Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

Becoming a celebrant

This is the official site of the Australian Marriage Celebrants Program. Anything that you read elsewhere that is inconsistent with this site is not accurate.

The Marriage Celebrants Program

Background

The Australian Marriage Celebrants Program was established in 1973. It enables the appointment of suitably qualified people to perform marriages and provides couples with a meaningful alternative to Registry Office and religious weddings.

The completion of a training course has been a requirement for registration as a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant under the Program since 2003. However, the completion of the required training is not sufficient on its own for registration. An applicant must also satisfy the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants that he or she is a fit and proper person to be registered as a marriage celebrant. Registration is not automatic.

Important information to consider before becoming a marriage celebrant

Before you embark on the training to become a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant, please consider the following information:

Limited number of weddings

Most marriage celebrants perform a very limited number of weddings each year. The following statistics will be of interest:

  • In 2008, there were 118,756 registered marriages in Australia, representing an increase of 2434 (2.1 per cent) from 2007.
  • The number of Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants has increased from just less than 3500 in 2003 to over 10,000 in June 2010.
  • There are approximately 23,300 ministers of religion, registered by state and territory registering authorities to solemnise marriages.
  • Of the marriages registered in 2008, approximately 35 per cent were performed by ministers of religion and 65 per cent were performed by celebrants registered under this Program and by state and territory registering authorities.
  • To find out how many registered marriage celebrants there are in your area, you can search the Register of Marriage Celebrants / List of All Authorised Marriage Celebrants (see related links).
  • More information on current statistics and trends on marriages performed each year can be found at the Australian Bureau of Statistics website

Ongoing costs

There are ongoing costs involved in meeting the requirements to maintain registration as a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant. These need to be considered. Costs include annual professional development obligations, business development expenses, maintaining suitable storage and office facilities and a suitable wardrobe.

As such, it may take some time to recoup the costs outlaid for the initial training, annual professional development and start-up costs involved in setting up your business as a marriage celebrant.

Complex responsibilities

Marriage celebrants have a complex set of responsibilities under the law and failure to meet these is a criminal offence in some cases. You should seriously consider your willingness to accept these responsibilities.

Qualifications necessary to be registered as a marriage celebrant

**NOTE - The Requirements Changed on 3 February 2010

Since September 2003, people wishing to become a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant have been required to have successfully completed an approved, competency-based training course, delivered by a registered organisation accredited to deliver the training. The minimum level of training required has been a single unit of training called 'Plan, conduct and review a marriage ceremony', from a Certificate IV level qualification, 'Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy'.

However, the training requirement to be registered as a marriage celebrant changed on 3 February 2010 (see below).

In February 2009, a new qualification was released as part of the Community Services Training Package 2008. It is called a 'Certificate IV in Celebrancy', national code: CHC42608. Within this qualification there are four mandatory marriage celebrant units that must be undertaken as part of the 'elective' package. The new qualification replaces the single unit of training and the Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy.

Persons lodging an application for registration on and from 3 February 2010 must now hold the Certificate IV in Celebrancy or equivalent university qualification.

Different criteria for registration as a marriage celebrant apply to people who are fluent in an Australian indigenous language(s). If you wish to apply under this criterion, please e-mail marriagecelebrantssection@ag.gov.au.

New qualification and applying for registration on and after 3 February 2010

As noted above, on and after 3 February 2010 a person who applies to be a Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant will need to hold the Certificate IV in Celebrancy or an equivalent university qualification to meet the qualification requirements for registration.

Please note: A Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy is not the same qualification. It is not equivalent in any way to the Certificate IV in Celebrancy and will not meet the new requirements for registration.

About the Certificate IV in Celebrancy and what you will need to be complete in order to meet statutory requirements for registration

The new Certificate IV in Celebrancy is a broader qualification than its predecessors. It comprises 13 units of training: five compulsory units and eight electives. The list of electives includes four units that are mandatory for registration as a marriage celebrant.

The following five compulsory units in Celebrancy must all be undertaken:

  • CHCADMIN305D-Work with the administration protocols of the organisation
  • CHCCEL401A-Work effectively in a celebrancy role
  • CHCCEL406A-Identify and address client needs in a celebrancy role
  • CHCCOM403A-Use targeted communication skills to build relationships
  • CHCCS400A-Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework

To meet the statutory requirements for registration as a marriage celebrant you will also need to complete additional units from the list of elective units which are mandatory for being registered as a marriage celebrant:

  • CHCCEL402A-Establish and maintain knowledge of legal responsibilities of a marriage celebrant
  • CHCCEL403A-Develop an effective relationship with a marrying couple
  • CHCCEL404A-Plan a marriage ceremony in line with legal requirements
  • CHCCEL405A-Conduct and review a marriage ceremony in line with legal requirements

These four units are referred to as the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units. Additional requirements about materials and trainer's qualifications for these units also apply (see below).

