Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977

18Places at which civil marriages may be solemnised

(1)Subject to the provisions of this section, an authorised registrar shall solemnise a civil marriage in his registration office.

(2)An authorised registrar may, with the approval of the Registrar General, solemnise a civil marriage in the registration office of another authorised registrar.

(3)If either of the parties to an intended civil marriage is unable to attend the registration office of an authorised registrar for the solemnisation of the marriage, an authorised registrar may, subject to the following provisions of this section and on reimbursement of any additional expenditure incurred by him by virtue of this subsection, solemnise the marriage—

(a)at any place in his registration district other than his registration office; or

(b)with the approval of the Registrar General, at any place in any registration district in respect of which there is no authorised registrar.

(4)The authorised registrar shall not solemnise a marriage at any such place as is described in subsection (3)(a) or (b) above unless—

(a)application has been made to him by either of the parties to the intended marriage requesting him to solemnise the marriage at such a place and stating the reason why one of the parties is unable to attend a registration office; and

(b)subject to subsection (5) below, he is satisfied on consideration of the application that the party is unable to attend a registration office by reason of serious illness or serious bodily injury and that there is good reason why the marriage cannot be delayed until the party is able to attend a registration office.

(5)If the authorised registrar is not satisfied as mentioned in subsection (4)(b) above, he shall consult the Registrar General who may direct him to solemnise the marriage in accordance with the application made under subsection (4)(a) above or to refuse so to solemnise it.