(1) A Registrar may not issue a licence in respect of a civil union, or solemnise a civil union, in which one of the parties is aged 16 or 17 unless the Registrar is satisfied that the consents required by this section have been obtained.
(2) A person aged 16 or 17 who wishes to enter into a civil union must obtain the consent of each of his or her guardians to the proposed civil union.
(3) However, the consent of a particular guardian is not required if the guardian cannot be found or is unable to give consent as a result of incapacity.
(4) If, because of subsection (3), there is no guardian from whom consent can be sought, consent must be obtained either from a relative who has been acting in the place of a guardian or from a Family Court Judge.
(5) Every consent under this section must—
(a) be in writing; and
(b) except in the case of a consent issued by a Family Court Judge, be witnessed by some person who must sign the consent and give his or her full name and address; and
(c) be delivered to the Registrar to whom notice of the intended civil union is given.
(6) A consent may be withdrawn, in writing, at any time before the Registrar issues the licence or solemnises the civil union, as the case requires.
Compare: 1955 No 92 ss 18, 20