensing rules. The wrinkle is that a Quaker ceremony has no officiant, so legality turns on how your state handles the paperwork when no clergy or judge presides. Some states let the couple sign the license themselves, some accept marriages performed under the customs of a religious society, and the rest accommodate Quaker weddings through a simple workaround where a designated member of the meeting signs as officiant of record.
Why the Officiant Question Comes Up
A Quaker wedding rests on the belief that no third party joins two people in marriage. The ceremony takes place during a Meeting for Worship. Everyone gathers in silence, and when the couple feels moved, they stand and speak their vows directly to each other. There is no scripted liturgy and no “by the power vested in me” moment.
After the vows, a Quaker marriage certificate is passed around for every person present to sign as a witness.1Friends General Conference. Weddings That religious document has deep personal meaning, but it carries no legal weight on its own. To be legally married, you still need a state-issued marriage license, properly signed and returned. The question in every state is who is allowed to sign it.
States That Let the Couple Sign the License
A small number of states have laws that specifically authorize the parties to solemnize their own marriage.
Colorado. State law lists “the parties to the marriage” alongside judges and clergy as people authorized to solemnize a marriage. No religious affiliation is required. After the ceremony, one of the parties must submit the completed certificate to the county clerk within 63 days.2Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania issues a dedicated self-uniting marriage license. The couple signs a certificate stating they have united themselves in marriage, and two witnesses sign as well. The self-uniting form is separate from the standard license, so you have to ask for it by name when you apply at the county office.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 Section 1502 – Forms Where Parties Perform Ceremony
District of Columbia. D.C. also permits self-uniting marriages. Procedures can differ from what Pennsylvania or Colorado couples encounter, so confirm current requirements with the marriage bureau before you apply.
States That Accept Religious Society Customs
Other states take a different route. Rather than name the couple as solemnizers, they recognize marriages performed under the customs of a religious society or denomination. Because Quaker practice has no officiant, these laws effectively cover Quaker weddings for members of a meeting.
- Wisconsin. Two people may marry by mutual declarations that they take each other as spouses, in accordance with the customs of any religious society, denomination, or sect to which either party belongs. At least two adult witnesses must be present.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 765.16 – Marriage Contract, How Made; Officiating Person
- Kansas. Nearly identical language allows a marriage without an authorized officiant, so long as the ceremony follows the customs of a religious society to which either party belongs.5FindLaw. Kansas Statutes Chapter 23 Section 23-2504
- Illinois. A marriage may be solemnized “in accordance with the prescriptions of any religious denomination.” When the denomination’s customs call for an officiant, that person must be in good standing; when the customs do not, no officiant is needed. If no single individual solemnized the marriage, both parties must complete and return the certificate within 10 days.6Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5/209 – Solemnization and Registration
One important limit here: the religious-society language typically requires at least one party to actually belong to a denomination whose customs include this practice. That distinguishes these states from Colorado, where any couple can self-solemnize.
What to Do in Every Other State
Most states require a recognized officiant to solemnize a marriage. Quaker meetings in those states use a practical workaround. A legally authorized member of the meeting signs the marriage license as the officiant of record. That person is not conducting the ceremony in the conventional sense. The couple still speaks their vows directly during the Meeting for Worship. The designated signer simply meets the state’s paperwork requirement.
Many meetings designate their clerk or another respected member. Some states allow anyone ordained online to sign, and some meetings ask a member to obtain those credentials specifically for weddings. Officiant rules vary widely, so check with your county clerk’s office well before the wedding date to confirm who qualifies.
Applying for and Returning the License
No matter which path applies to you, a Quaker marriage needs a state-issued license to be legally binding. Apply at your local government office, usually the county clerk or register of wills. Both partners typically appear in person with valid identification and proof of age. Some jurisdictions require proof of divorce if either partner was married before. If your state offers a self-uniting license, ask for it specifically when you apply. Pennsylvania has a separate form, and the clerk will not issue one unless you request it.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 23 Section 1502 – Forms Where Parties Perform Ceremony
After the ceremony, the signed license goes back to the issuing office within a deadline that varies by state. Colorado allows 63 days.2Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration Illinois gives just 10 days.6Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5/209 – Solemnization and Registration Missing the deadline can mean late fees or complications with your record. Put a reminder on your calendar for the day after the ceremony.
On a self-uniting license, the couple signs the document themselves, with one or two witnesses also signing depending on the state. Where a meeting member acts as officiant of record, that person signs instead. Once the office records the license, the marriage is officially registered and you can request certified copies for name changes, insurance, or tax filings.
Can Non-Quakers Use These Licenses?
Self-uniting licenses were created for Quakers, but the answer today depends on which state you are in. Colorado’s statute simply lists “the parties to the marriage” as authorized solemnizers, with no religious requirement.2Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration Any couple can self-solemnize there.
Pennsylvania’s self-uniting license was historically limited to members of religious groups whose customs matched the practice. That changed after the ACLU of Pennsylvania sued on behalf of a couple denied a license because they were not Quaker. The court held that the license could not be denied based on religious affiliation.
The picture is less clear in the religious-society states. Wisconsin, Kansas, and Illinois tie the option to the customs of a denomination. Whether a secular couple could successfully use these provisions is an open question that may depend on how a given county clerk reads the statute.
Federal Recognition
A Quaker marriage that is valid under state law is valid for federal purposes. There is no separate federal hurdle for these ceremonies.
For taxes, the IRS determines filing status based on whether you are married on the last day of the tax year. If your marriage is legally registered with your state, you and your spouse can file jointly or as married filing separately.7Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status Whether a clergy member officiated does not matter to the IRS. What matters is a valid state marriage certificate.
For immigration, USCIS applies a place-of-celebration rule: a marriage is valid for immigration purposes if it was valid where it was performed.8USCIS. Marriage and Marital Union for Naturalization A Quaker self-uniting marriage performed in Pennsylvania or Colorado meets that standard because the practice is explicitly authorized by statute. The applicant must submit the official civil record, meaning the state-issued certificate rather than the Quaker marriage certificate signed by the community. The same rule applies where a meeting member signed as officiant: the state certificate is what USCIS reviews.p>