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Enforced by: Local Authority, HMCTS
Status: Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling: Regulated

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Plus 5 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

Restrictions on Marriage

0 of 5 sections shown

5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.001 Marriages within prohibited degrees.

s.002 Marriages of persons under eighteen.

s.002 Marriages of whole life prisoners

s.003 Marriages of persons under twenty-one.

s.004 Hours for solemnization of marriages.

Part 2

Marriage according to Rites of the Church of England

1 of 24 sections shown

s.020 Licensing of chapels for publication of banns and solemnization of marriages for persons residing in specified district. Regulated

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Bishop must inquire into incumbent's reasons before licensing a chapelLocal authority

23 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.005 Methods of authorising marriages.

s.005 Marriages between certain persons related by affinity.

s.005 Marriages involving person of acquired gender

s.006 Place of publication of banns.

s.007 Time and manner of publication of banns.

s.008 Notice to clergyman before publication of banns.

s.009 Persons by whom banns may be published.

s.010 Publication of banns commenced in one church and completed in another.

s.011 Certificates of publication of banns.

s.012 Solemnization of marriage after publication of banns.

s.013 Publication of banns in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland.

s.014 Publication of banns on board His Majesty’s ships.

s.015 Places in which marriages may be solemnized by common licence.

s.016 Provisions as to common licences.

s.017 Marriage under marriage schedule.

s.018 Publication of banns and solemnization of marriages during repair and rebuilding of churches.

s.019 Publication of banns and solemnization of marriage where church injured by war damage.

s.021 Authorising of publication of banns and solemnization of marriages in churches and chapels of extra-parochial places.

s.021 Issue of marriage document after publication of banns or the grant of a special or common licence

s.022 Witnesses.

s.023 Benefices held in plurality.

s.024 Proof of residence not necessary to validity of marriage by banns or common licence.

s.025 Void marriages.

Part 3

Marriage under marriage schedule

3 of 58 sections shown

s.027 Notice of marriage. Regulated

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Registrar must file and record marriage notices promptlyLocal authority

s.029 Caveat against issue of marriage schedule. Regulated

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Superintendent registrar must process caveats before issuing marriage scheduleLocal authority

s.041 Registration of buildings : marriage of a man and a woman. Regulated

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Superintendent registrar must process building registration applicationsLocal authority

55 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.026 Marriage of a man and a woman; marriage of same sex couples for which no opt-in necessary

s.026 Opt-in to marriage of same sex couples: places of worship

s.026 Opt-in to marriage of same sex couples: other religious ceremonies

s.027 Additional information required in certain cases.

s.027 Provisions relating to section 1(3) marriages.

s.027 Provisions relating to section 1(5) marriages.

s.027 Additional information required for certain marriages of same sex couples

s.027 Additional information if party not relevant national

s.027 Circumstances in which a notice of marriage is not to be recorded in the marriage register

s.028 Declaration to accompany notice of marriage.

s.028 Power to require evidence of consent to marriages of same sex couples

s.028 Provision of evidence

s.028 Additional evidence if party not relevant national

s.028 Change of usual address or UK contact address

s.028 Rejection of false information or evidence

s.028 Amendment of notice and evidence provisions

s.028 Specified evidence

s.028 Referral of proposed marriage to Secretary of State

s.030 Forbidding of issue of marriage schedule.

s.031 Marriage under marriage schedule.

s.031 Appeal on refusal under section 31(2)(a) or 31ZA.

s.031 Notice of marriage: false information or evidence

s.032 Marriage under certificate by licence.

s.033 Period of validity of marriage schedule.

s.034 Marriages normally to be solemnized in registration district in which one party resides.

s.035 Marriages in registration district in which neither party resides.

s.036 Superintendent registrar to issue licences only for marriages to be solemnized in his registration district.

s.037 One party resident in Scotland.

s.038 One party resident in Northern Ireland.

s.039 Issue of certificates on board His Majesty’s ships.

s.039 Marriage of former civil partners one of whom has changed sex

s.040 Forms of certificates to be furnished by Registrar General.

