
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 1996 and shall come into force on 1st November 1996.
2 
In the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986, in form 12 in Schedule 1 (instructions for the solemnization of a marriage in a registered building without the presence of a registrar), after paragraph 5 there shall be inserted the following paragraph—“
5A 
If the marriage is solemnized on or after 1st February 1997, as an alternative to the declaration set out in paragraph 5, the persons contracting the marriage may make the declaration—
(a) by saying “I declare that I know of no legal reason why I [name] may not be joined in marriage to [name]”; or
(b) by replying “I am” to the question put to them successively “Are you [name] free lawfully to marry [name] ?”and as an alternative to the words of contract set out in paragraph 5, the persons to be married may say to each other “I [name] take you [or thee] [name] to be my wedded wife [or husband]”.”.
Given under my hand on 8th October 1996
Dr. D. Holt
Registrar General
I approve,
Kenneth Clarke
Chancellor of the Exchequer
8th October 1996