Your training organisation will advise you about any other requirements you will need to meet in order to be awarded the Certificate IV in Celebrancy or equivalent university qualification.

Finding a training organisation

To locate training organisations accredited to offer the Certificate IV in Celebrancy and their contact details, please visit the National Training Information Service (NTIS) website. Enter the qualification code 'CHC42608' in 'Search for', and tick 'RTO's by scope' in 'Search in'. You can also specify your state or territory to narrow your search.

Training organisations will be able to answer specific questions on the course including the availability of distance learning, costs and enrolment information.

Universities may also offer courses in celebrancy but are not listed on the NTIS website. Currently, the only university offering equivalent training to the Certificate IV in Celebrancy is Monash University in Victoria, which offers a Graduate Diploma in Civil Ceremonies (Monash). Further information may be obtained from Monash University directly.

Your training organisation or a university must also meet additional requirements for the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units (specified by the Registrar in a written determination).

Please note: There are important consequences if the requirements for the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units are not met. Despite your training organisation issuing a certificate on completion of the training, you will not meet the qualification requirement for registration as a marriage celebrant if your training provider does not meet the requirements.

If you are considering enrolling in the Certificate IV in Celebrancy you should therefore ensure that the training organisation complies with the following requirements:

Additional requirements for training organisations concerning the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units

On 22 December 2009 the Registrar made a determination in accordance with the amendments to the Marriage Regulations 1963 (which commenced on 15 December 2009). The Registrar determined the following requirements for the delivery of the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units:

a) The person delivering the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units must have the following attributes:

  • registered for a minimum of three years as a marriage celebrant under Part IV, Division 1, Subdivision C of the Marriage Act
  • complied with professional development obligations under paragraph 39G(b) of the Marriage Act
  • found satisfactory at their most recent performance review conducted under section 39H of the Marriage Act
  • conducted at least three marriage ceremonies during the two years immediately before delivering any of the units, and
  • not be subject to any disciplinary measures imposed by the Registrar under subsection 39I(2) of the Marriage Act for any period beginning on the day the unit is delivered and ending on the day the unit is completed.

b) The following minimum materials must be included in the delivery of the four mandatory marriage celebrancy units:

  • the Marriage Act 1961
  • the Marriage Regulations 1963
  • the 'Explanatory Material on the Marriage Act 1961 for Marriage Celebrants' 2008, Attorney-General's Department
  • the DVD "When Words are not Enough: Some Legal Obligations of a Marriage Celebrant" 2008 produced by The Production Hub Canberra for the Attorney-General’s Department
  • information on the Marriage Celebrants Program at http://www.ag.gov.au/celebrants and
  • sample copies of the following forms and certificates (Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12A, 12D, 13, 14, 14A, 15, 16, 24 and Schedules 1A, 1B and 2) as prescribed in the Marriage Regulations for use in the conduct of marriages and fulfilment of obligations under the Marriage Celebrants Program.

These will be matters for your training organisation to attend to.

When you complete your training you should ensure that your training organisation provides you with a certificate of qualification. You will need to submit a certified copy of your certificate of qualification and transcript of units with your application.

Please note: There are certain matters that training organisations need to address on your certificate (see Requirement for certificates issued by training organisations). Where there are deficiencies in the certificate you provide with your application, you will be asked to contact your training organisation for a revised certificate.

The training organisations listed on the NTIS website are accredited by state and territory government authorities. The NTIS website has contact details for all state and territory training and accrediting bodies.

The application process - criteria to be met

The completion of the required training qualification is necessary to meet the legislative requirements for registration as a marriage celebrant. However, it is not sufficient on its own. In addition, a person seeking registration must satisfy the Registrar that they are a fit and proper person to be registered as a marriage celebrant.

Section 39C of the Marriage Act lists the matters the Registrar must take into account in making that decision. These matters are:
  • Do you have sufficient knowledge of the law relating to the solemnisation of marriages by marriage celebrants?
  • Are you committed to advising couples of the availability of relationship support services and do you have sufficient knowledge of such services to be able to do this?
  • Are you of good standing in the community?
  • Have you been convicted of an offence, punishable by imprisonment for one year or longer, against a law of the Commonwealth, States or Territories?
  • Do you have an actual or potential conflict of interest between your practice, or proposed practice, as a marriage celebrant and your business interests or other interests such as employment, voluntary work or hobbies?
  • Would your registration as a marriage celebrant be likely to result in you gaining a benefit in respect of another business you own, control or carry out?
  • Will you fulfil your obligations as a marriage celebrant?
  • Any other matter the Registrar considers relevant to whether you are a fit and proper person to be a marriage celebrant.

