How do I request proxy temple ordinances for a friend?

Article Id: 926
March 18, 2025
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"When submitting names for proxy temple ordinances, members should generally submit only the names of persons to whom they are related" (General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 28.1.1.1).

To request ordinances for an unrelated friend, obtain signed permission from a close living relative of your friend.

The Church’s General Handbook, 28.1.1.1, indicates a close living relative as one of the following:

  • Undivorced spouse (the spouse to whom the individual was married at the time of death)
  • Adult child
  • Parent
  • Sibling 

Before you start

Obtain signed, written permission from a close living relative of your friend. Keep in mind the following:

  • We cannot accept permission given by yourself or even permission granted by your friend before his or her death. Permission must be from a close living relative.
  • If your deceased friend has no close living relatives or if you cannot contact them, we cannot grant permission to do the work.
  • You must have an email address that you can access and that you can use to respond to emails. The 110 permission form in Family Tree cannot be used for this process.
  • You can receive the written permission through email, but it must contain a handwritten signature from the close living relative who is giving permission. You can scan or take a picture of the written permission, and attach and send the image as part of the mail exchange with FamilySearch Support.

Word the written permission this way: "I [name of person giving permission], give [your name] permission to do temple work in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple, for [name of deceased], who is my [relationship]. Signature."

If your deceased friend has no close living relatives, we cannot grant permission to do the work. 

Steps

  1. Add your friend to Family Tree.
  2. Note the Tree ID.
  3. Contact FamilySearch.
  4. Provide the following information:
    1. The Family Tree ID of the person for whom you want to perform ordinances.
    2. The full name of the person for whom you want to perform ordinances.
    3. The name of the person who gave permission and that person's relationship to your deceased friend.
  5. A support agent can send the request to a team of specialists. Watch for a response by email. Respond to the email, and include a copy of the written permission. Do not attach the written permission as a memory item on Family Tree.

Follow-up

If your request is approved, a system administrator will add the approved reservation to your list and notify you. If it is not approved, you will receive a notification and explanation.

Contact options vary based on location. If you are using email, email responses may end up in your junk or spam folder.

How do I add an unconnected person to Family Tree?
What are ID numbers used for in Family Tree?
Individuals for whom I can request temple ordinances
Doing temple work for people not related to me

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