Reprint as at 25 February 2012
Changes authorised by section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 have been made in this reprint.
A general outline of these changes is set out in the notes at the end of this reprint, together with other explanatory material about this reprint.
This Act is administered by the Ministry of Justice.
Title
1 Short Title and commencement
Part 1Preliminary
2 Interpretation
3 Application of Act
4 Registrar-General and Deputy Registrar-General
5 Appointment of Registrars and Deputy Registrars [Repealed]
6 Fact of deputies acting conclusive evidence of authority to do so [Repealed]
Part 2Marriage celebrants
7 List of marriage celebrants
8 Marriage celebrants of specified religious bodies
9 Approval of organisations
10 Marriage celebrants from approved organisations
11 Other persons may be marriage celebrants
12 Renewal of list
13 Removal of names from list
14 Evidence of list or correction to list
14A This Part not to limit sections 32 and 32A
Part 3Restrictions on marriage
15 Marriage of persons within prohibited degrees of relationship void
16 Validation of certain marriages already solemnized
17 Marriage of persons under 16 years of age
18 Consent to marriage of minors
19 Application to Family Court Judge where consent refused
20 General provisions relating to consents
21 Marriages without licence or marriage celebrant void
22 Marriages not to be void because of defects in procedure
Part 4Formalities preliminary to marriage
23 Notice of marriage
24 Issue of marriage licence and information return
25 Caveats may be lodged
26 Discharge of caveat
27 Vexatious caveat
28 Registrar to issue licence unless satisfied marriage unlawful
29 Licence authorizes but not obliges marriage celebrant to solemnize marriage
Part 5Solemnization of marriage
30 When marriage may be solemnized
31 Place and form of marriage before marriage celebrant
32 Marriage of Quakers
32A Marriage in accordance with rules and procedures of exempt religious bodies
32B Application to become exempt religious body
32C Declaration of religious body as exempt religious body
32D Change in beliefs or objects of exempt religious bodies
32E List of exempt religious bodies
33 Marriages before Registrar
33A Registrar-General may solemnise marriage
34 Proxy marriages
Part 6Registration of marriages
35 Marriage registers
36 Particulars of marriage to be entered in register book [Repealed]
37 Penalty for failing to register marriage [Repealed]
37A Marriage celebrant to comply with directions of the Registrar-General with respect to registration [Repealed]
38 Registrar-General to keep register [Repealed]
Part 7Marriages out of New Zealand
39 Foreign marriages of British subjects
40 Marriages abroad of Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Ireland
41 Certificate of no impediment to person intending foreign marriage
42 Notice of intended marriage outside New Zealand
43 New Zealand representative may attend marriage abroad of New Zealand citizen and give certificate
44 Validity of service marriages
45 Record of service marriages solemnized outside New Zealand [Repealed]
46 Special register of service marriages [Repealed]
Part 8General
47 Correction of errors in register books or records [Repealed]
48 Search of records of Registrar [Repealed]
49 Search of records of Registrar-General [Repealed]
49A Disclosure of information to Department of Social Welfare [Repealed]
49B Registrar-General may authorise access to information [Repealed]
49C Limitations on access [Repealed]
49D Health or demographic research or collection of statistics [Repealed]
50 Shortened form of marriage certificates [Repealed]
50A Searches of Registrar-General's indexes [Repealed]
51 Certified copies to be evidence [Repealed]
52 Officers may take statutory declarations [Repealed]
53 Records to be made of dissolution of marriages [Repealed]
54 Convictions for bigamy to be recorded [Repealed]
55 Records of dissolution of marriage or bigamy to be made in record book [Repealed]
55A Recording of changes of name in marriage record book [Repealed]
56 Offence to deny or impugn validity of lawful marriage
57 Offence to alter register book without authority
58 Offence to solemnize marriage contrary to provisions of this Act
59 Offence to solemnize marriage falsely pretending to be marriage celebrant
60 Offences in connection with false statements and improper solemnization of marriages
61 Offences generally [Repealed]
62 Magistrate to have summary jurisdiction [Repealed]
63 Limitation on prosecutions
64 Regulations
64A Rules of procedure
65 Regulations may prescribe fees [Repealed]
66 Disposition of fines and fees
67 Repeals and savings
Schedule 1Religious bodies
Schedule 2Forbidden marriages
Schedule 3Enactments repealed
Schedule 4Enactments ceasing to have effect in New Zealand
Reprint notes
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to marriage