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Registration as a Commonwealth Registered Marriage Celebrant - Australian Government

Description

You will require this registration if you intend to offer a service as a Commonwealth registered marriage celebrant. Marriage celebrants are legally allowed to perform marriages in Australia.

Being a marriage celebrant is an important role in the community. Marriage celebrants also have legal responsibilities. A failure to meet those responsibilities may have serious consequences.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

If you want to become a Commonwealth registered marriage celebrant, you must have either:

  • a Certificate IV in Celebrancy, which includes the marriage celebrancy units, through a registered training organisation
  • a qualification in celebrancy, awarded by a university specified in the Marriage (Celebrancy Qualifications or Skills) Determination 2018
  • skills in celebrancy (including fluency in an Australian Indigenous language).

To apply to the Attorney-General’s Department a person must:

  • use the marriage celebrant online application form and pay the required fee
  • provide two referee reports
  • be assessed as being a fit and proper person by the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants. Section 39C of the Marriage Act 1961 sets out all the matters the Registrar must take into account when considering whether a person is fit and proper.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

An annual registration charge applies. This is pro-rated depending on when a person applies during the financial year.

You must also complete up to two hours of ongoing professional development compulsory activities each calendar year.

Duration

Ongoing

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Amount Description
Apply Application All $400.00

A one-off application paid through the Marriage Celebrants portal. Fees for 2024-25
Apply Exceptions All $30.00

Payment of $30 is required to apply for an exemption from the application fee, annual celebrant registration charge and Professional Development. Fees for 2024-25
Apply Licence All $170.00

Marriage celebrants must pay an annual charge to remain registered. Celebrants become liable on 1 July each year. The charge for new celebrants is pro-rated depending on when a person applies. Fees for 2024-25

Act(s) name

Marriage Act 1961 Australian Government

Regulation(s) name

Marriage Regulations 2017 Australian Government

Administering agency

Attorney-General's Department

Marriage Celebrants Section

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.