O.C.G.A. §19-3-30
Georgia Code
159
Georgia Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Georgia Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, no state registration.
Georgia is a "no state registration" state for marriage officiants. O.C.G.A. §19-3-30 authorizes any minister of the gospel, rabbi, or judicial officer to conduct marriage ceremonies. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient. Sign the marriage license, the county probate court records it.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Georgia 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 O.C.G.A. §19-3-30 to conduct marriages in any of the 159 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Georgia
Six common Georgia ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of Georgia, from senior pastors in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, and Macon to bivocational church planters, transferring ministers, chaplains, and wedding officiants. Each pathway begins with the same ordination credential.
Senior pastors of Georgia congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, and Macon, and smaller communities. The Ordained Minister credential is the standing referenced on church bylaws, marriage licenses, and hospital chaplaincy applications.
Bivocational and part-time ministers.
Ministers serving in part-time or bivocational roles across Georgia. Licensed Minister is the common credential tier; Ordained follows for those moving into senior pastoral or chaplaincy roles.
Georgia church planters.
Ministers starting new works inside Georgia cities. AEGA's 501(c)(3) charter pathway and Spirit-filled covering carry church plants from the planning phase through public launch.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or denomination into AEGA Georgia. Existing ordination standing is reviewed by the Credential Committee and recognized inside the covenant fellowship.
Georgia chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, federal-prison, and law-enforcement chaplains across Georgia need AEGA Ordained Minister credentials before applying for endorsement through AEGA's endorsing agencies.
Wedding officiants across Georgia.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. §19-3-30, AEGA-ordained ministers sign marriage licenses in all 159 counties.
Credential Pathways for Georgia Ministers
Four ministerial tiers under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial credential tiers. Georgia applicants begin at the tier that matches their call and ministry experience.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. Applicants without prior ministerial standing begin here.
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.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation, 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 ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Georgia
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Georgia ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Georgia ministers receive recognition under O.C.G.A. §19-3-30, regional covering through AEGA's Presiding Bishops, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship that has carried ministers since 1976.
O.C.G.A. §19-3-30.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Georgia ministers to conduct marriage ceremonies across all 159 counties. No state registration required.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship.
AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers. Georgia-credentialed ministers carry direct fellowship with senior leadership.
Chaplaincy pathway.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Georgia applicants pursuing federal, hospital, prison, or law-enforcement chaplaincy begin at ordination.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Georgia 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 Georgia, answered.
Do I need to register with Georgia to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. O.C.G.A. §19-3-30 authorizes any minister of the gospel, rabbi, or judicial officer to conduct marriage ceremonies, without state-level registration. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient across all 159 Georgia counties. The minister signs the Georgia marriage license after the ceremony; the county probate court records the marriage based on the signed license.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Georgia?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Georgia 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.
What does AEGA look for in a Georgia ordination applicant?
AEGA reviews doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream, ministry experience, references from established ministers, and the applicant's sense of call to ordained ministry. Georgia applicants meet the same standard as applicants from every other state. The credential is a sacred setting-apart inside a covenant fellowship, not a same-day certificate.
Can a Georgia-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Georgia ministers pursuing federal military, federal prison, Veterans Affairs, hospital, hospice, or law-enforcement chaplaincy begin at the ordination credential, then apply for endorsement through one of AEGA's endorsing agencies.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Georgia?
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 review, plus a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a Georgia county clerk will accept under O.C.G.A. §19-3-30; 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 O.C.G.A. §19-3-30 across all 159 Georgia counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Georgia ministers, chaplains, and church planters.