Request a Priesthood Line of Authority

Policy and Principle

A Melchizedek Priesthood line of authority may be requested for:

1. Any Melchizedek Priesthood holder living in the same household as the requester.
2. A young man currently serving a full-time mission.
3. A deceased ancestor.

A priesthood line of authority may not be requested for a person who is excommunicated.

A priesthood line of authority is determined by the priesthood office held by the officiator at the time the ordination took place. For example, if a father who is an elder ordains his son to the office of elder, the son’s line of authority is traced through the father’s elder ordination. If the father is a high priest at the time he ordains his son, the son’s line of authority is traced through the father’s high priest ordination.

A priesthood holder with the office of seventy may be included in a member’s personal line of authority, but no separate line of authority is maintained for the office of seventy. Ordained bishops and patriarchs trace their priesthood line of authority through their high priest ordination. A priesthood line of authority is not recorded for Aaronic Priesthood conferral or ordinations.

Because of missing or incomplete information, not all priesthood lines of authority are complete. However, this does not negate the validity of a member’s priesthood ordination if it was authorized by the proper authority and recorded on the official records of the Church.

Procedures

To request a priesthood line of authority by email:

1. Send an email to lineofauthority@churchofjesuschrist.org.
2. To receive the priesthood line of authority request form in English, type the letters PLA in the subject line.
   
   • To receive the request form in Spanish, type the letters PLA SP in the subject line.
   • To receive the request form in Portuguese, type the letters PLA PT in the subject line.

1. Instructions for completing the request form and receiving the priesthood line of authority by email will be included in the return email.