How to apply for registration as a marriage celebrant

Once you have completed your training, please contact the Marriage Celebrants Section by email at marriagecelebrantssection@ag.gov.au for an application package. Please provide a postal address, the name of the organisation with whom you completed your training, as well as the title and qualification code of the course you completed. This will ensure you are provided with the most up to date version of the package.

You should carefully read all the information in the application package before filling in the form. You must comply with all instructions. If you do not, your application may be returned to you. Until you submit a completed application you will not have made an application for registration and your application will not be assessed.

A completed application is one that contains all the information and material required for your application to be assessed.

Applications are processed in order of receipt (as required under section 39D of the Marriage Act ).

It can take three months from the date a completed application is received for it to be assessed and the applicant notified of the result. The time taken may also depend on factors such as the thoroughness of your application, the time you take to complete the questions on knowledge of the law relating to the solemnisation of marriages (see below), and whether the Registrar requires further information from you to assess your application.

Changes to the application process on and after 3 February 2010

A new application form came into effect on 3 February 2010 to coincide with the Certificate IV in Celebrancy or equivalent university qualification becoming the mandatory qualification prescribed by the Marriage Regulations.

In order to satisfy the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants that you have sufficient knowledge of the law relating to the solemnisation of marriages (one of the fit and proper person factors outlined above), the application process now includes a set of questions on legal matters relating to the solemnising of marriages. These questions will be provided to applicants by the Registrar.

The application package will provide you with full details on how to obtain and complete these questions.

These questions form part of the new application process, not part of the training process. However, as mentioned above, training organisations are required to use certain minimum materials in your training and the answers to all of the questions will be found in one or more of these resources.

Please note: Your application will not be complete, and therefore not lodged, until you have completed and returned the questions.

Restrictions on your conduct while you undertake training and your application is assessed

Completing your training and lodging your application for registration as a marriage celebrant does not make you a registered marriage celebrant. There are certain obligations under the Marriage Act that can only be undertaken by a registered marriage celebrant.

Unless and until you are registered as a marriage celebrant, you are not entitled to engage in advertising or promotion that suggests that you are able to conduct marriage ceremonies.

You should not book or agree to perform a marriage until you have been notified by the Registrar that you have been registered as a marriage celebrant.

Participants in a marriage ceremony

Persons, such as friends or relatives, who are not registered marriage celebrants may participate in aspects of a marriage ceremony as long as the couple and marriage celebrant are in agreement about that participation. However it is the marriage celebrant who must conduct the legal component of the ceremony and who must fulfil all the legal requirements for solemnising a marriage.

A registered marriage celebrant must:

  • consent to be present as the responsible registered marriage celebrant
  • take a public role in the ceremony
  • identify themselves to the assembled parties, witnesses and guests as the registered marriage celebrant authorised to solemnise the marriage
  • be responsible for ensuring the validity of the marriage according to law
  • say the words required by section 46 of the Marriage Act in the presence of the parties, the formal witnesses and the guests before whom the marriage is solemnised
  • be in close proximity (ie nearby) when the vows required by section 45 of the Marriage Act are exchanged. It is the exchange of vows that constitutes the marriage and the registered marriage celebrant should ensure that they see and hear them exchanged
  • be available to intervene (and exercise the responsibility to intervene) if events demonstrate the need for intervention elsewhere in the ceremony
  • be part of the ceremonial group, or in close proximity to it, and
  • sign the papers required by the Marriage Act.

The obligations of a registered marriage celebrant

Registration is for life, subject to satisfying ongoing professional development and performance requirements. Marriages may be solemnised anywhere in Australia. Once registered, a marriage celebrant will need to satisfy a range of obligations. These include:

  • compliance with all the requirements of the Marriage Act in conducting marriages
  • compliance with a Code of Practice covering such matters as maintaining a high standard of service and professional conduct, compliance with the Marriage Act and other laws, and a range of requirements for the conduct of marriage ceremonies
  • undertaking professional development each year, and
  • undergoing regular performance reviews to ensure continuing compliance with obligations.

Contact details

Should you have any questions about the information on the page, please contact:

Marriage Celebrants Section

Phone: 02 6141 3111
Fax: 02 6141 3246
Email: marriagecelebrantssection@ag.gov.au