Statutory Instrument 1997 No. 2204

      The Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 1997


      © Crown Copyright 1997

      Statutory Instruments printed from this website are printed under the superintendence and authority of the Controller of HMSO being the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.

      The legislation contained on this web site is subject to Crown Copyright protection. It may be reproduced free of charge provided that it is reproduced accurately and that the source and copyright status of the material is made evident to users.

      It should be noted that the right to reproduce the text of Statutory Instruments does not extend to the Queen's Printer imprints which should be removed from any copies of the Statutory Instrument which are issued or made available to the public. This includes reproduction of the Statutory Instrument on the Internet and on intranet sites. The Royal Arms may be reproduced only where they are an integral part of the original document.

      The text of this Internet version of the Statutory Instrument which is published by the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament has been prepared to reflect the text as it was Made. A print version is also available and is published by The Stationery Office Limited as the The Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 1997 , ISBN 0 11 064911 7. The print version may be purchased by clicking here. Braille copies of this Statutory Instrument can also be purchased at the same price as the print edition by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0870 600 5522 or e-mail:customer.services@tso.co.uk.

      Further information about the publication of legislation on this website can be found by referring to the Frequently Asked Questions.

      To ensure fast access over slow connections, large documents have been segmented into "chunks". Where you see a "continue" button at the bottom of the page of text, this indicates that there is another chunk of text available.


STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


1997 No. 2204

REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, ETC.

ENGLAND AND WALES

The Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 1997

  Made 9th September 1997 
  Coming into force 1st October 1997 

The Registrar General, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 27(1) and (2), 31(2) and (5), 32(2) and (4) and 74(b) of the Marriage Act 1949[1], as extended by section 26(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993[2] and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, with the approval of the Chancellor of the Exchequer[3], hereby makes the following Regulations: - 

Citation and commencement
     1. These Regulations may be cited as the Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 1997 and shall come into force on 1st October 1997.

Amendment of the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986
    
2. In the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986[4] in Schedule 1 (prescribed forms) for forms 1 (notice of marriage without licence), 2 (notice of marriage with licence), 9 (certificate for marriage), 10 (certificate and licence for marriage) and 12 (instructions for the solemnization of a marriage in a registered building without the presence of a registrar) there shall be substituted respectively the forms 1, 2, 9, 10 and 12 in Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

Amendment of the Registration of Marriages (Welsh Language) Regulations 1986
     3. In the Registration of Marriages (Welsh Language) Regulations 1986[5] in Schedule 1 (prescribed forms) for forms 1 (notice of marriage without licence), 2 (notice of marriage with licence), 6 (certificate for marriage), 7 (certificate and licence for marriage) and 8 (instructions for the solemnization of a marriage in a registered building without the presence of a registrar) there shall be substituted respectively the forms 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

Transitional provision
     4. Regulations 2 and 3 of these Regulations shall not apply in relation to a marriage in respect of which the notice of marriage was entered in the marriage notice book before the day on which these Regulations come into force.



Give under my hand on


Dr D. Holt
Registrar General

8th September 1997



I approve,



Signed by authority of the Chancellor of the Exchequer


Helen Liddell
Economic Secretary to the Treasury

9th September 1997



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 2

FORM 1 - NOTICE OF MARRIAGE WITHOUT LICENCE
FORM 2 - NOTICE OF MARRIAGE WITH LICENCE
FORM 9 - CERTIFICATE FOR MARRIAGE
FORM 10 - CERTIFICATE AND LICENCE FOR MARRIAGE


FORM 12

Regulation 8
Marriage Act 1949, ss.31(5) & 32(4)

FORM OF INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions for the solemnization of a marriage in a registered building without the presence of a registrar

     1. This marriage must take place in the registered building named in the superintendent registrar's certificate or superintendent registrar's certificates for marriage, and nowhere else.

     2. The authorised person duly appointed for the registered building named in the certificate or certificates, or an authorised person for some other registered building in the same registration district, must be present at the marriage.

     3. At least two witnesses must also be present, and the doors of the registered building must be open. (The doors need not be actually open provided they are not so closed as to prevent persons from entering that part of the building in which the marriage is solemnized.)

     4. Any certificate or certificates issued by a superintendent registrar as the legal authority for the marriage must be delivered to the authorised person in whose presence the marriage is to be solemnized. Unless this document (or those documents) are in his possession the authorised person must on no account allow the marriage to take place.

     5. It is essential to the validity of the marriage that in some part of the ceremony [and in the presence of the witnesses and the authorised person] each of the parties makes a declaration in one of the following forms: - 

    (a) by saying "I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I [name] may not be joined in matrimony to [name]"; or

    (b) by saying "I declare that I know of no legal reason why I [name] may not be joined in marriage to [name]"; or

    (c) by replying "I am" to the question put to them successively "Are you [name] free lawfully to marry [name]?";

         and that each of them says to the other one of the following forms of words of contract: - 

    (a) "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I [name] do take thee [name] to be my lawful wedded wife [or husband]"; or

    (b) "I [name] take you [or thee] [name] to be my wedded wife [or husband]".

     6. These declaratory and contracting words must be said in the presence of the authorised person acting on the occasion and of the witnesses to the marriage.

     7. Immediately after the marriage is solemnized the authorised person must register all the particulars prescribed by law in the duplicate marriage register books of the registered building in which the marriage has taken place; the entry in both books must be signed by the parties married, by at least two witnesses and by the authorised person.

