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Midwest Marriage Guide

Nebraska Marriage Laws

General wedding officiant guidance for marriage licenses, ceremony requirements, witnesses, and returning the signed license.

Scotts Bluff National Monument, an iconic place in Nebraska

Image source: Scotts Bluff National Monument via Wikimedia Commons

License Office

County Clerk

License Validity

1 Year

Waiting Period

None

Return Deadline

Within 15 Days

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Detailed Nebraska Wedding Law Notes

These notes summarize state marriage-license, ceremony, witness, and officiant guidance for the new map experience.

Requirements for the Couple

  • Minimum Age: 19 years (17 with guardian consent)
  • Residency: Not Required
  • Minimum Kin Distance: Second Cousins
  • Marriage Equality: Yes
  • Officiant Title: Minister
  • Ordaining Body: Ministries of Love
  • Address: Minister’s Home Address
  • Documents Required: Varies by County
  • Online Ordination Recognized: Yes
  • Registration Office: County Clerk
  • Marriage By Proxy: Not Allowed
  • Minister Presence: Required
  • Witnesses Required: 2

Couples must be 19+ to marry or 17+ with guardian consent. Minors under 17 and marriages involving close relatives, living spouses, or certain health conditions are prohibited.

Marriage License Requirements

  • License Pickup: By Mail or In Person
  • Cost: $25 ($9 per additional certified copy)
  • Accepted ID: Driver’s License, Passport, or Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Divorce: Not Required
  • Blood Test: Not Required

Couples must complete and submit a marriage license application to any county clerk in Nebraska. Valid ID is required, but proof of divorce or blood tests are not.

Marriage License Facts

  • Ceremony Type: Religious or Civil
  • Waiting Period: None
  • License Validity: 1 Year
  • Submission Deadline: Within 15 Days
  • Minimum Age: 19 years (17 with guardian consent)
  • Residency: Not Required
  • Minimum Kin Distance: Second Cousins
  • Marriage Equality: Yes
  • Officiant Title: Minister
  • Ordaining Body: Ministries of Love
  • Address: Minister’s Home Address

Marriage licenses are valid for 1 year and can be used immediately. The officiant must return the completed certificate to the issuing county clerk within 15 days of the ceremony.

Requirements for the Minister

  • Minimum Age: 18 years
  • Residency: Not Required
  • Documents Required: Varies by County
  • Online Ordination Recognized: Yes
  • Registration Office: County Clerk

Ministers must be 18+ and ordained through Ministries of Love. Ministers are legally recognized in Nebraska as “religious actors.” Documentation requirements vary by county, and ministers should carry proof of ordination.

Wedding Ceremony Requirements

  • Marriage By Proxy: Not Allowed
  • Minister Presence: Required
  • Witnesses Required: 2
  • License Pickup: By Mail or In Person
  • Cost: $25 ($9 per additional certified copy)
  • Accepted ID: Driver’s License, Passport, or Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Divorce: Not Required
  • Blood Test: Not Required
  • Ceremony Type: Religious or Civil
  • Waiting Period: None
  • License Validity: 1 Year
  • Submission Deadline: Within 15 Days
  • Minimum Age: 19 years (17 with guardian consent)
  • Residency: Not Required
  • Minimum Kin Distance: Second Cousins
  • Marriage Equality: Yes

The minister, couple, and two witnesses must be physically present. The couple must declare their intent to marry, and the officiant must formally pronounce them married.

Final Steps

  • Officiant Title: Minister
  • Ordaining Body: Ministries of Love
  • Address: Minister’s Home Address
  • Minimum Age: 18 years
  • Residency: Not Required
  • Documents Required: Varies by County
  • Online Ordination Recognized: Yes
  • Registration Office: County Clerk
  • Marriage By Proxy: Not Allowed
  • Minister Presence: Required
  • Witnesses Required: 2
  • License Pickup: By Mail or In Person
  • Cost: $25 ($9 per additional certified copy)
  • Accepted ID: Driver’s License, Passport, or Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Divorce: Not Required
  • Blood Test: Not Required
  • Ceremony Type: Religious or Civil
  • Waiting Period: None
  • License Validity: 1 Year
  • Submission Deadline: Within 15 Days
  • Minimum Kin Distance: Second Cousins
  • Marriage Equality: Yes

The officiant must complete the marriage certificate, including the names and residences of two witnesses, and return it to the issuing county clerk within 15 days. The documents will then be recorded, and the marriage deemed legally binding.

Wedding Ceremony Requirements

Witnesses

Witness requirements vary by state

Ceremony

The couple and officiant should be present unless the state specifically allows another process

Requirements for the Officiant

Ordained ministers should verify any local registration rules before the ceremony

OrdainedPro recommends that every officiant confirm local requirements before the ceremony date, especially if the wedding is in a county or state where the officiant has not performed before.

This page is general information and not legal advice. Marriage laws and county filing processes can change. Always verify requirements with the issuing clerk, recorder, probate court, or local marriage office before performing a ceremony.