§20-23
Virginia Code
95
Virginia Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Virginia Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, Circuit Court authorization.
Virginia is the most restrictive ordination state in the United States. Virginia Code §20-23 requires every minister, before solemnizing a marriage in the state, to be authorized by the Circuit Court of any county or city. The court grants this authorization upon proof of ordination and good standing. AEGA-credentialed ministers present their AEGA ordination certificate to the Circuit Court as the proof of ordination. AEGA's 49 years of continuous standing as a Spirit-filled fellowship recognized under federal law helps the application succeed.
AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Virginia 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. Under Virginia Code §20-23, the AEGA ordination credential is the proof of ordination Circuit Courts review when granting authorization to solemnize marriages. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers. Virginia hosts 95 counties and 38 independent cities, each with a Circuit Court.
Who AEGA Credentials in Virginia
Six common Virginia ordination pathways.
AEGA carries credentialed ministers across every region of Virginia, from senior pastors of established congregations to chaplains, church planters, lay-ministry workers, and wedding officiants. Six common pathways follow.
Senior pastors of Virginia congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Northern Virginia, Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and the Shenandoah Valley. Virginia's church landscape carries one of the deepest Spirit-filled ministry presences in the South.
Virginia military chaplains.
Virginia is the largest military chaplaincy state in the United States. The Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Base, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Quantico, and the entire Tidewater military presence depend on ecclesiastically endorsed chaplains. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite.
Virginia church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside Virginia 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 Virginia. The transfer pathway preserves ordination dignity while bringing the minister under covenant covering. AEGA's long standing helps the Circuit Court authorization succeed.
Virginia federal-prison and state-corrections chaplains.
Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities (Petersburg, Lee), Virginia Department of Corrections facilities, and hospital and hospice chaplaincies across the state. Ordination is the gate to chaplain endorsement; AEGA carries the credential.
Wedding officiants across Virginia.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Virginia. Under Virginia Code §20-23, an AEGA ordination credential plus Circuit Court authorization permits the minister to solemnize marriages in all 95 counties and 38 independent cities.
Credential Pathways for Virginia Ministers
Credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. Begin at the tier that matches your call. Virginia 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 Virginia
A covenant fellowship for the long career of Virginia ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Virginia ministers carry ordination §20-23 Circuit Courts recognize, 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.
Virginia Code §20-23 prep.
AEGA-credentialed Virginia ministers carry the ordination proof Circuit Courts review. AEGA's 49 years of continuous standing as a federally recognized religious organization helps the Circuit Court authorization application succeed.
Military chaplaincy gateway.
Virginia hosts the Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Base, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Quantico, and the largest military-chaplaincy concentration in the United States. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for ecclesiastical endorsement.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Virginia Circuit Courts, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file. Long standing matters where authorization is required.
Covenant fellowship, not subscription.
AEGA is not an online ordination service. Online ordination certificates fail Virginia Circuit Court authorization. AEGA ordination 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 Virginia, answered.
Do I need to register with Virginia to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
Yes. Virginia is the most restrictive ordination state in the United States. Virginia Code §20-23 requires every minister, before solemnizing a marriage in Virginia, to be authorized by a Circuit Court of any county or city in the state. The Circuit Court grants this authorization upon proof of ordination and good standing with a religious organization. AEGA-credentialed ministers present their AEGA ordination certificate as the proof of ordination.
Why does AEGA ordination succeed where online ordination fails in Virginia?
Virginia Circuit Courts review proof of ordination and good standing before authorizing a minister to solemnize marriages. AEGA carries 49 years of continuous standing as a Spirit-filled covenant fellowship of more than 3,000 ministers, recognized as a 501(c)(3) religious organization under U.S. law since 1976. Online ordination services with no doctrinal review, no application standards, no ongoing relationship, and no organizational depth often fail Circuit Court review. AEGA does not.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Virginia?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The Virginia Circuit Court authorization runs separately and is the second step after the AEGA credential is issued. The credential review by the Credential Committee covers doctrinal alignment, references, and ministry experience.
Can a Virginia-ordained AEGA minister also become a military chaplain?
Yes. Virginia is the largest military chaplaincy state in the United States. The Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Base, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, and Quantico depend on chaplains carrying ecclesiastical endorsement from a recognized religious organization. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite, and AEGA endorses chaplains for federal military service.
What is the order of steps for getting ordained and Circuit-Court authorized in Virginia?
First, apply to AEGA for Ordained Minister credential. The Credential Committee reviews the application within three to five weeks. Second, after receiving the AEGA ordination certificate, apply to a Virginia Circuit Court for authorization to solemnize marriages under §20-23. The Circuit Court reviews the AEGA credential as proof of ordination. Once authorized, the minister may solemnize marriages in any of Virginia's 95 counties and 38 independent cities.
Learn more about ordination through AEGA.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship. 49 years of continuous standing. Recognized under Virginia Code §20-23 across Virginia. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Virginia ministers, chaplains, and church planters.