The Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2021

These Regulations amend the Registration of Marriages Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”). The amendments are connected with the amendments to the Marriage Act 1949 (“the 1949 Act”) made by the Registration of Marriages Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/411). Those amendments to the 1949 Act provide for a “marriage document” to be issued by a member of the clergy where a marriage is to be solemnized following the publication of banns or on the authority of a special or common licence. They also provide for other marriages to be solemnized on the authority of a “marriage schedule” issued by a superintendent registrar (rather than, as formerly, on the authority of certificates). After solemnization of the marriage, the signed marriage document or marriage schedule must be returned to the registrar for the district in which the marriage was solemnized so that the registrar may then register the marriage. The amendments made to the 1949 Act also provide for the registration of marriages in a new electronic register instead of in marriage register books.