Created and reviewed for accuracy by researchers at the Universal Life Church

Iowa Outline

Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Iowa. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Iowa. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the state of Iowa.

IA Wedding Officiant Quick Facts
  • ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
  • Minister Registration Required: No
  • Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
  • Minister's Minimum Age: 18
  •  
  • Marriage License Waiting Period: 3 Days
  • Marriage License Valid For: Never Expires
  • Marriage License Return Within: 15 Days
Regional Information

Local IA Wedding Guides

For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Iowa, choose a location above. If your area isn't listed, don't worry - just continue scrolling to review the helpful general information on this page.

1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Iowa

If you haven't already, you should get ordained online with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Thousands of legally valid marriages are performed by ULC ministers around the world every year. Begin the process by clicking the big blue button below!

2 Officiating a Wedding in Iowa

Next, you should contact the office of your local marriage authority (typically your county clerk). Let them know that you are a minister of the Universal Life Church in Seattle, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage.



Select a county recorder

Choose the county you'd like to contact from the dropdown menu above to see their office’s information.

3 Iowa Officiant Requirements

After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in Iowa to get an Ordination Package. While Minister registration is not technically required in Iowa you may be required to present proof of your ordination to the county clerk before the marriages you perform will be accepted as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination will also provide peace-of-mind to any couple that you intend to marry. Additionally, please attempt to leave at least 3 weeks between the date of the wedding ceremony and your order, to ensure that you receive all of your materials in advance.

4 How to get Married in Iowa

Iowa's Top Wedding Spot

Iowa's Top Wedding Spot

Festhalle Barn, in the Amana Colonies, is a classic restored dairy barn

Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Iowa marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is never expires, but there is a mandatory 3-day waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Iowa and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office within 15 days of the completion of the wedding ceremony.

At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Iowa, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Iowa wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.

5 Iowa Wedding Planning Tips

You will feel right at home at weddings in the Hawkeye State. Known for their love of nature, knack for making some of the best comfort food around, combined with their overall cheery disposition, Iowans are known to be great wedding guests. While many states enjoy a wedding season in spring and summer, the heat and regular thunderstorms that occur during that period can certainly complicate such plans in Iowa. If the couple has their hearts set on this time of year, you should strongly suggest a backup plan just in case the worse possible scenario occurs. Autumn is actually the most popular time of year for weddings in Iowa, so officiants would be wise to clear their calendars during that portion of the year to make sure they're available to perform weddings!


Iowa Marriage Code

Iowa Flag

Iowa Marriage Code

Marriage in Iowa is governed by Chapter 595 of Title 15 of Iowa's Codified Statutes. Ministers who got ordained online with the Universal Life Church have successfully solemnized thousands of weddings in the state. Below, you will find that we have reproduced a relevant excerpt of this code.

595.10 Who may solemnize. Marriages may be solemnized by: 1. A judge of the supreme court, court of appeals, or district court, including a district associate judge, associate juvenile judge, or a judicial magistrate, and including a senior judge as defined in section 602.9202, subsection 3. 2. A person ordained or designated as a leader of the person's religious faith. View the Iowa Statutes on the official state site.

⇓ Show the rest

Learn All About Marriage Law in Iowa

See the Full Statutes

Are you Considering Becoming a Minister in Iowa?

See the Steps to IA Ordination

Proceed to your Ordination Application

Become Ordained

Adair County

400 Public Square, Suite 6
Greenfield, Iowa
50849

Phone: (641) 743-2411
Fax: (641) 343-0121
Adair County website »

Adams County

500 Ninth Street
Corning, Iowa
50841

Phone: (641) 322-3744
Fax: (641) 322-3747
Adams County website »

Allamakee County

110 Allamakee St NW
Waukon, Iowa
52172

Phone: (563) 568-2364
Fax: (563) 568-6419
Allamakee County website »

Appanoose County

201 N 12th St, Room 5
Centerville, Iowa
52544

Phone: (641) 856-6103
Appanoose County website »

Audubon County

318 Leroy St #7
Audubon, Iowa

Phone: (712) 563-2119
Fax: (712) 563-4677
Audubon County website »

Benton County

1st Floor Courthouse<br>111 E. 4th St.
Vinton, Iowa
52349

Phone: (319) 472-3309
Fax: (319) 472-3647
Benton County website »

Black Hawk County

316 East 5th Street
Waterloo, Iowa
50703

Phone: (319) 833-3012
Black Hawk County Marriage Laws »

Boone County

201 State Street
Boone, Iowa
50036

Phone: (515) 433-0514
Fax: (515) 433-4972
Boone County website »

