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Marriage Regulations 2017 Regulation 53 - Professional development for marriage celebrants

Marriage Regulations 2017

In force on 5 Jan 2026

Marriage Regulations 2017 Regulation 53

Professional development for marriage celebrants

MR2017 reg.53 Browse all regulations

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MR2017 reg.53

53 Professional development for marriage celebrants

Section titled “53 Professional development for marriage celebrants”

Requirement to undertake professional development activities

(1) For the purposes of paragraph 39G(1)(b) of the Act, a marriage celebrant must, in each calendar year:

(a) undertake the professional development activity, or each of the professional development activities, that is determined to be compulsory for that year in a statement in force under subsection (3); and

(b) ensure that that professional development activity, or each of those professional development activities, is undertaken:

(i) in a way (if any) specified in the statement; and

(ii) with a provider (if any) specified in the statement.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a marriage celebrant for a calendar year if the Registrar grants the marriage celebrant an exemption for the year under section 54, 55 or 58.

Statement of professional development activities

(3) As soon as practicable after the start of each calendar year, the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants must, by legislative instrument, make a statement that:

(a) lists professional development activities for the year (the listed activities); and

(b) determines one or more of the listed activities to be compulsory for the year.

(4) However, the Registrar must not determine one or more of the listed activities to be compulsory for the year unless the Registrar is satisfied that a marriage celebrant would likely take between 1 and 2 hours to complete:

(a) if one listed activity is to be determined to be compulsory—that listed activity; or

(b) if more than one listed activity is to be determined to be compulsory—all of those listed activities.

(5) The statement may specify either or both of the following:

(a) one or more ways in which a listed activity may be undertaken;

(b) one or more providers of a listed activity.

(6) Without otherwise limiting subsection 33(3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, any variation by the Registrar of the statement must not determine a listed activity to be compulsory for the year if this was not already the case.

Note: The Registrar may vary the statement to list additional, non‑compulsory professional development activities for the year.