Can a notary marry family members?

Asked by: Rosetta Kulas  |  Last update: January 31, 2025
Score: 5/5 (20 votes)

Notaries can perform a wedding ceremony if you live in the states of Florida, Maine, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Montana. If you're not in these six states, notaries cannot legally marry you without taking extra steps.

Can a notary marry a family?

Officiating weddings is something that few states allow notaries to do. Until recently, only four states (Florida, Nevada, Maine and South Carolina) listed performing marriages among the potential duties of its commissioned notaries. Tennessee and Montana added their names to this relatively short list in 2021.

Can notary witnesses be family members?

Unless it is stated clearly in your state's notary laws, close family members should not serve as witnesses to any legal document, even if they are not named in the document. Your spouse, in-laws, or close relatives are likely to have at least some interest, direct or indirect, in any document you sign.

Can I officiate my parents' wedding?

"Family and friends can only officiate a wedding if they are a religious, civil, ordained, licensed minister, judge, magistrate, justice of the peace, or licensed celebrant," she says.

Can a notary in Texas marry people?

No. Some states allow notaries to perform marriage ceremonies, however, Texas is not one of them.

What States Can Notary Publics Marry Couples?

16 related questions found

Can a family member officiate a wedding in Texas?

Yes, if they are authorized under the roles outlined in the previous section. For example, if a friend or family member is a state or federal judge they can officiate the wedding. The same applies if they are a license or ordained ministers, Jewish rabbi or an officer of a religious organization.

Can a notary notarize for a family member in Texas?

There is no specific prohibition against notarizing a spouse's or relative's signature or notarizing for a spouse's business. However, notarizations should not be performed by a notary public who is a party to the instrument or financially or beneficially interested in the transaction.

Who can you legally marry in your family?

California. In California, first cousins are allowed to marry, and they are also allowed to have sexual relations and cohabitate. First cousins once-removed, half-cousins and cousins through adoption are also allowed to marry.

Can I legally officiate my own wedding?

While self-solemnization is not legally recognized in all jurisdictions, certain locations, such as Colorado, California, and Illinois, allow couples to legally marry themselves without the need for an officiant.

Can the mother of the bride be the officiant?

The officiant can be a friend, family member, or anyone ordained to perform weddings chosen by the couple.

What is the most common mistake made by a notary?

One of the most common mistakes that notaries make is not printing or signing their name exactly as it appears on their notary commission.

Can a notary notarize for themselves?

Notaries cannot notarize their own documents because notaries are required by law to serve as independent and impartial witnesses to a signing. If the notary has any connection to the document they are signing, it is impossible for them to remain an objective third party witnessing the signing.

What happens if a notary does not witness signature?

In fact, most state notary laws prohibit a notary from notarizing a signature if the signer is not present. Violating the personal presence requirement may result in monetary loss for the client and lead to a lawsuit against the notary or a claim against the notary's bond.

Can you get married at UPS?

A UPS press release from a location in Florida called UPS stores “the perfect place for a wedding.” The release said that, in Florida, notaries can verify marriage contracts from anywhere, and across the U.S., notaries are located in over 4,700 UPS stores.

Can a spouse be a notary witness?

Generally, notarized documents are not signed by witnesses. Yes, it is legal for a spouse to witness the signing of the document.

What is the officiant title on a marriage license?

So before going to fill the license, you will have to decide the officiant for your marriage. Now you will have to write the title as Minister because, in the American Marriage Ministries, it is with only this title that one is allowed to perform a marriage.

What states can anyone officiate a wedding?

Some states, like California and Massachusetts, allow any adult to officiate a wedding under specific circumstances. In California, for instance, an individual can be deputized for a day, while Massachusetts offers similar authorization through the governor's office.

What are the benefits of marrying yourself?

Reasons for choosing self-marriage might include wanting to affirm your relationship with yourself or to express how being single doesn't mean being incomplete or lonely. While there is some controversy about self-marriage, sologamy continues to grow in popularity around the world, particularly among women.

Can you marry your cousin in Alabama?

First-cousin marriage remains completely legal in these 17 states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.

What is it called to marry a family member?

Consanguine marriage is marriage between individuals who are closely related. Though it may involve incest, it implies more than the sexual nature of incest. In a clinical sense, marriage between two family members who are second cousins or closer qualifies as consanguineous marriage.

In what state can you marry a family member?

According to the NCSL, cousin marriage is legal in: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (in North Carolina, first-cousin marriage is legal, but double-cousin marriage is prohibited), ...

Can a notary marry someone in California?

In California, a limited number of specially authorized Notaries in each county are authorized to issue confidential marriage certificates for weddings.

Can a family member notarize a wedding certificate?

You are not prohibited from notarizing the signature of your niece on her marriage documents.

What is the difference between a notary and a notary public?

Unlike the U.S. notary, the notario publico drafts documents, provides legal advice, settles disputes, and archives documents. A U.S. notary cannot do any of those things.

What is the most a notary can charge in Texas?

The maximum allowable fees a Texas notary or their employer may charge for notarial acts are as follows:
  • For swearing a witness to a deposition, certificate, seal, and other business connected with taking the deposition: $10.
  • For a notarial act not provided for: $10.