Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

17.   Performance of marriage

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   (1)   A marriage may be performed—

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      (a)     in the case of a civil marriage, by one of the following Civil Status Officers—

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         (i)     the Registrar of Civil Status,

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         (ii)     subject to subsection (2), a District Registrar, or

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         (iii)     subject to subsections (5) and (6), a marriage officer appointed by Cabinet; or

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      (b)     in the case of a religious marriage by—

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         (i)     a Minister of Religion recognised under Article 94 of the Civil Code, or (Substituted by Act 10 of 2014)

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         (ii)     subject to subsection (7), a Minister of Religion authorized by Cabinet on the recommendation of the Minister responsible for ecclesiastical affairs.

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   (2)   With the prior permission of the Registrar, a District Registrar may perform a marriage ceremony in a district other than that to which he or she is appointed.

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   (3)   The Minister may, by Order published in the Gazette, prescribe the fees for marriages performed by the Registrar or a District Registrar.

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   (4)   The fees payable for the performance of a marriage by the Registrar or District Registrar is payable into and forms part of the Consolidated Fund.

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   (5)   A person is disqualified from being appointed as a marriage officer if he or she is—

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      (a)     in full-time employment;

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      (b)     is under 45 years old;

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      (c)     has been convicted of a criminal offence except where the offence is a minor offence or has been spent in accordance with the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act;

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      (d)     is certified by 2 psychiatrists to be physically or mentally incapacitated by reason of unsoundness of mind; or

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      (e)     is declared by a court to be a bankrupt.

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   (6)   Cabinet shall revoke the appointment of a marriage officer who becomes disqualified under subsection (5).

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   (7)   Cabinet may revoke the authorization of a Minister of Religion under subsection (1)(b) where a request for revocation is made by the religious organization which the Minister of Religion represents or where the Minister of Religion ceases to be affiliated to the denomination for which he or she is appointed.

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   (8)   Cabinet may revoke the authorization of a District Registrar under subsection (1)(a) where a request for revocation is made by the Registrar. (Inserted by Act 10 of 2014)