You can do ordinances for a deceased person who was born within the last 110 years. But you must meet certain requirements:
See section 28.1 of the General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints titled: "General Guidelines for Performing Proxy Ordinances."
- The person must be deceased for at least 30 days.
- You must be one of the close living relatives, or you must obtain permission from one of the close living relatives.
- If you are not the spouse or a child, parent, or sibling of the deceased, obtain permission from one of the close living relatives.
- The close living relatives are an undivorced spouse, an adult child, a parent, a brother, or a sister.
- Permission granted by a deceased person before death does not qualify. Permission must come from a close living relative.
- You need to be related to the deceased person. You can use the View My Relationship link on the Person page to confirm your relationship. (See the related article below for additional help with this feature.)
Here is an example of how to approach family members who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to request permission:
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am seeking your permission to submit [person's name] to the temple. In the temple, we perform sacred ordinances for our loved ones who have passed away. It would be my gift to [him or her], and I would be honored. I will respect whatever you say and will hold no hard feelings if you decline.
Consider and respect the wishes of close living relatives, especially a living spouse, and accept the answer you receive.
Related articles
How do I request ordinances for an ancestor who was born within the last 110 years?
How do I view my relationship to a person in Family Tree?