CLASSIFICATION OF MINISTERS OF RELIGION

32 C.F.R. Part 1645
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

32 C.F.R. § 1645.1 Purpose; definitions.

(a) The provisions of this part govern the consideration of a claim by a registrant for classification in Class 4-D (§ 1630.43 of this chapter). (b) The definitions of this paragraph shall apply in the interpretation of the provisions of this part: (1) The term duly ordained minister of religion means a person: (i) Who has been ordained in accordance with the ceremonial ritual or discipline of a church, religious sect, or organization established on the basis of a community of faith and belief, doctrines and practices of a religious character; and (ii) Who preaches and teaches the doctrines of such church, sect, or organization; and (iii) Who administers the rites and ceremonies thereof in public worship; and (iv) Who, as his regular and customary vocation, preaches and teaches the principles of religion; and (v) Who administers the ordinances of public worship as embodied in the creed or principles of such church, sect, or organization. (2) The term regular minister of religion means one who as his customary vocation preaches and teaches the principles of religion of a church, a religious sect, or organization of which he is a member, without having been formally ordained as a minister of religion, and who is recognized by such church, sect, or organization as a regular minister. (3) The term regular or duly ordained minister of religion does not include: (i) A person who irregularly or incidentally preaches and teaches the principles of religion of a church, religious sect, or organization; or (ii) Any person who has been duly ordained a minister in accordance with the ceremonial rite or discipline of a church, religious sect or organization, but who does not regularly, as a bona fide vocation, teach and preach the principles of religion and administer the ordinances of public worship, as embodied in the creed or principles of his church, sect, or organization. (4) The term vocation denotes one's regular calling or full-time profession.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.2 The claim for minister of religion classification.

A claim to classification in Class 4-D must be made by the registrant in writing, such document being placed in his file folder.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.3 Basis for classification in Class 4-D.

In accordance with part 1630 of this chapter any registrant shall be placed in Class 4-D who is a: (a) Duly ordained minister of religion; or (b) Regular minister of religion.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.4 Exclusion from Class 4-D.

A registrant is excluded from Class 4-D when his claim clearly shows that: (a) He is not a regular minister or a duly ordained minister; or (b) He is a duly ordained minister of religion in accordance with the ceremonial rite or discipline of a church, religious sect or organization, but who does not regularly as his bona fide vocation, teach and preach the principles of religion and administer the ordinances of public worship, as embodied in the creed or principles of his church, sect, or organization; or (c) He is a regular minister of religion, but does not regularly, as his bona fide vocation, teach and preach the principles of religion; or (d) He is not recognized by the church, sect, or organization as a regular minister of religion; or (e) He is a duly ordained minister of religion but does not administer the ordinances of public worship, as embodied in the creed of his church, sect, or organization.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.5 Impartiality.

Boards may not give preferential treatment to one religion or sect over another and no preferential treatment will be given a duly ordained minister over a regular minister.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.6 Considerations relevant to granting or denying a claim for Class 4-D.

(a) The board shall first determine whether the registrant is requesting classification in Class 4-D because he is a regular minister of religion or because he is a duly ordained minister of religion. (b) If the registrant claims to be a duly ordained minister of religion, the board will: (1) Determine whether the registrant has been ordained, in accordance with the ceremonial ritual or discipline of a church, religious sect, or organization established on the basis of a community of faith and belief, doctrines and practices of religious character, to preach and teach the doctrines of such church, sect, or organization and to administer the rites and ceremonies thereof in public worship; and (2) Determine whether the registrant as his regular, customary, and bona fide vocation, preaches and teaches the principles of religion and administers the ordinances of public worship, as embodied in the creed or principles of the church, sect, or organization by which the registrant was ordained. (c) If the registrant claims to be a regular minister of religion, the board will: (1) Determine whether the registrant as his customary and regular calling or customary and regular full-time profession, preaches and teaches the principles of religion of a church, a religious sect, or organization of which he is a member, without having been formally ordained as a minister of religion; and (2) Determine whether the registrant is recognized by such church, sect, or organization as a regular minister. (d) If the board determines that the registrant is a regular minister of religion or duly ordained minister of religion he shall be classified in Class 4-D.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.7 Evaluation of claim.

(a) In evaluating a claim for classification in Class 4-D, the board will not consider: (1) The training or abilities of the registrant for duty as a minister; or (2) The motive or sincerity of the registrant in serving as a minister. (b) The board should be careful to ascertain the actual duties and functions of registrants seeking classification in Class 4-D, such classification being appropriate only for leaders of the various religious groups, not granted to members of such groups generally. (c) Preaching and teaching the principles of one's sect, if performed part-time or half-time, occasionally or irregularly, are insufficient to establish eligiblity for Class 4-D. These activities must be regularly performed and must comprise the registrant's regular calling or full-time profession. The mere fact of some secular employment on the part of a registrant requesting classification in Class 4-D does not in itself make him ineligible for that class. (d) The board should request the registrant to furnish any additional information that it believes will be of assistance in the consideration of the registrant's claim for classification in Class 4-D.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.8 Types of decisions.

(a) If the board determines that the registrant is a regular minister of religion or a duly ordained minister of religion, he shall be classified in Class 4-D. (b) The board will deny a claim for Class 4-D when the evidence fails to meet the criteria established in this part.

32 C.F.R. § 1645.9 Statement of reason for denial.

(a) Denial of a 4-D claim by a board must be accompanied by a statement specifying the reason(s) for such denial as prescribed in §§ 1633.9, 1651.4 and 1653.3 of this chapter. The reason(s) must in turn, be supported by evidence in the registrant's file. (b) If the board's denial is based on statements by the registrant or his witnesses at a personal appearance or on documentation in the registrant's file, such basis will be fully explained in the statement of reasons accompanying the denial.

Starting a business? Corpus forms LLCs in all 50 states and DC.