The Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986

PART III REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE (INCLUDING DUTIES OF REGISTRAR)

Form of registration of particulars and place of registration

10.—(1) The form of registration of the particulars relating to a marriage pursuant to section 55(1) of the Act shall be Part I of form 13 together with the form of attestation in Part II of that form which is appropriate to the place and manner of solemnization.

(2) Where a registrar is required to register the marriage, he shall register it, immediately after the solemnization of the marriage and in accordance with the provisions of this Part of these regulations, within the premises where it was solemnized.

Manner of registration

11.—(1) Where a registrar is required to register the marriage he shall, subject to paragraph (5), enter the particulars required in each column of Part I of form 13.

(2) In column 4 the registrar shall enter the condition of the parties to the marriage in the following manner—

(a) if a party has not previously been married, he shall enter the word “Bachelor” or, as the case may be, “Spinster”;

(b) if a party's previous marriage was terminated by death he shall enter the word “Widower” or, as the case may be, “Widow”;

(c) if a party's previous marriage was annulled on the ground that the marriage was voidable, he shall enter the words “Previous marriage annulled”;

(d) if a party's previous marriage was terminated by divorce he shall enter the words “Previous marriage dissolved”;

(e) if the marriage is between two parties who have previously been through a form of marriage with each other (not being a marriage which is known to have been null and void) and neither of them has since married a third party, then (and notwithstanding sub-paragraphs (c) and (d) above)—

(i) if the previous marriage was terminated by divorce, he shall enter the words “Previously married at … on … Marriage dissolved on …”, inserting particulars of the place and date of the previous marriage and the date of its dissolution, or

(ii) if the previous marriage was annulled, he shall enter the words “Previously married at … on … Marriage annulled on …”, inserting particulars of the place and date of the previous marriage and the date of its annulment, or

(iii) if the ceremony was performed for the avoidance of doubt as to the validity of a previous ceremony, he shall enter the words “Previously went through a form of marriage at … on …”, inserting the particulars of the place and date of the previous ceremony;

and no further entry shall be made in column 4.

(3) In column 6 if either of the parties has moved into another district since the notice of marriage was given, the registrar shall enter the words “Late of … but now residing at …”, inserting the full address of both residences.

(4) In column 7 if the father of either party to the marriage is deceased, the registrar shall enter the word “deceased” after the surname.

(5) Where it appears to the registrar that he cannot enter the particulars required in any column in Part I of form 13 he shall draw a line in ink through that column.

Entry of attestation

12.  In the form of attestation set out in Part II of form 13 the registrar shall enter in the places respectively provided for the purpose the following particulars:—

(a) if the marriage has been solemnized in a registered building according to the rites and ceremonies of any religious body or denomination, the description of the registered building, the title of the body or denomination according to the rites and ceremonies of which the marriage has been solemnized, and the word “certificate” or, as the case may be, “licence”;

(b) if the marriage has been solemnized in a superintendent registrar's office, the words “register office” and the word “certificate” or, as the case may be, “licence”;

(c) if the marriage has been solemnized on the authority of a Registrar General's licence, the address of the place in which the marriage has been solemnized, the title of the religious body or denomination, if any, according to the rites and ceremonies of which the marriage has been solemnized, and the words “Registrar General's licence”;

(d) if the marriage has been solemnized at a person's residence in pursuance of section 26(1)(dd) of the Act, the address of the place in which the marriage has been solemnized, the title of the religious body or denomination, if any, according to the rites and ceremonies of which the marriage has been solemnized and the word “certificate”.

Signing the register

13.—(1) After entering the required particulars the registrar shall call upon the parties to the marriage to verify those particulars and, if it appears that any error has been made, the registrar shall thereupon in the presence of the parties make the necessary correction in the manner provided in regulation 15.

(2) When the required particulars have been verified in accordance with paragraph (1) the registrar shall call upon the parties to sign the marriage register book in the spaces provided and after the parties have signed the register book the registrar shall call upon the witnesses to sign similarly.

(3) The registrar shall then call upon the minister or other person, if any, or the superintendent registrar by or before whom the marriage was solemnized to sign the marriage register book in the space provided and to add his official designation or description.

(4) The registrar shall then sign the marriage register book in the space provided and add his official description.

(5) Where a person who is required under paragraph (2) or (3) to sign the marriage register book makes a mark or signs in characters other than those used in the English or Welsh languages, the registrar shall write against the mark or signature the words “The mark (or signature) of …”, inserting the forenames and surname of the person.