§37:1-13
New Jersey Marriage Statute
21
New Jersey Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
New Jersey Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
New Jersey is a no-state-registration state for marriage officiants. Unlike states where ministers must register with a court before officiating, New Jersey N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 authorizes "every minister of every religion" to solemnize marriages. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the county clerk records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in New Jersey name the holder as an ordained minister of AEGA Ministries International, a Spirit-filled fellowship recognized as a religious organization under U.S. law and chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976. Sufficient under N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 to conduct marriages in any of the 21 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in New Jersey
Six common New Jersey ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of New Jersey, from senior pastors of established congregations to first-call wedding officiants. Each pathway runs through the same Credential Committee review.
Senior pastors of New Jersey congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across New Jersey cities and rural communities. The National Division covering reaches every region through state and area coordinators.
Church planters and bivocational ministers.
Ministers starting new works inside New Jersey. AEGA's 49 years of standing carries weight with landlords, banks, and county officials handling new church incorporations.
Wedding officiants across the state.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across New Jersey. N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 recognizes the AEGA ordination credential in all 21 counties without further registration.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or denomination who want a Spirit-filled covenant covering. AEGA has a transfer-of-credentials pathway for established ministers.
New Jersey chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, federal-prison, state-corrections, and law-enforcement chaplains. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the gate for endorsement by AEGA Chaplaincy Commission.
Worship leaders and associate ministers.
Music ministers, youth pastors, associate ministers, and staff ministers across New Jersey congregations. Christian Worker and Licensed Minister tiers fit most associate roles.
Credential Pathways for New Jersey Ministers
Four credentialing tiers under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers: Ministerial Apprentice, Christian Worker, Licensed Minister, and Ordained Minister. Begin at the tier that matches your call.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. New Jersey applicants begin here if no prior ministerial standing.
Christian Worker.
For those called to lay ministry roles: Sunday school teacher, jail or street ministry, house-to-house visitation. $50 application + $50 annual renewal. Open to ministers in any New Jersey city.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation under N.J.S.A. §37:1-13, baptism, and all sacerdotal duties.
Ordained Minister.
The highest credentialing tier. Required for chaplain endorsement, charter pastorship of an AEGA congregation, and the most formal forms of New Jersey ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in New Jersey
A covenant fellowship for the long career of New Jersey ministry.
AEGA-credentialed New Jersey ministers receive recognition under N.J.S.A. §37:1-13, covering through a Spirit-filled fellowship, and the standing of an organization that has carried ministers since 1976.
N.J.S.A. §37:1-13.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained New Jersey ministers to conduct marriage ceremonies across all 21 counties. No state registration required.
Recognition across all 21 counties.
From the largest New Jersey metro areas through the rural counties. The AEGA credential carries the same weight statewide.
Spirit-filled covenant covering.
AEGA is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers, not a denomination. New Jersey ministers receive ongoing covering, conference participation, and Credential Committee support.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. New Jersey county clerks, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file.
Get Ordained · By State or Nation
Become an ordained minister wherever you serve.
Every state has its own requirements for officiating weddings, performing chaplaincy, and operating a church. We’ve mapped the path for the states most of our applicants come from.
Frequently Asked
Getting ordained in New Jersey, answered.
Do I need to register with New Jersey to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. New Jersey N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 authorizes "every minister of every religion" to solemnize marriages. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 21 New Jersey counties. The minister signs the New Jersey marriage license after the ceremony; the county clerk records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in New Jersey?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in New Jersey as in any U.S. state. The Credential Committee review covers doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream AEGA has carried since 1976, references, and ministry experience.
Is AEGA a denomination, and does that matter for New Jersey marriage law?
AEGA is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers, not a denomination. N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 does not require an officiant to be ordained by a denomination; it requires ordination by a religious organization. AEGA Ministries International is recognized as a religious organization under U.S. law and chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976. County clerks across New Jersey accept the AEGA credential.
Can a New Jersey-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. AEGA-ordained New Jersey chaplains serve in hospital, hospice, federal-prison, state-corrections, and law-enforcement settings. The credentialing path runs first, then chaplaincy endorsement through the AEGA Chaplaincy Commission.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in New Jersey?
AEGA ordination is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship, not a same-day certificate. AEGA requires an application, doctrinal review by the Credential Committee covering doctrinal alignment, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a New Jersey county clerk will accept under N.J.S.A. §37:1-13; only one places the minister inside ongoing covering.
Learn more about ordination through AEGA.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship. 49 years of continuous standing. Recognized under N.J.S.A. §37:1-13 across all 21 New Jersey counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for New Jersey ministers, chaplains, and church planters.