Marriage Act 1949

[F1 71A Fees E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide for fees to be payable to such persons as may be prescribed in respect of—

(a) the giving of notice of a marriage to a superintendent registrar;

(b) an application for the reduction of the waiting period in relation to a notice of marriage (see section 31(5A));

(c) the registration for the solemnization of marriages of a building certified as required by law as a place of religious worship, or the cancellation of such a registration;

(d) the authorisation of a person to be present at the solemnization of marriages in such a building;

(e) the presence of a superintendent registrar or registrar at a marriage (except in a case falling within section 51(1A));

F2 (f) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(g) the carrying out of a search of—

(i) any marriage register book,

(ii) any index kept in relation to [F3 the marriage register or] such a book, F4 ...

(iii) certified copies of entries in such a book [F5 , or

(iv) entries in the marriage register]

(h) the provision of a certified copy, or other record of information, relating to an entry in [F6 the marriage register or] a marriage register book;

(i) the issue of the Registrar General's licence under section 7 of the Marriage (Registrar General's Licence) Act 1970;

[F7 (ia) a correction to the marriage register or a marriage register book;]

(j) such other marriage services as may be prescribed.

(2) Regulations under this section may—

(a) specify the amount of any fee payable under the regulations, or

(b) set out how such a fee is to be determined.

(3) Subsection (4) applies where the regulations provide for a fee to be payable to a superintendent registrar or registrar.

(4) The regulations may provide for such part of the fee as may be specified by or determined in accordance with the regulations to be payable by the superintendent registrar or registrar to the Registrar General in prescribed circumstances.

(5) The regulations may provide for the reimbursement, reduction, waiver or refund of part or all of a fee whether by conferring a discretion or otherwise.

(6) Regulations under this section must be made by statutory instrument.

(7) Regulations under this section may—

(a) provide for exemptions from any of the provisions of the regulations;

(b) contain such consequential, incidental, supplemental and transitional provision as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(8) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(9) In this section—

• “marriage services” means services in connection with marriages which are provided by or on behalf of the Registrar General, a superintendent registrar or registrar;

• “prescribed” means prescribed in regulations made under this section.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 71A inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 15 para. 1; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(w)

F2 S. 71A(1)(f) omitted (27.3.2021 for specified purposes, 4.5.2021 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of The Registration of Marriages Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/411), reg. 1(2)(5)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(2) (with Sch. 2)

F3 Words in s. 71A(1)(g)(ii) inserted (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)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(3)(a) (with Sch. 2)

F4 Word in s. 71A(1)(g)(ii) omitted (27.3.2021 for specified purposes, 4.5.2021 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of The Registration of Marriages Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/411), reg. 1(2)(5)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(3)(b) (with Sch. 2)

F5 S. 71A(1)(g)(iv) and word inserted (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)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(4) (with Sch. 2)

F6 Words in s. 71A(1)(h) inserted (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)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(5) (with Sch. 2)

F7 S. 71A(1)(ia) inserted (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)(c), Sch. 1 para. 42(6) (with Sch. 2)