The Universal Life Church: Legitimacy and Legal Standing

The Universal Life Church (ULC) is a non-denominational religious organization founded in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley. It is known for its doctrine: "Do that which is right" and its advocacy for religious freedom, offering free online ordination to anyone who wishes to join. The Universal Life Church is perhaps most well known for operating primarily online.

Is the Universal Life Church a Scam?

The short answer is: absolutely not. The Universal Life Church (ULC) is the world’s largest and most active online religious organization. The very idea of an online church rankles some people, and we can understand why. For so many centuries, religious organizations have operated using the same traditional paradigms. Critics of the ULC often rush to judgment, yet rarely take the time to research our church before throwing around accusations, including calling us a “scam.” Common arguments made by our detractors can be found below.

The ULC embraces the internet and provides many of its services online, many of our ministers do perform physical ceremonies and other ministerial work out in the analog world. For those who question the legitimacy of the Universal Life Church, we point to our non-profit corporation filings in the State of Washington and numerous other states. Our incorporation as a religious organization means the ULC has the exact same legal standing as other major churches.

History and Evolution

The Universal Life Church was founded by Kirby J. Hensley, "a self-educated Baptist minister who was deeply influenced by his reading in world religion". The church's growth was affected in part by social movements; during the Vietnam War, a widely circulated rumor claimed that ordination would qualify one for a legal exemption from the draft. Ordination requests increased dramatically, but the rumor proved to be false. The ULC and its founder, Hensley, were also featured in several publications during this time, including Rolling Stone, which further increased public awareness of the church. In the late 1960s, Hensley "became something of a folk hero among the young", particularly with college students, whom he would mass-ordain at speaking events. In accordance with the Law of California that exempts religious schools from accreditation, he offered an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the ULC for a free-will offering of twenty dollars, including "ten free lessons explaining how to set up a church".

By 1974, the church had ordained over 1 million ministers. The Universal Life Church ran into difficulties as new branches of the ULC were granted charters and began moving off in different directions. The Modesto group struggled to maintain control over these other entities as ULC affiliates grew in number. There are multiple groups operating under the ULC name, most of which are unaffiliated in practice. During this period, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) became suspicious about tax avoidance efforts within the church, eventually determining that Hensley, the Modesto ULC, and affiliated churches chartered under its name were promoting tax avoidance schemes within church periodicals. As a result, the IRS withdrew ULC Modesto's tax-exempt status in 1984. Over the next 16 years, Hensley and his family battled the IRS in court over disputed tax payments.

By 1999, the ULC had begun offering ordinations online. News coverage about journalists and celebrities getting ordained to perform weddings helped boost the popularity of online ordination. As more people became aware of non-traditional officiants presiding over wedding ceremonies, ULC membership rolls rose. Between 1962 and 2008, the ULC issued more than 18 million ordinations worldwide.

Core Beliefs and Practices

The Universal Life Church has only one belief. They believe in that which is right and in every person's right to interpret what is right. The Universal Life Church has no creed or authoritative book such as a Bible. Those wishing to learn about the Church can obtain its periodical Universal Life and other materials that it publishes from its international headquarters. No specific ethical guidelines except to do "what is right". The Universal Life Church is open and accepting of people of all religions. It is opposed only to those religions that attempt to deny religious freedom. Any minister in the ULC can ordain new members. The Universal Life Church has no specific holidays, though local congregations celebrate a wide variety of them. According to Lewis, Hensley personally believed in reincarnation, in a merely human Jesus, and "in the reunification of all religions and governments under the Universal Life banner during thirty years of turmoil around the year 2000". None of these beliefs were doctrinal to the ULC, which allowed members to follow their own doctrines. Army's Handbook for Chaplains also notes that the ULC "has a very loose structure", with those ordained being given "a set of instructions on how to form a congregation", but otherwise operating with complete autonomy.

Legal Recognition and Challenges

ULC ordinations are legally recognized for the purposes of performing weddings across the United States, and we have even gone to court to defend our ministers' rights in the few areas where they have been challenged. Ministers who were ordained online by the Universal Life Church are the same as ministers from any other church. Ministers of the Universal Life Church are able to legally perform weddings throughout the vast majority of the United States, and increasingly in places overseas. There are still some areas where it can be more difficult than others to operate as a ULC minister - and we always ask that if you do hear anything from any government official that leads you to believe that you are not a legally ordained minister or that you do not have a right to solemnize a marriage ceremony that you please contact our office immediately so that we can investigate on your behalf.

The legitimacy of ULC ordination has been challenged in legal venues, primarily with respect to the questions of whether it constitutes a religious affiliation for tax purposes, and whether ordinations legally permit recipients to perform weddings in various jurisdictions.

Legal Battles and Tax-Exempt Status

The Universal Life Church is indeed a religious non-profit organization registered and headquartered in the State of Washington. For those who question the legitimacy of the Universal Life Church, we point to our non-profit corporation filings in the State of Washington and numerous other states. Our incorporation as a religious organization means the ULC has the exact same legal standing as other major churches.