s.042 Cancellation of registration under section 41: building no longer used

s.043 Buildings registered under section 41: appointment of authorised persons

s.043 Registration of buildings: marriage of same sex couples

s.043 Buildings registered under section 43A: appointment of authorised persons

s.043 Cancellation of registration under section 43A

s.043 Regulations about sections 41 and 43 and 43A to 43C

s.044 Solemnization of marriage in registered building.

s.044 Building subject to Sharing of Church Buildings Act 1969: registration

s.044 Building subject to Sharing of Church Buildings Act 1969: cancellation

s.044 Other shared places of worship: registration and cancellation

s.044 Sections 44A to 44C: supplementary provision

s.045 Solemnization of marriage in register office.

s.045 Solemnization of certain marriages.

s.046 Register office marriage followed by religious ceremony.

s.046 Approval of premises.

s.046 Solemnization of marriage on approved premises.

s.047 Marriages according to usages of Society of Friends.

s.048 Proof of certain matters not necessary to validity of marriages.

s.049 Void marriages.

s.049 Void marriages: additional provision about same sex couples

s.050 Person to whom marriage schedule to be delivered.

s.051 Fees of superintendent registrars for attending marriages in approved premises

s.052 Provision for marriages in Welsh language.

Part 4

Registration of Marriages

1 of 21 sections shown

s.053 Registration of marriage Regulated

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator

Registrar must register marriage after receiving signed documentsLocal authority

20 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.053 Persons by whom marriages are to be registered.

s.053 Register of marriages

s.053 Signing of a marriage document

s.053 Signing of a marriage schedule

s.053 Registration of marriage where documentation lost or destroyed

s.054 Provision of marriage register books by Registrar General.

s.055 Manner of registration of marriages.

s.056 Power to ask for particulars of marriage.

s.057 Quarterly returns to be made to superintendent registrar.

s.058 Quarterly returns to be made by superintendent registrar to Registrar General.

s.059 Custody of register books.

s.060 Filled register books.

s.061 Correction of errors in register book.

s.062 Disposal of register books on church ceasing to be used for solemnization of marriages.

s.063 Searches in register books.

s.064 Searches of indexes kept by superintendent registrars.

s.065 Searches of indexes kept by Registrar General.

s.065 Searches and records of information: additional provision

s.066 Sending documents by post.

s.067 Interpretation of Part IV.

Part 5

Marriages in Naval, Military, and Air Force Chapels

0 of 5 sections shown

5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.068 Solemnization of marriages in naval, military, and air force chapels.

s.069 Licensing of chapels for marriages according to rites of Church of England.

s.070 Registration of chapels for marriages otherwise than according to rites of Church of England.

s.070 Registration of chapels for marriages of same sex couples otherwise than according to rites of Church of England

s.071 Evidence of marriages under Part V.

Part 6

General

0 of 11 sections shown

11 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional

s.071 Fees

s.072 Supplementary provisions as to marriages in usual places of worship.

s.073 Lists of licensed chapels and registered buildings.

s.074 Regulations and approval of electronic forms etc.

s.075 Offences relating to solemnization of marriages.

s.076 Offences relating to registration of marriages.

s.076 Offence of failing to attend premises in compliance with a section 53D(8) or section 53E(10) notice

s.077 Offences by authorised persons.

s.078 Interpretation.

s.079 Repeals and savings.

s.080 Short title, extent and commencement.

Schedules

0 of 7 shown

7 other schedules

s.sch001 (1) The list referred to in section 1(1) is— Adoptive...

s.sch001 The list referred to in section 1(2) is as follows—...

s.sch001 The list referred to in section 1(4) is as follows—...

s.sch003a (1) These are the modifications subject to which this Act...

s.sch003a (1) The duty under section 31(2) to issue a marriage...

s.sch003a (1) The modifications in this paragraph have effect if the...

s.sch003a (1) This paragraph applies if— (a) the Secretary of State...

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Marriage Act 1949

Does it bind you?

What it requires

Restrictions on Marriage

Marriage according to Rites of the Church of England

Marriage under marriage schedule

Registration of Marriages

Marriages in Naval, Military, and Air Force Chapels

General

Schedules

Help complying

Start a hospitality business: licences, food safety, and compliance