Jeff Montgomery,
General Manager and Registrar-General;
Services and Access
Message from the
Registrar-General
Tēnā koe – hello.
The renewal for independent celebrants has been extended by 2 days as some have missed the deadline. I've decided to do those celebrants a favour by extending the renewal so they don't need to complete a fresh application. Thursday is the new deadline.
For those that have already renewed, please see below for some reminders for the coming wedding season.
Kia pai tō rā (Have a good day)
Jeff
Reminder: 2020 Celebrant Renewal
Independent celebrants
The renewal for independent celebrants finished last week but it appears a few missed the 3 week window. For those that still want to marry couples next year and want to avoid having to make a fresh application, we have extended the renewal for two days.
Renewal for independent celebrants is extended until midnight Thursday 31 October.
If you do not apply for renewal before midnight on 31 October, you will be removed as a celebrant and will not be able to marry couples. If you later decide to be a celebrant, you must make a fresh application.
Confirmation of appointment emails will be sent to independent celebrants by 15 November.
Organisational celebrants
The renewal for organisational celebrants gets started next week from 4 November to 29 November.
Organisational celebrants will be sent an email to renew on 4 November. If your organisation has a central contact, they will do your renewal for you. Ask your colleagues if you are not sure if you have a central contact. If you did not receive your email contact Celebrants@dia.govt.nz
Confirmation of appointment emails will be sent to organisational celebrants in December.
If you do not apply for renewal between those dates, you will be removed as a celebrant and will not be able to marry couples. If you later decide to be a celebrant, you must make a fresh application.
Refresher
We encounter all manner of issues during the year. Here are a few we want to remind you of:
You must have the marriage licence before you start
It has been the same for the last 172 years since at least 28 September 1847. A celebrant cannot solemnise a marriage until they have been given or received an authorising marriage licence.
Copy of Particulars (BDM45)
- Make sure you print the date and place of the marriage.
- If you are an organisational celebrant, make sure you print your organisation name correctly.
- If you are an independent celebrant, make sure you print your celebrant registration number in the place for it. That's essential so we know how many marriages you have performed for the renewal each year.
- After the 'Registrar's Copy' of the Copy of Particulars of Marriage is fully completed take a scan or photo and email it to bdmtoregister@dia.govt.nz
If you know someone that wants to be a celebrant
- We only appoint people that live in New Zealand.
- Advise them to not start pre-booking ceremonies until after they are approved. On average, we decline 10% of applications.
You can only marry couples in New Zealand
Marriage licences can only be issued to marry couples within New Zealand.
For the purposes of section 53 of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995, marriages occurring in NZ, including the NZ airspace, are defined as those above and extending to the outer limits of New Zealand's territorial sea (as defined by section 3 of the Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977). NZ's territorial sea is defined as 12 nautical miles from the low-water mark along the coast of New Zealand, including the coast of all islands. If adjacent to a bay it's generally 12 nautical miles from a straight line joining the low-water marks of each side of the bay's entrance. NZ includes the Ross Dependency.
For clarity, NZ territory for issuing a marriage licence does not include the Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau.
