A clerk in the US state of Kentucky who defied a court ruling by refusing to issue marriage licences to same sex couples has been jailed for contempt.

On Friday morning (AEST), a federal judge in the US ordered Kim Davis, 49, to be imprisoned until she agrees to issue the licences.

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“The court cannot condone the wilful disobedience of its lawfully issued order,” Judge Bunning said during the hearing according to The New York Times.

“No one is above the law. That applies to the president of the United States and it applies to the clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, as well.”

The same judge earlier issued an injunction ordering the clerk to register the marriages of gay couples, which she disobeyed.

The US Supreme Court legalised gay marriage in a landmark verdict in June.

In a confrontation filmed by media outlets, Ms David told a gay couple she was blocking their union “on God’s authority”.

The clerk was accused of hypocrisy because she has been divorced three times.