Marriage Act 1949

27 Notice of marriage. E+W

(1) Where a marriage is intended to be solemnized on the authority of [F1 a marriage schedule] F2 . . ., notice of marriage in the prescribed form shall be given—

(a) if the persons to be married have resided in the same registration district for the period of seven days immediately before the giving of the notice, by [F3 each] of those persons to the superintendent registrar of that district;

(b) if the persons to be married have not resided in the same registration district for the said period of seven days as aforesaid, by [F4 each] of those persons to the superintendent registrar of [the registration district in which he or she has resided] for that period.

F5 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) A notice of marriage shall state [F6 the name and surname, [F7 the date of birth,] marital status, occupation [F8 , place of residence and nationality] of each of the persons to be married] [F6 the name and surname, occupation, place of residence and nationality of each of the persons to be married, whether either of them has previously been married or formed a civil partnership and, if so, how the marriage or civil partnership ended] and [F9 in the case of a marriage intended to be solemnized at a person’s residence in pursuance of section 26(1)(dd) of this Act, which residence is to be the place of solemnization of the marriage and, in any other case,] [F10 the church or other building or premises in or on which] the marriage is to be solemnized and—

(a) F11 . . . shall state the period, not being less than seven days, during which each of the persons to be married has resided in his or her place of residence;

F12 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

[F13 (4) A superintendent registrar in receipt of a notice of marriage must, as soon as reasonably practicable—

(a) file the notice of marriage and keep it with the records of the superintendent registrar’s office, and

(b) record the notice of marriage by entering in the marriage register the particulars given in that notice together with the date of the notice.

(4A) A superintendent registrar must ensure that the following are open to inspection free of charge at all reasonable hours—

(a) the particulars and date referred to in subsection (4)(b) in respect of notices given in the superintendent registrar’s registration district;

(b) any marriage notice book that was required to be kept in the office of the superintendent registrar before the introduction of the marriage register on 4th May 2021;

(c) particulars given in a notice of marriage, the date of the notice and the name of the person by whom the notice was given, where such information has been entered in an approved electronic form in the superintendent registrar’s registration district before the introduction of the marriage register on 4th May 2021.]

(5) If the persons to be married wish to be married in the presence of a registrar in a registered building for which an authorised person has been appointed, they shall, at the time when notice of marriage is given to the superintendent registrar under this section, give notice to him that they require a registrar to be present at the marriage.

F14 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F14 (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 27(1) substituted (27.3.2021 for specified purposes, 4.5.2021 in so far as not already in force) by The Registration of Marriages Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/411), reg. 1(2)(4)(d), Sch. 1 para. 12(2) (with Sch. 2)

F2 Words in s. 27(1) repealed (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, ss. 160(2)(a), 169(3), Sch. 16; S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F3 Word in s. 27(1)(a) substituted (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, s. 161(1)(a); S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F4 Words in s. 27(1)(b) substituted (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, s. 161(1)(b); S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F5 S. 27(2) repealed (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, ss. 160(2)(b), 169(3), Sch. 16; S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F6 Words in s. 27(3) substituted (15.4.2005 for specified purposes, 5.12.2005 in so far as not already in force) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), s. 263(10)(b), Sch. 27 para. 14; S.I. 2005/1112, art. 2, Sch. 1; S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(2)

F7 Words in s. 27(3) inserted (1.3.2015) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 4 para. 2(2) (with Sch. 9 para. 66); S.I. 2015/371, art. 2(1)(f)

F8 Words in s. 27(3) substituted (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, s. 161(2); S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F9 Words inserted (E.W.) by Marriage Act 1983 (c. 32, SIF 49:1), s. 1(7), Sch. 1 para. 5(a)

F10 Words in s. 27(3) substituted (1.4.1995) by 1994 c. 34, s. 1(3), Sch. para. 2; S.I. 1995/424, art. 2(2)(a)

F11 Words in s. 27(3)(a) repealed (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, ss. 160(2)(c), 169(3), Sch. 16; S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F12 S. 27(3)(b) repealed (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 33, ss. 160(2)(d), 169(3), Sch. 16; S.I. 2000/2698, art. 2

F13 S. 27(4)(4A) substituted (27.3.2021 for specified purposes, 4.5.2021 in so far as not already in force) by The Registration of Marriages Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/411), reg. 1(2)(5)(b), Sch. 1 para. 12(3) (with Sch. 2)

F14 S. 27(6)(7) omitted (12.7.2016) by virtue of Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 15 para. 9; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(w)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 3 applied (13.3.2014) by Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30), ss. 1(2)(a), 21(3); S.I. 2014/93, art. 3(a)