Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014

21 Places at which civil marriages may be solemnised

(1) The 1977 Act is amended as follows.

(2) In section 18 (places at which civil marriages may be solemnised)—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) after paragraph (a) insert—

“(aa) at an appropriate place in the registration district of the authorised registrar; or

(ab) with the approval of the Registrar General, at—

(i) the registration office of another authorised registrar;

(ii) an appropriate place in the registration district of another authorised registrar; or

(iii) an appropriate place in Scottish waters.”,

(ii) paragraph (b) (and the word “or” following it) are repealed, and

(iii) paragraph (c) is repealed,

(b) after that subsection insert—

“(1A) In this section—

• “appropriate place” means a place which—

  (a)

  the parties to the intended marriage and the local registration authority agree is to be the place of solemnisation; and

  (b)

  is not religious premises;

• “local registration authority” means—

  (a)

  the local registration authority for the registration district which includes the place; or

  (b)

  where the place is in Scottish waters, the local registration authority for the authorised registrar’s registration district;

• “religious premises” means premises which—

  (a)

  are used solely or mainly for religious purposes; or

  (b)

  have been so used and have not subsequently been used solely or mainly for other purposes.”, and

(c) subsections (2) to (8) are repealed.

(3) Section 18A (approved places) is repealed.

(4) In section 19 (marriage ceremony and registration of marriage)—

(a) in subsection (4)(a)—

(i) for sub-paragraph (ii) substitute—

“(ii) at an appropriate place (within the meaning given by section 18) in the registration district of the authorised registrar; or”,

(ii) sub-paragraph (iii) (and the word “or” following it) are repealed, and

(iii) in sub-paragraph (iv), for the words “in or on an approved vessel” substitute “at an appropriate place (within the meaning given by section 18)”,

(b) in subsection (4)(b)(ii), for “approved place” substitute “appropriate place (within the meaning given by section 18)”, and

(c) subsection (5) is repealed.

(5) In section 26(2A)(b) (seaward boundary of registration district), for “within a registration district if it” substitute “a place within a registration district if the vessel”.