Skip to content

Update Status Warning: There are effects on this legislation that have not yet been applied to the Statute Law Database for the following year(s): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009. Please see the Tables of legislative effects for details. See also important information in Update status of legislation.

Help - Opening and Viewing Legislation

				Marriage Act 1949 (c. 76)
				Introductory Text
				Main body
				Part I Restrictions on Marriage
				1. Marriages within prohibited degrees.
				2. Marriages of persons under sixteen.
				3. Marriages of persons under twenty-one.
				4. Hours for solemnization of marriages.
				Part II Marriage according to Rites of the Church of England
				Preliminary
				5. Methods of authorising marriages.
				5A. Marriages between certain persons related by affinity.
				Marriage by banns
				6. Place of publication of banns.
				7. Time and manner of publication of banns.
				8. Notice to clergyman before publication of banns.
				9. Persons by whom banns may be published.
				10. Publication of banns commenced in one church and completed in another.
				11. Certificates of publication of banns.
				12. Solemnization of marriage after publication of banns.
				13. Publication of banns in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland.
				14. Publication of banns on board His Majesty's ships.
				Marriage by Common Licence
				15. Places in which marriages may be solemnized by common licence.
				16. Provisions as to common licences.
				Marriage under superintendent registrar's certificate
				17. Marriage under superintendent registrar's certificate.
				Publication of banns and solemnization of marriages during disuse of churches
				18. Publication of banns and solemnization of marriages during repair and rebuilding of churches.
				19. Publication of banns and solemnization of marriage where church injured by war damage.
				Licensing of chapels for publication of banns and solemnization of marriages
				20. Licensing of chapels for publication of banns and solemnization of marriages for persons residing in specified district.
				21. Authorising of publication of banns and solemnization of marriages in churches and chapels of extra-parochial places.
				Miscellaneous Provisions
				22. Witnesses.
				23. Benefices held in plurality.
				24. Proof of residence not necessary to validity of marriage by banns or common licence.
				25. Void marriages.
				Part III Marriage under Superintendent Registrar's Certificate
				Issue of certificates
				26. Marriages which may be solemnized on authority of superintendent registrar's certificate.
				27. Notice of marriage.
				27A. Additional information required in certain cases.
				27B Provisions relating to section 1(3) marriages.
				27C. Provisions relating to section 1(5) marriages.
				28. Declaration to accompany notice of marriage.
				28A. Power to require evidence.
				29. Caveat against issue of certificate or licence.
				30. Forbidding of issue of certificate.
				31. Marriage under certificate without licence.
				31A. Appeal on refusal under section 31(2)(a).
				32. Marriage under certificate by licence.
				33. Period of validity of certificate.
				34. Marriages normally to be solemnized in registration district in which one party resides.
				35. Marriages in registration district in which neither party resides.
				36. Superintendent registrar to issue licences only for marriages to be solemnized in his registration district.
				37. One party resident in Scotland.
				38. One party resident in Northern Ireland.
				39. Issue of certificates on board His Majesty's ships.
				40. Forms of certificates to be furnished by Registrar General.
				Marriages in registered buildings
				41. Registration of buildings.
				42. Cancellation of registration and substitution of another building.
				43. Appointment of authorised persons.
				44. Solemnization of marriage in registered building.
				Marriages in register offices
				45. Solemnization of marriage in register office.
				45A Solemnization of certain marriages.
				46. Register office marriage followed by religious ceremony.
				Marriages on approved premises
				46A. Approval of premises.
				46B. Solemnization of marriage on approved premises.
				Marriages according to usages of Society of Friends
				47. Marriages according to usages of Society of Friends.
				Miscellaneous Provisions
				48. Proof of certain matters not necessary to validity of marriages.
				49. Void marriages.
				50. Person to whom certificate to be delivered.
				51. Fees of registrars for attending marriages.
				52. Provision for marriages in Welsh language.
				Part IV Registration of Marriages
				53. Persons by whom marriages are to be registered.
				54. Provision of marriage register books by Registrar General.
				55. Manner of registration of marriages.
				56. Power to ask for particulars of marriage.
				57. Quarterly returns to be made to superintendent registrar.
				58. Quarterly returns to be made by superintendent registrar to Registrar General.
				59. Custody of register books.
				60. Filled register books.
				61. Correction of errors in register book.
				62. Disposal of register books on church ceasing to be used for solemnization of marriages.
				63. Searches in register books.
				64. Searches of indexes kept by superintendent registrars.
				65. Searches of indexes kept by Registrar General.
				66. Sending documents by post.
				67. Interpretation of Part IV.
				Part V Marriages in Naval, Military, and Air Force Chapels
				68. Solemnization of marriages in naval, military, and air force chapels.
				69. Licensing of chapels for marriages according to rites of Church of England.
				70. Registration of chapels for marriages otherwise than according to rites of Church of England.
				71. Evidence of marriages under Part V.
				Part VI General
				72. Supplementary provisions as to marriages in usual places of worship.
				73. Lists of licensed chapels and registered buildings.
				74. Regulations.
				75. Offences relating to solemnization of marriages.
				76. Offences relating to registration of marriages.
				77. Offences by authorised persons.
				78. Interpretation.
				79. Repeals and savings.
				80. Short title, extent and commencement.
				Schedules
				FIRST SCHEDULE Kindred and Affinity
				Part I
				Part II
				Part III
				SECOND SCHEDULE Consents required to the Marriage ofa child by common licence or Superintendent Registrar's certificate
				THIRD SCHEDULE . . .
				FOURTH SCHEDULE Provisions of Act which are excluded or modified in their application to Naval, Military and Air Force Chapels
				Part I Exclusion of Provisions relating to Marriages according to the Rites of the Church of England
				Part II Modification of Provisions relating to Marriages according to the Rites of the Church of England
				Part III Exclusion of Provisions relating to Marriages otherwise than according to the Rites of the Church of England
				Part IV Modification of Provisions relating to Marriages otherwise than according to the Rites of the Church of England
				FIFTH SCHEDULE Enactments repealed
				Part I
				Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
				SIXTH SCHEDULE Provisions of Act which do not extend to Wales

• Contact us

• Home |
• About us |
• Update status of legislation |
• Tables of legislative effects |
• New legislation |
• Advanced search |
• A-Z index |
• Chronological index

• Help |
• © Crown Copyright |
• Disclaimer