     8. After the registration of the marriage a certified copy of the entry thereof may be obtained from the authorised person on payment of the prescribed fee.



SCHEDULE 2
Regulation 3

FORM 1 - NOTICE OF MARRIAGE WITHOUT LICENCE
FORM 1 - continued
FORM 2 - NOTICE OF MARRIAGE WITH LICENCE
FORM 2 - continued
FORM 6 - CERTIFICATE FOR MARRIAGE
FORM 7 - CERTIFICATE AND LICENCE FOR MARRIAGE


FORM 8

Regulation 5 Marriage Act 1949, ss.31(5) & 32(4)

FORM OF INSTRUCTIONS


INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SOLEMNIZATION OF A MARRIAGE IN A REGISTERED BUILDING WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF A REGISTRAR



     1. This marriage must take place in the registered building named in the superintendent registrar's certificate or superintendent registrar's certificates for marriage, and nowhere else.

     2. The authorised person duly appointed for the registered building named in the certificate or certificates, or an authorised person for some other registered building in the same registration district, must be present at the marriage.

     3. At least two witnesses must also be present, and the doors of the registered building must be open. (The doors need not be actually open provided they are not so closed as to prevent persons from entering that part of the building in which the marriage is solemnized.)

     4. Any certificate or certificates issued by the superintendent registrar as the legal authority for the marriage must be delivered to the authorised person in whose presence the marriage is to be solemnized. Unless this document (or those documents) are in his possession the authorised person must on no account allow the marriage to take place.

     5. It is essential to the validity of the marriage that in some part of the ceremony [and in the presence of the witnesses and the authorised person] each of the parties makes a declaration in one of the following forms:--

    (a) by saying I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I [name] may not be joined in matrimony to [name]; or

    (b) by saying I declare that I know of no legal reason why I [name] may not be joined in marriage to [name]; or

    (c) by replying I am to the question put to them successively Are you [name] free lawfully to marry [name]?;

    and that each of them says to the other one of the following forms of words of contract:--

    (a) I call upon these persons here present to witness that I [name] do take thee [name] to be my lawful wedded wife [or husband]; or

    (b) I [name] take you [or thee] [name] to be my wedded wife [or husband].

     6. These declaratory and contracting words must be said in the presence of the authorised person acting on the occasion and of the witnesses to the marriage.

     7. Immediately after the marriage is solemnized the authorised person must register all the particulars prescribed by law in the duplicate marriage register books of the registered building in which the marriage has taken place; the entry in both books must be signed by the parties married, by at least two witnesses and by the authorised person.

     8. After the registration of the marriage a certified copy of the entry thereof may be obtained from the authorised person on payment of the prescribed fee.

CYFARWYDDIADAU AR GYFER GWEINYDDU PRIODAS MEWN ADEILAD COFRESTREDIG HEB GOFRESTRYDD YN BRESENNOL



     1. Rhaid i'r briodas hon gael ei gweinyddu yn yr adeilad cofrestredig a enwyd yn nhystysgrif y cofrestrydd arolygol neu yn nhystysgrifau y cofrestrydd arolygol ar gyfer priodas; ni ddylid ei gweinyddu yn unman arall.

     2. Rhaid i'r person awdurdodedig a benodwyd yn briodol dros yr adeilad cofrestredig a enwyd yn y dystysgrif neu'r tystysgrifau, neu berson awdurdodedig dros ryw adeilad cofrestredig arall o fewn yr un dosbarth fod yn bresennol yn y briodas.

     3. Rhaid hefyd i ddau dyst fan lleiaf fod yn bresennol a rhaid i ddrysau'r adeilad cofrestredig fod yn agored. (Nid oes rhaid i'r drysau fod ar agor mewn gwirionedd cyn belled â'u bod heb eu cau fel ag i rwystro personau rhag cael mynediad i'r rhan honno o'r adeilad lle gweinyddir y briodas.)

     4. Rhaid trosglwyddo unrhyw dystysgrif neu dystysgrifau a roddwyd gan gofrestrydd arolygol fel awdurdod cyfreithiol y briodas i'r person awdurdodedig y gweinyddir y briodas yn ei wydd. Oni fydd y ddogfen hon (neu'r dogfennau hyn) yn ei feddiant ni ddylai'r person awdurdodedig ar unrhyw gyfrif adael i'r briodas gael ei gweinyddu.

     5. Y mae'n hanfodol ar gyfer dilysrwydd y briodas i'r ddau a briodir, rywbryd yn ystod y seremoni [ac yng ngwydd y tystion a'r person awdurdodedig] wneud datganiad yn un o'r ffurfiau canlynol--

    (a) trwy ddweud Yr wyf fi yn ddifrifol yn hysbysu na wn i am un rhwystr cyfreithlon, fel na ellir fy uno i [enw] mewn priodas â [enw]; neu

    (b) trwy ddweud Yr wyf yn hysbysu na wn i am unrhyw reswm cyfreithlon fel na ellir fy uno i [enw] mewn priodas â [enw]; neu

    (c) trwy ymateb Ydwyf i'r cwestiwn Ydych chi [enw] yn rhydd, yn gyfreithlon, i briodi [enw]?

        
ac i bob un o'r ddau ddweud y naill wrth y llall, un o'r ffurfiau canlynol o eiriad y contract--

 
Other UK SIs |  Home |  National Assembly for Wales Statutory Instruments |  Scottish Statutory Instruments |  Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland |  Her Majesty's Stationery Office

We welcome your comments on this site
© Crown copyright 1997
Prepared 1 October 1997