The Truth About Online Ordinations in North Carolina

During my time as a Professional Wedding Officiant over the last decade, I have witnessed a lot of confusion and disagreement about whether online ordinations are valid in North Carolina. In an effort to gain clarity, I have discussed this issue with five different attorneys, as well as several other experts in this area. In 2018, I testified in a NC court over this issue, and the results of that case were very illuminating. The court order produced from that case states that Universal Life Church ministers are not qualified to perform weddings in NC, and marriages performed by ministers who were ordained by the Universal Life Church are “voidable.”

The bottom line is that any ordination which is granted instantly to anyone who asks, without any requirements, could be rejected in a NC court of law.  Some organizations who grant these ordinations may also request that you check a box or two to indicate that you are at least a certain age, but there’s no verification process, there are no real qualifications, and there’s often a “lack of doctrine” which the NC courts have also pointed out. 

It’s important to clarify that the legal issue is not about “online” ordinations in particular. The issue is that they are “granted without any requirements for ordination other than the submission of one’s name for such ordination.” The validity of an ordination actually has nothing to do with whether it’s issued online, it’s the “practice of ordaining anyone who asks” that the courts have a problem with. 

The precedent case for this ruling (State v. Lynch, 310 NC 479) actually took place in 1980 before the internet even existed, and the ordinations were mail order at the time. But the organizations who grant instant ordinations now tend to be online, so this has caused many people to erroneously conclude that all online ordinations are invalid. The truth is that an online ordination does not have to be granted instantly to anyone who asks. It can require real qualifications and adherence to a particular doctrine. So it is not necessarily the case that all online ordinations are invalid in North Carolina. 

I hope this helps to clarify some of the confusion surrounding the issue of online ordinations in North Carolina. Check out the additional resources below for more information from a very credible source, and also how to acquire a legitimate ordination for North Carolina. 

Additional Resources

A Professor of Public Law and Government at UNC Chapel Hill has written a similar article with more technical details: North Carolina Case Law Indicates Marriages Solemnized in North Carolina by Persons “Instantly Ordained” by the Universal Life Church Are Not Valid

If you or anyone you know would like to get ordained in order to legally officiate wedding ceremonies in North Carolina, then simply stay away from instant ordinations that have no requirements or doctrine. There are many other options out there, and Love & Wisdom Inc. has partnered with Spirit of Love Ministry, Inc. to help those who are in need of a valid ordination for North Carolina. The ordination is not instant, it’s not free, and not everyone will be accepted. But it is completely legal in that it satisfies the requirements of NC written and case law, and it is issued by an IRS Certified 501c3 Non-Profit Church. Here’s the link: SPIRIT OF LOVE MINISTRY: ORDINATION APPLICATION

~Philip Lingle