Bremer County

415 E. Bremer Avenue
Waverly, Iowa
50677

Phone: (319) 352-0401
Fax: (319) 352-0518
Bremer County website »

Buchanan County

210 5th Ave NE, 1st Floor
Independence, Iowa
50644

Phone: (319) 334-4259
Fax: (319) 334-7453
Buchanan County website »

Buena Vista County

215 E. 5th
Storm Lake, Iowa

Phone: (712) 213-7430
Fax: (712) 749-2708
Buena Vista County website »

Butler County

428 Sixth Street
Allison, Iowa

Phone: (319) 267-2735
Fax: (319) 267-2675
Butler County website »

Calhoun County

Calhoun County Courthouse<br>416 Fourth Street, Suite 3
Rockwell City, Iowa
50579

Phone: (712) 297-8121
Calhoun County website »

Carroll County

114 E. 6th St.
Carroll, Iowa
51401

Phone: (712) 792-3328
Carroll County website »

Cass County

5 West 7th Street
Atlantic, Iowa
50022

Phone: (712) 243-1692
Cass County website »

Cedar County

400 Cedar Street Suite 105
Tipton, Iowa
52772

Phone: (563) 886-2230
Fax: (563) 886-2120
Cedar Rapids Marriage Laws »

Cerro Gordo County

220 North Washington
Mason City, Iowa
50401

Phone: (641) 421-3056
Fax: (641) 421-3154
Cerro Gordo County website »

Cherokee County

520 W. Main
Cherokee, Iowa

Phone: (712) 225-6735
Fax: (712) 225-6754
Cherokee County website »

Chickasaw County

8 East Prospect
New Hampton, Iowa
50659

Phone: (641) 394-2336
Fax: (641) 394-2816
Chickasaw County website »

Clarke County

100 S Main St.
Osceola, Iowa
50213

Phone: (641) 342-3313
Fax: (641) 342-1124
Clarke County website »

Clay County

300 W 4th St Suite 3
Spencer, Iowa

Phone: (712) 262-1081
Fax: (712) 264-3983
Clay County website »

Clayton County

111 High Street Northeast
Elkader, Iowa

Phone: (563) 245-2710
Fax: (563) 245-2454
Clayton County website »

Clinton County

1900 North Third Street
Clinton, Iowa

Phone: (563) 244-0565
Fax: (563) 242-8412
Clinton County website »

Crawford County

1202 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Denison, Iowa
51442

Phone: (712) 263-3643
Fax: (712) 263-3413
Crawford County website »

Dallas County

801 Court Street, Room 203
Adel, Iowa
50003

Phone: (515) 993-5804
Fax: (515) 993-5970
Dallas County website »

Davis County

100 Courthouse Square, Suite 7
Bloomfield, Iowa
52537

Phone: (641) 664-2321
Davis County website »

Decatur County

207 N. Main St.
Leon, Iowa
50144

Phone: (641) 446-4322
Fax: (641) 446-7528
Decatur County website »

Delaware County

301 E Main Street Rm. 204
Manchester, Iowa

Phone: (563) 927-4665
Fax: (563) 927-3641
Delaware County website »

Des Moines County

513 N. Main
Burlington, Iowa

Phone: (319) 753-8221
Fax: (319) 753-8721
Des Moines County website »

Dickinson County

1802 Hill Ave Ste. 1500
Spirit Lake, Iowa

Phone: (712) 336-1495
Dickinson County website »

Dubuque County

720 Central Avenue
Dubuque, Iowa
52001

Phone: (563) 589-4434
Fax: (563) 589-4484
Dubuque County website »

Emmet County

609 1st Avenue North, Suite 7
Estherville, Iowa
51334

Phone: (712) 362-4115
Fax: (712) 362-7454
Emmet County website »

Fayette County

114 North Vine Street
West Union, Iowa
52175

Phone: (563) 422-3687
Fax: (563) 422-3739
Fayette County website »

Floyd County

101 S. Main St. Suite 306
Charles City, Iowa
50616

Phone: (641) 257-6154
Fax: (641) 228-6458
Floyd County website »

Franklin County

12 - 1st Ave. NW
Hampton, Iowa
50441

Phone: (641) 456-5675
Fax: (641) 456-6009
Franklin County website »

Fremont County

506 Filmore St.,
Sidney, Iowa
51652

Phone: (712) 374-2315
Fax: (712) 374-2826
Fremont County website »

Greene County

114 N. Chestnut Street
Jefferson, Iowa
50129

Phone: (515) 386-5670
Fax: (515) 386-5274
Greene County website »

Grundy County

706 G Avenue
Grundy Center, Iowa
50638

Phone: (319) 824-3234
Grundy County website »

