| Who Needs This
Registration? |
| |
Any clergyperson who wants to
perform marriages which are recognized as legal in Nova Scotia. |
| Issuing Department
/ Agency: |
| |
Vital Statistics Office
Service Nova Scotia
|
| Where can you get this Certificate and / or further information? |
| |
Phone
|
Outside of Nova Scotia: 902-424-4381
Toll-Free in Nova Scotia: 1-877-848-2578
Hours: 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday (except Holidays). |
| |
E-mail
|
VSTAT@novascotia.ca
|
| |
Write:
|
P.O. Box 157
Halifax, NS B3J 2M9
Canada |
| |
Fax
|
902-450-7311 |
| Application Form and Process: |
| |
An application form can be obtained
from the Vital Statistics Office of Service Nova Scotia. Applicants must:
- be residents of Nova Scotia;
- be in good standing in some "established religious body" (for
a definition, see Additional Information (2), below);
- be authorized by that religious body to solemnize marriages according
to its rites and usages (for example, by ordination); and
- have their application form signed by the governing authority having
jurisdiction for that religion in this Province.
If the religion has no governing authority, the application must be accompanied
by the names and addresses of 25 adult members of the religion who support
the application.
When completed, the application should be returned to the Office,
where it will be reviewed by the Deputy Registrar General.
If all requirements are met and the application is approved, the registration
(with the assigned number for that clergyperson) will be sent to the
applicant by mail.
|
| Waiting Period:
|
| |
10 business days
Provided that all the items that must accompany the application have been received (Please allow several extra days for mail delivery.) |
| Expiry and Renewal
|
| |
This registration does not expire (although it can be revoked for
just cause.) Temporary registrations are valid for the dates specified
on the registration certificate.
|
| Price: |
| |
Free |
| Related Requirements:
|
| |
None |
| Additional Information:
|
| |
- Temporary licences for clergy who are members of denominations
already registered in Nova Scotia are available, and these have expiry
dates which are dependent on specific requirements, such as summer
replacements, etc.
- For purposes of solemnizing marriages, a group counts as an "established religious
body" in Nova Scotia only if either (a)
they have been established and recognized in Nova Scotia for at least
5 years, or (b) they can prove that they have been established and
recognized in another Province or Territory of Canada for 10 years.
For purposes of solemnizing marriages, to be recognized in Nova
Scotia as a "religious body", there are several things a group
must do (such as provide the Registry with a copy of their constitution
and bylaws, etc.) For more information on these requirements, please
contact the Registrar (see Where can you get...., above) |
| Legislative Authority:
|
| |
Solemnization of Marriage Act,
Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, Chapter 436 |
