§26.04.050
Washington RCW
39
Washington Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Washington Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
Washington is a "no state registration" state for marriage officiants. Washington RCW §26.04.050 authorizes any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest of any church or religious denomination to solemnize marriages. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the county auditor records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Washington 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 Washington RCW §26.04.050 to solemnize marriages in any of the 39 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Washington
Six common Washington ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of Washington, from senior pastors of established congregations to chaplains, church planters, lay-ministry workers, and wedding officiants. Six common pathways follow.
Senior pastors of Washington congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Vancouver, and the Tri-Cities. Washington carries a strong Spirit-filled ministry presence across the Pacific Northwest.
Washington church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside Washington cities. AEGA's 501(c)(3) charter pathway under the Group Exemption opens the door for new congregations to receive tax-exempt status under AEGA's covering.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship into AEGA Washington. The transfer pathway preserves ordination dignity while bringing the minister under covenant covering.
Washington military chaplains.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Station Everett, and Fairchild Air Force Base host one of the most concentrated military chaplaincy footprints in the western United States. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite.
Wedding officiants across Washington.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Washington. Under RCW §26.04.050, an AEGA ordination credential is sufficient to solemnize marriages in all 39 counties without state registration.
Washington chaplains across federal, state, and hospital roles.
Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities, Washington Department of Corrections, and major medical systems (Providence, MultiCare, Virginia Mason Franciscan) where AEGA-ordained Washington chaplains may serve under ecclesiastical endorsement.
Credential Pathways for Washington Ministers
Credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. Begin at the tier that matches your call. Washington applicants follow the same credentialing pathway as all U.S. ministers.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. 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 across the state.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation, baptism, and all sacerdotal duties under AEGA covering.
Ordained Minister.
The highest credentialing tier. Required for chaplain endorsement, charter pastorship of an AEGA congregation, and the most formal forms of ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Washington
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Washington ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Washington ministers receive recognition under Washington RCW §26.04.050, regional covering through AEGA's 49 years of continuous standing, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers across more than 60 nations.
Washington RCW §26.04.050.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Washington ministers to solemnize marriages across all 39 counties. No state registration required.
Military chaplaincy gateway.
Washington hosts Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Station Everett, and Fairchild Air Force Base. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for ecclesiastical endorsement.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Washington county auditors, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file.
Covenant fellowship, not subscription.
AEGA is not an online ordination service. Credentialing is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers across more than 60 nations.
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 Washington, answered.
Do I need to register with Washington to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. Washington RCW §26.04.050 authorizes any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest of any church or religious denomination to solemnize marriages without state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 39 Washington counties. The minister signs the Washington marriage license after the ceremony; the county auditor records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Washington?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Washington as in any U.S. state. The credential review by the Credential Committee covers doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream AEGA has carried since 1976, references, and ministry experience.
Can a Washington-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Washington hosts Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Station Everett, Fairchild Air Force Base, the Washington Department of Corrections, and major medical systems where AEGA-ordained Washington chaplains may serve under ecclesiastical endorsement.
Does the language "regularly licensed or ordained" in RCW §26.04.050 apply to AEGA?
Yes. AEGA carries a documented credentialing process with application, doctrinal review by the Credential Committee, references, and ministry experience. "Regularly ordained" refers to ordination through the established procedures of a religious organization, which AEGA has carried continuously since 1976. The AEGA ordination certificate documents the regular ordination process.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Washington?
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, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a Washington county auditor will accept under RCW §26.04.050; 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 Washington RCW §26.04.050 across all 39 Washington counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Washington ministers, chaplains, and church planters.