The ULC sued the government of the United States after the church's tax-exempt designation was challenged. The decision in the 1974 case included several key findings. The court stated that neither it nor any other arm of government would "consider the merits or fallacies of a religion" or engage in a comparison between newer religions and older ones.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sued in the 1970s, arguing the ULC was not considered a religious group. The IRS denied the Church's application for tax exempt status in 1969 and again in 1970 on the ground that the Church had engaged in activities outside the religious activities contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code provisions for § 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. After paying the taxes and interest due for fiscal year ending April 30, 1969, the Church brought a suit for refund and prevailed in the case of Universal Life Church v. The United States of America, with Judge James F.

However, the IRS again revoked the Church's tax exempt status. The Church brought a declaratory judgment action in the United States Court of Federal Claims with respect to its tax-exempt status for the years covered. The Court of Federal Claims upheld the revocation on the ground that the Church had not been operated solely for tax-exempt purposes as required by I.R.C. In 1997, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit also upheld the revocation of § 501(c)(3) status by the IRS against a procedural challenge regarding the timing of this revocation. The various lawsuits were settled in 2000 with the church paying $1.5 million in back taxes.

Recognition of Marriage Solemnization

A large number of people seeking ULC ordination do so in order to be able to legally officiate at weddings or perform other spiritual rites. In the United States, the requirements for entering into marriage are determined by state law. In most states, the ULC clearly falls under the statutes setting forth the requirements for ordination of ministers to perform marriages. In a small number of states, this issue has been litigated, with determinations made by courts at various levels. In Mississippi, for example, it ultimately fell to the Mississippi Supreme Court to recognize the power of a minister of the Universal Life Church to solemnize marriages.

However other New York courts have allowed ULC ministers to perform marriages. A more recent New York court ruling in the 2013 case of Oswald v Oswald, before a different appellate court, ruled that it is a factual question whether the ULC is a "church" whose ministers have authority under New York law to solemnize a marriage; on remand, the plaintiff offered no evidence, and the New York Supreme Court, which in New York is a trial level court, accepted the defendant's evidence that the ULC fits the statutory definition of a "church" and the parties' marriage, performed by one of its authorized ministers, was valid. However, that holding is not binding on other courts.

The effect of such ordinations was less clear. In State of North Carolina v. Lynch (December 1980), a person was convicted of bigamy in a second marriage performed by a ULC minister, but this conviction was overturned on appeal due to the marriage by the ULC minister being found as not a legal marriage. Later, in Fulton v.

In Lynch v. Universal Life Church (October 1985) an individual accused the ULC of fraud based on representations by the ULC that a person ordained through its services would be able to perform marriages, subject to a disclaimer that those ordained should check with local authorities to determine whether local law permitted this. The church made no unequivocal representation that Wilson was qualified under the laws of North Carolina to perform a wedding ceremony. On the contrary, with respect to his secular qualifications, it directed him to check with local authorities.

In 2019, Tennessee passed a law specifically barring ministers ordained over the internet from performing weddings. The following year, the ULC filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this legislation. District Court ruled in favor of ULC, declaring the statute unconstitutional and permanently barring the state from enforcing it.

On May 22, 2025, the Universal Life Church filed a lawsuit against officials for Augusta County, Virginia, and the City of Staunton, Virginia. The lawsuit alleges that its ministers have faced discrimination in those areas when they attempted to solemnize marriages, actions the ULC argues infringe upon their freedom of religion and are in direct violation of the constitutions of the United States and of Virginia. Previously, in the 1974 case of Cramer v Commonwealth of Virginia, the Supreme Court of Virginia held that a trial court did not err by rescinding the authority of ULC ministers to perform marriages based on Virginia Code section 20-23.

State Laws and Recognition

It really depends on the location, as rules and requirements vary from state to state (and even county to county) across the United States. The most common types of documents you’ll be asked to provide are your ordination credentials and a Letter of Good Standing in order to receive approval to preside over a marriage ceremony. For those planning to perform a marriage ceremony, we recommend contacting the relevant county or town clerk to ask what documentation they require from you.

Alabama: Couples looking to marry in Alabama don't need a judge or church; a friend can do the job.
Alaska: Marriages may be solemnized by a minister, priest, or rabbi of any church or congregation in the state.
Colorado: A marriage may be solemnized.
Connecticut: Persons authorized to solemnize marriages include.
Delaware: A clergyperson or minister of any religion.
Idaho: Marriage may be solemnized by.
Illinois: A marriage may be solemnized in accordance with the prescriptions of any religious denomination.
Iowa: Marriages may be solemnized by.
Louisiana: A marriage ceremony may be performed by.
Maryland: A marriage ceremony may be performed in this State by.
Minnesota: Marriages may be solemnized throughout the state by.
Montana: A marriage may be solemnized.
New Hampshire: A marriage may be solemnized.
New Jersey: Persons including "every minister of every religion" are "authorized to solemnize marriage between such persons as may lawfully enter into the matrimonial relation".
Ohio: A marriage may be solemnized by an ordained or licensed minister of any religious society or congregation within this state who is licensed to solemnize marriages.
Pennsylvania: As of 2025, ULC ordinations are generally recognized in Pennsylvania without objection for the purposes of performing weddings.
Texas: Persons "authorized to conduct a marriage ceremony" include "a person who is an officer of a religious organization and who is authorized by the organization to conduct a marriage ceremony," No court or administrative ruling has excluded ministers ordained by the ULC.
Vermont: Marriages may be solemnized by.
Virginia: In 2001, the Virginia State office of the Attorney General issued an Opinion finding that a Clerk of the Court can deem a ULC-ordained officiant to be qualified to perform a marriage, and that the Clerk need not further investigate the qualifications of such a person.

