How to Become Ordained by Law

While anyone can conduct a funeral, only ordained clergy are permitted to visit hospital patients outside of visiting hours, serve as military chaplains and minister to prisoners. Some states require the signature of either a member of the religious clergy or a duly appointed justice of the peace on a marriage certificate; other states have very loose definitions of what constitutes "religious clergy."



If you wish to be a legally ordained minister, there are several ways to do so.

• 1

  Attend a traditional seminary. The surest and least refutable (by authorities) way to become a legally ordained minister is to attend and graduate from a traditional, accredited "bricks and mortar" seminary. All mainstream denominations in America offer institutions of higher learning for the students to learn all aspects of the ministry and church administration.

• 2

  Attend an online seminary. There are also accredited computer-based seminary schools for students who need to juggle a full-time job and family obligations with their religious education. Many of these seminaries also charge lower tuition than the traditional campus-based schools.

• 3

  Become ordained online. For aspiring clergy members who follow a non-mainstream religion or who simply cannot afford any tuition at all, there are ways to become legally ordained online for free or very little cost. The Universal Life Church is a nationally recognized institution, which means an ordained Universal Life minister is able to legally sign marriage licenses and visit prisoners and hospital patients. You might be asked to provide proof of ordination, which the Universal Life Church will provide.