Guthrie County

200 North 5th Street
Guthrie Center, Iowa

Phone: (641) 747-3412
Fax: (641) 747-3081
Guthrie County website »

Hamilton County

2300 Superior Street, Suite 6
Webster City, Iowa

Phone: (515) 832-9535
Fax: (515) 832-8620
Hamilton County website »

Hancock County

855 State Street
Garner, Iowa
50438

Phone: (641) 923-2464
Fax: (641) 923-3912
Hancock County website »

Hardin County

1215 Edgington Avenue Suite 4
Eldora, Iowa

Phone: (641) 939-8178
Fax: (641) 939-8245
Hardin County website »

Harrison County

111 N 2nd Ave.
Logan, Iowa
51546

Phone: (712) 644-2545
Fax: (712) 644-3157
Harrison County website »

Henry County

100 E. Washington St. Suite 201
Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

Phone: (319) 385-0765
Fax: (319) 385-0770
Henry County website »

Howard County

137 North Elm Street
Cresco, Iowa
52136

Phone: (563) 547-9210
Fax: (563) 547-9252
Howard County website »

Humboldt County

203 Main St
Dakota City, Iowa
50529

Phone: (515) 332-3693
Fax: (515) 332-3694
Humboldt County website »

Ida County

401 Moorehead Street
Ida Grove, Iowa
51445

Phone: (712) 364-2220
Fax: (712) 364-3929
Ida County website »

Iowa County

901 Court Avenue
Marengo, Iowa
52301

Phone: (319) 642-3622
Fax: (319) 642-5562
Iowa County website »

Jackson County

201 West Platt Street, Room 206
Maquoketa, Iowa
52060

Phone: (563) 652-2504
Fax: (563) 652-6460
Jackson County website »

Jasper County

101 1st St. N, Room 205
Newton, Iowa
50208

Phone: (641) 792-5442
Fax: (641) 791-3680
Jasper County website »

Jefferson County

Courthouse <br>51 W. Briggs, Suite 4
Fairfield, Iowa
52556

Phone: (641) 472-4331
Fax: (641) 472-5094
Jefferson County website »

Johnson County

913 S Dubuque St, Room 202
Iowa City, Iowa
52240

Phone: (319) 356-6093
Fax: (319) 339-6181
Johnson County Marriage Laws »

Jones County

500 W. Main St. Room 116
Anamosa, Iowa
52205

Phone: (319) 462-2477
Jones County website »

Keokuk County

101 S. Main
Sigourney, Iowa

Phone: (641) 622-2540
Fax: (641) 622-3789
Keokuk County website »

Kossuth County

114 W. State Street
Algona, Iowa
50511

Phone: (515) 295-5660
Fax: (515) 395-3660
Kossuth County website »

Lee County

933 Avenue H
Fort Madison, Iowa

Phone: (319) 376-1070
Lee County website »

Linn County

935 2nd St. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
52404

Phone: (319) 892-5445
Linn County website »

Louisa County

117 South Main Street
Wapello, Iowa
52653

Phone: (319) 523-5361
Louisa County website »

Lucas County

916 Braden Ave # 6
Chariton, Iowa

Phone: (641) 774-2413
Lucas County website »

Lyon County

206 S. 2nd Ave.
Rock Rapids, Iowa
51246

Phone: (712) 472-8528
Fax: (712) 472-8523
Lyon County website »

Madison County

112 N. John Wayne Dr.
Winterset, Iowa

Phone: (515) 462-3771
Fax: (515) 462-5006
Madison County website »

Mahaska County

106 South 1st Street
Oskaloosa, Iowa
52577

Phone: (641) 673-8187
Mahaska County website »

Marion County

214 E Main Street, Suite 8
Knoxville, Iowa
50138

Phone: (641) 828-2211
Fax: (641) 828-3538
Marion County website »

Marshall County

1 East Main Street
Marshalltown, Iowa
50158

Phone: (641) 754-6355
Marshall County website »

Mills County

418 Sharp Street
Glenwood, Iowa
51534

Phone: (712) 527-9315
Fax: (712) 527-1507
Mills County website »

Mitchell County

212 S. 5TH ST.
Osage, Iowa
50461

Phone: (641) 832-3941
Mitchell County website »

Monona County

610 Iowa Ave
Onawa, Iowa
51040

Phone: (712) 433-2575
Fax: (712) 433-3034
Monona County website »

Monroe County

10 Benton Ave E
Albia, Iowa

Phone: (641) 932-5164
Fax: (641) 932-5905
Monroe County website »