Online Ordination: Accessibility and Convenience

The Universal Life Church is perhaps most well known for operating primarily online. We made a deliberate, considered decision to move our ordination process and many of the rest of our religious services online as we entered into the digital age. We celebrate and embrace our unconventional history and our unconventional position among the pantheon of religions - but we don’t agree that being unconventional makes us illegitimate!

In an era where you can do everything from banking to getting a degree via the internet, perhaps it's no wonder that you can also get ordained online. Online ordination is the process of becoming an ordained minister through an internet-based program. To understand the "how," it helps first to understand what a minister is in a legal context. Historically, people spent years in seminary (or other time-consuming and expensive schooling) to reach this status. However, there are now many different ways to get ordained, including online programs that are free and instant. An ordination is considered valid when it’s performed by a legally recognized religious organization and follows that organization’s established process. In the United States, there isn’t a single standard for ordination. Legally speaking, if a real church ordains you according to its rules, you’re a minister.

Advantages of Online Ordination

Convenience and Speed: Many people love how fast and convenient online ordination is. You can complete the online ordination steps in minutes, all without needing to travel, attend classes, or wait through a long approval process. Because getting ordained is done online, you can complete the process from home at a time that works for you. You won’t have scheduling stress or paperwork delays slowing you down.
Authority to Officiate: Becoming a minister gives you the legal authority to officiate weddings, vow renewals, and funerals, but that’s just a short list of what an ordained minister can do. Instead of hiring a stranger to officiate an event, couples can choose you, someone they trust.
Inclusivity: Most online ordination programs are open to people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. You don’t need to belong to a specific denomination or follow a strict set of religious rules to be ordained. There aren’t barriers based on gender, sexual orientation, or formal religious education. With organizations like Universal Life Church, you’re free to approach ministry in a way that aligns with your personal values and beliefs.

Potential Downsides and Considerations

One of the biggest downsides to online ordinations is that not every organization will teach you how to officiate a ceremony. Additionally, some people still misunderstand or mistrust online ordination. You may need to explain or show documentation to reassure venues or family members that you are legally allowed to officiate an event.

Identifying Legitimate Online Ordinations

A legitimate online ordination usually has clear signs that show it’s trustworthy and recognized by legal authorities.

A strong sign of legitimacy is that the ordination comes from a known religious organization. These organizations are transparent about who they are and how their ordinations work.
Legally valid online ordinations offer documentation to its members, which may include an ordination certificate, an ID card, or a letter of good standing. Reputable organizations also provide guidance on how to officiate ceremonies and comply with state laws. Many offer step-by-step resources, sample scripts, or state-specific instructions to help you feel prepared.
Trustworthy ordination programs clearly explain how the process works and what it includes. The organization should also clearly explain what your ordination allows you to do.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

While many online ordinations are valid, there are warning signs that you should be cautious about.

Be wary of sites that ask for personal details beyond what is necessary for ordination.
Be cautious if the site demands large payments just to become ordained or pressures you to pay annual subscription fees.
If an organization doesn’t clearly state whether your ordination is legally recognized or avoids discussing state laws, that’s a red flag.

Ordination of Pets and Fraudulent Applications

The ULC has occasionally been criticized for its openness and ease of ordination. Some people, usually as a joke, submit ordination requests for their pets. Completing an ordination application on behalf of a pet, an item, or a human being who isn’t you may elicit a giggle or two on a lonely night - but it’s important to know that these prank ordinations are not legitimate. Furthermore, our diligent staff does a great job of locating and weeding out any of these fraudulently created accounts. The ULC has tried to curb the ordination of pets, but if the name on the application appears to be legitimate, the application will probably be granted. Applying for ordination in the name of a fictitious person or animal, or the submission of a person's name without his or her permission is fraud, and may subject you to prosecution!".

Financial Aspects and Sustainability

Churches do have expenses that they need to cover: the Universal Life Church has to spend money on rent, utility bills, wages for our team members, producing minister supplies, and so on. We also shoulder significant legal fees to ensure that our ministers’ rights are protected and respected in the United States and around the world. It’s important to note that ordination itself is completely free and is good for life. Physical copies of our ordination documents are available in our online catalog, and we ask that our ministers help cover the cost of those documents, if they choose to order them. Charging for our minister credentials isn't a choice, it's a necessity. We work incredibly hard to keep our overhead and material costs as low as possible while still ensuring we have the systems in place to support our growing ULC family around the globe.

Nearly all of the money we make goes toward keeping the ULC in operation. We also regularly incur extraordinary legal fees in our ongoing efforts to restore, preserve, and defend the Constitutional rights of our ministers to freely practice as they see fit.

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