Apply to become an FIEC Marriage Celebrant
To apply to be an FIEC Marriage Celebrant you will need to:
Download the NOMINATION FOR REGISTRATION OF MINISTER OF RELIGION form.
Please follow these instructions carefully as errors in filling in will result in delays in registration:
DO NOT FILL IN Section 1 apart from your name
Fill in Section 2 - APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF MINISTER OF RELIGION
Fill in Section 3 - STATUTORY DECLARATION with your details and get it witnessed (see page 2 of the document for people who can sign as a witness).
Click here for an example of the form with the sections you are to fill in clearly marked.
If you are not the Senior Pastor of your church, get a letter from them requesting your registration as an FIEC Marriage Celebrant.
Fill in the additional information the BDM requires on this form (click here) and upload your completed, signed and witnessed nomination form, and the letter from your Senior Pastor (if applicable).
Post the original of your completed, signed and witnessed form (no need to worry about sending the original of the letter from your Senior Pastor) to FIEC, PO Box 5170, Lyneham ACT 2602.
You will then receive notification of the approval of your nomination when it has been processed by the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry in your state or territory.
NOTE: The time taken to process a new celebrant registration varies in each state. NSW and WA generally take one or two days, ACT up to one week, Victoria and Queensland can take months. Please take this into consideration when applying if you have been requested to officiate at a wedding in the near future.
FIEC Approved Forms of Marriage Service
As an FIEC Marriage Celebrant, you are required to use the marriage services approved by FIEC.
In December 2019, we introduced a Third Form of Marriage Service, which is a contemporary form that should meet the needs of most marriage services performed by our celebrants.
THIRD FORM - PDF - DOC
Our older First and Second Forms are taken from 'A Service for Marriage' - 1st or 2nd Form from 'An Australian Prayer Book 1978' (AAPB). They are more traditional forms of service that may be requested by some couples.
FIRST FORM - PDF - DOC
SECOND FORM - PDF - DOC
An Australian Prayer Book. © 1978 The Anglican Church of Australia Trust Corporation.
FIEC Celebrants Code of Conduct
All FIEC Marriage Celebrants are subject to the FIEC Code of Conduct which sets out the behaviour that is expected of all people representing FIEC. If someone you are marrying makes a complaint about your conduct, the FIEC Complaints Policy will govern how that complaints is handled.
- RESOURCES -
Celebrant Obligations Checklist
Celebrant obligations in an online environment
Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961
- FORMS -
Notice of Intended Marriage FORM (NOIM)
Parties to a marriage are required to give an authorised celebrant at least one month’s written notice prior to the solemnisation of their marriage. This notice is known as the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM). Click below for the NOIM form and a fact sheet issued by the Attorney General’s Department.
NOIM FORM (new version September 2021) - PDF - DOC
Tips on completing the NOIM (September 2021)
Official Certificate of Marriage (OCM)
Declaration of No Legal Impediment (DNLI)
Combined OCM & DNLI
FORM 15 (COM) and other Stationary Supplies
Buy official forms from CanPrint
You can download all forms except the Form 15 Certificate of Marriage.
You must buy this form from CanPrint Communications which is the approved supplier. They can only supply the form to registered marriage celebrants.
CanPrint also supplies other marriage stationery, including: marriage registers / official forms / certificates.
You must give them your celebrant registration number anytime you buy marriage stationery.
You can buy forms that are not the Form 15 from other suppliers. But they must meet the requirements under the Marriage Act. If they don’t, they may be rejected by the registry of births, deaths and marriages.
Visit CanPrint Communications or email them for more information.
A copy of the AG’s approval letter for CanPrint:
Record of use of Form 15 Marriage Certificates
Other Forms
Apart from the Form 15 Certificate of Marriage, all forms can be found on the ag.gov.au website:
www.ag.gov.au/families-and-marriage/marriage/resources-marriage-celebrants/download-resources
- State Specific Information -
New South Wales
NSW Births, Deaths & Marriages:
www.nsw.gov.au/births-deaths-marriages
Changes to the official forms - 1 September - FAQs for NSW celebrants:
An FAQ doc on the impact of the changes to the NSW BDM - Click here
Involvement of others in marriages solemnised by ministers of religion:
Read this information from the NSW BDM about options available to you if a couple would like someone who is not a registered celebrant to be involved in the wedding ceremony.
Useful Info:
NSW BDM Mailing list
Click here for latest emails and to join the list if you are not already on it
Updated 26/10/2020 - Full contact information for the BDM in NSW
Click here
Register marriages online with e-Registry eMarriages
Authorised marriage celebrants can register NSW marriages online using eRegistry eMarriages. It's easy to use with online instructions and the option to print forms.
Registered marriage celebrants can email the Registry and quote their celebrant number to request log in details at eregistry-support@customerservice.nsw.gov.au
Using the e-Registry tool - click here
Register marriages by post
To register marriages by mail please post marriage documents to:
NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages
GPO Box 30
SYDNEY NSW 2001
For turnaround information see processing times - click here
If you have any questions, contact:
eRegistry Support Hotline:
02 6885 9332
eregistry-support@customerservice.nsw.gov.au
Marriage Registrations Helpline:
02 6885 9334
online.celebrant@customerservice.nsw.gov.au
Queensland
QLD Births, Deaths & Marriages:
www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces
Online marriage registration system:
An authorised marriage celebrant may apply for approval to be an online service provider to register Queensland marriages. The system is free and easy to use.
Approved providers can:
create and print the official marriage documents
transfer a notice of intended marriage to another online celebrant
submit marriage records to us electronically
scan and upload signed official marriage documents
offer couples an easy way to get a standard marriage certificate or commemorative package from us
receive status updates
receive notification quickly about any issues we may have registering a marriage.
To use the system, you will need:
authorised marriage celebrant number
secure email address
mobile phone
printer
scanner
Go here for more information and to register
VICTORIA
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages:
ACT
ACT Births, Deaths & Marriages:
www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/
Email: bdm@act.gov.au
Mail: GPO Box 158, Canberra City ACT 2601
Phone: 13 22 81 - Access Canberra
Western Australia
WA Births , Deaths & Marriages:
www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/the-registry-of-births-deaths-and-marriages
TASMANIA
Tasmanian Births, Deaths & Marriages:
Any questions about your role, responsibilities and obligations as an authorised FIEC marriage celebrant, please call or email Dean Ingham in the FIEC National Office - 0431203616 - dean.ingham@fiec.org.au