Montgomery County

105 E Coolbaugh St
Red Oak, Iowa
51566

Phone: (712) 623-4363
Fax: (712) 623-8915
Montgomery County website »

Muscatine County

414 E. Third St. Suite 103
Muscatine, Iowa
52761

Phone: (563) 263-7741
Muscatine County website »

O'Brien County

155 S Hayes Ave.
Primghar, Iowa
51245

Phone: (712) 957-3045
Fax: (712) 957-3046
O'Brien County website »

Osceola County

300 7th St.
Sibley, Iowa
51249

Phone: (712) 754-3345
Osceola County website »

Page County

112 E Main
Clarinda, Iowa

Phone: (712) 542-3130
Fax: (712) 542-3636
Page County website »

Palo Alto County

1010 Broadway
Emmetsburg, Iowa
50536

Phone: (712) 852-3701
Fax: (712) 852-3704
Palo Alto County website »

Plymouth County

215 4th Ave SE
Le Mars, Iowa

Phone: (712) 546-4020
Fax: (712) 546-7304
Plymouth County website »

Pocahontas County

99 Court Square, Suite 5
Pocahontas, Iowa
50574

Phone: (712) 335-4404
Pocahontas County website »

Polk County

111 Court Avenue, Suite 250
Des Moines, Iowa
50309

Phone: (515) 286-3160
Fax: (515) 323-5393
Polk County Marriage Laws »

Pottawattamie County

227 S 6th St, Room 251
Council Bluffs, Iowa
51501

Phone: (712) 328-5612
Pottawattamie County website »

Poweshiek County

302 E. Main St
Montezuma, Iowa
50171

Phone: (641) 623-5434
Fax: (641) 623-2928
Poweshiek County website »

Ringgold County

109 W Madison St # 204
Mt Ayr, Iowa
50854

Phone: (641) 464-3231
Fax: (641) 464-0654
Ringgold County website »

Sac County

100 NW State Street, Box 2
Sac City, Iowa

Phone: (712) 662-7789
Fax: (712) 662-6298
Sac County website »

Scott County

600 W. 4th St.
Davenport, Iowa

Phone: (563) 326-8621
Fax: (563) 328-3225
Scott County Marriage Laws »

Shelby County

612 Court Street, Room 201
Harlan, Iowa
51537

Phone: (712) 755-5640
Fax: (712) 755-7556
Shelby County website »

Sioux County

210 Central Ave SW
Orange City, Iowa
51041

Phone: (712) 737-2229
Fax: (712) 737-3032
Sioux County website »

Story County

900 Sixth Street
Nevada, Iowa
50201

Phone: (515) 382-6581
Story County website »

Tama County

104 W. State Street, P.O. Box 82
Toledo, Iowa

Phone: (641) 484-3320
Fax: (641) 484-8246
Tama County website »

Taylor County

405 Jefferson Street
Bedford, Iowa
50833

Phone: (712) 523-2275
Taylor County website »

Union County

300 N Pine Street, Suite 5
Creston, Iowa
50801

Phone: (641) 782-1725
Fax: (641) 782-1709
Union County website »

Van Buren County

406 Dodge St
Keosaqua, Iowa

Phone: (319) 293-3240
Fax: (319) 293-6327
Van Buren County website »

Wapello County

101 W 4th St
Ottumwa, Iowa
52501

Phone: (641) 683-0045
Wapello County website »

Warren County

301 North Buxton, Suite 109
Indianola, Iowa
50125

Phone: (515) 961-1089
Warren County website »

Washington County

224 W Main Street, First Floor
Washington, Iowa
52353

Phone: (319) 653-7727
Fax: (319) 653-7754
Washington County website »

Wayne County

100 S Franklin St
Corydon, Iowa
50060

Phone: (641) 872-2264
Wayne County website »

Webster County

701 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor
Fort Dodge, Iowa
50501

Phone: (515) 576-2401
Fax: (515) 574-3723
Webster County website »

Winnebago County

126 S. Clark St.
Forest City, Iowa
50436

Phone: (641) 585-2094
Winnebago County website »

Winneshiek County

201 W. Main Street
Decorah, Iowa
52101

Phone: (563) 382-3486
Fax: (563) 382-5437
Winneshiek County website »

Woodbury County

620 Douglas Street, Room 106
Sioux City, Iowa
51101

Phone: (712) 279-6626
Woodbury County website »

Worth County

1000 Central Ave
Northwood, Iowa
50459

Phone: (641) 324-2734
Fax: (641) 324-3682
Worth County website »

Wright County

115 N. Main St.
Clarion, Iowa
50525

Phone: (515) 532-3204
Fax: (515) 532-2669
Wright County website »