§20-1-20
South Carolina Code
46
South Carolina Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
South Carolina Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
South Carolina is a "no state registration" state for marriage officiants. Unlike Virginia or Tennessee where ministers must register with a court before officiating, S.C. Code §20-1-20 authorizes any minister of the Gospel to solemnize the rites of matrimony. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the probate court records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in South Carolina name the holder as an ordained minister of AEGA Ministries International, a Spirit-filled covenant fellowship recognized as a religious organization under U.S. law and chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976. Sufficient under S.C. Code §20-1-20 to solemnize marriages in any of the 46 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in South Carolina
Six common South Carolina ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across the Lowcountry, the Pee Dee, the Midlands, and the Upstate. The credential meets the typical needs of a working pastor, evangelist, or chaplain across South Carolina.
Senior pastors of South Carolina congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, Florence, and the Lowcountry and Upstate communities that anchor Carolina Spirit-filled ministry.
Gullah and Lowcountry African-American ministers.
AEGA credentials ministers serving the Gullah Geechee Corridor and historic African-American congregations across the Carolina Lowcountry. The credential honors deep-rooted Carolina ministry heritage.
South Carolina church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside South Carolina cities and small towns. AEGA does not require denominational membership; the covenant fellowship covering is available to planters from any background.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or unaffiliated standing into AEGA. The credential review honors prior ordination while bringing the minister into AEGA covering.
South Carolina chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, Joint Base Charleston, Fort Jackson, federal-prison, SCDC, and law-enforcement chaplain candidates whose endorsing body requires denominational or fellowship ordination before endorsement.
Wedding officiants across South Carolina.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across South Carolina counties. AEGA ordination is sufficient under §20-1-20 in every probate court in the state.
Credential Pathways for South Carolina Ministers
Four credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. 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. South Carolina 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 South Carolina city.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation under S.C. Code §20-1-20, 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 South Carolina ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in South Carolina
A covenant fellowship for the long career of South Carolina ministry.
AEGA-credentialed South Carolina ministers receive recognition under §20-1-20, regional covering through the Presiding Bishop, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship that has carried ministers since 1976.
S.C. Code §20-1-20.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained South Carolina ministers to solemnize marriage ceremonies across all 46 counties. No state registration required.
Spirit-filled fellowship covering.
AEGA-credentialed ministers in South Carolina stand inside a covenant fellowship. The covering is relational, doctrinal, and accountable, not a piece of paper.
3,000+ credentialed ministers.
AEGA has carried more than 3,000 ministers across 60+ nations. South Carolina applicants join an active credentialing body with reach across the U.S. and abroad.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. South Carolina probate courts, 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 South Carolina, answered.
Do I need to register with South Carolina to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. S.C. Code §20-1-20 authorizes any minister of the Gospel to solemnize marriages without state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 46 South Carolina counties. The minister signs the marriage license after the ceremony; the probate court records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in South Carolina?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in South Carolina 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.
Does AEGA credential Lowcountry and African-American Carolina ministers?
Yes. AEGA credentials ministers serving Gullah Geechee, historic African-American, and Lowcountry congregations across South Carolina. The credential honors deep-rooted Carolina ministry heritage and welcomes ministers from every people group.
Can a South Carolina-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. South Carolina hosts Joint Base Charleston, Fort Jackson, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Shaw AFB, federal prison facilities, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, and major medical systems where AEGA-ordained South Carolina chaplains serve.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in South Carolina?
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, a thorough review covering doctrinal alignment, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a South Carolina probate court will accept under §20-1-20; 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 S.C. Code §20-1-20 across all 46 counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for South Carolina ministers, chaplains, and church planters.