Becoming a marriage celebrant

A registered marriage celebrant can conduct legal marriages in Australia and ministers of religion are also able to legally marry people in Australia—this does not include conducting civil partnership declaration ceremonies.

There are 4 types of marriage celebrants authorised to marry couples:

• civil marriage celebrant
• celebrant of an independent religion—also registered as a civil marriage celebrant
• religious marriage celebrant
• minister of religion marriage celebrant.

You can find out how to register as a civil partnership notary to conduct civil partnership declaration ceremonies.

Marriage celebrant duties

After you become qualified as a registered marriage celebrant, you will need to:

• solemnise marriages under the Marriages Act 1961
• solemnise marriages under the Marriage Regulations 1963
• comply with your ongoing professional development obligations
• contact the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department to make any changes to your contact details or personal circumstances. This includes changes in your:
  • occupation
  • business interests
  • criminal convictions.

How to become a civil marriage celebrant

To become a registered civil marriage celebrant, religious marriage celebrant or a celebrant of an independent religion, you will need to apply to the Australian Government.

Religious marriage celebrant

On 9 December 2017, amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 commence to create a new subcategory of marriage celebrant, known as a ‘religious marriage celebrant’.

The Australian Government has further information about religious protections for marriage celebrants (PDF, 167KB).

How to become a minister of religion marriage celebrant

Religions of recognised denominations can have their ministers living in Queensland registered as a minister of religion marriage celebrant through us.

How to apply:

1. Contact the nominating authority for your recognised denomination.
2. Get the nominating authority to complete a nomination of minister of religion – application for registration of minister of religion as marriage celebrant from CanPrint Communications.
3. Sign the completed nomination application form.
4. Get your nominating authority to write a covering letter on church letterhead for registration as a religious marriage celebrant.
5. Submit your application form either:
   1. by post to Attention: Marriage Registration Section, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, PO Box 15188, City East Qld 4002.
   2. in person, on behalf of your nominating authority, at the Brisbane registry customer service centre at Level 32, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane.

For more information

Read more about:

• becoming a registered marriage celebrant
• the code of practice for marriage celebrants (PDF, 106KB)
• the Civil Partnerships Act 2011(PDF, 540KB)
• the new category for religious marriage celebrants (PDF, 159KB)