Marriage Officer Process

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in Pretoria registers “religious organisations”.  Those organisations propose candidates to write the DHA examination on the Marriage Act (man + woman only) or the Civil Union Act (couples of all sexes).  If the candidate passes (the pass mark is 75%), they are designated as a Marriage Officer.  They can solemnise legally binding marriages in South Africa for as long as they are with that organisation.

Do you want to become a Marriage Officer in South Africa?

If you are religious, ask your church, mosque, temple, synagogue, coven, etc. about their process.  Typically, you would have served the organisation in various capacities.  You might have to gain qualifications before they let you become a Marriage Officer.

What if you lead a religious organisation that is not registered with the DHA?  email Mrs Gunning at Wilna.Gunning@dha.gov.za or phone 012 402 2303 (often out of order or not answered).  Say you want to register to designate Marriage Officers, and ask what their procedures are.  You must prove that yours is a real organisation with substantial membership.

Are you non-religious?  Then you could become a Marriage Officer for SASS, the South African Secular Society. Our  Marriage Officers conduct ceremonies without religious content.  We marry both heterosexual and same-sex couples.

First, you should join as a paying member. That costs R100/month or R1000/year, but we make exceptions for deserving cases.   You can join if you support the SASS Mission Statement and Ethos. This includes the Naturalistic Worldview:  Based on reason and science, we regard supernatural concepts like fairies, witchcraft, devils, angels, and all gods as imaginary.  If you are not familiar with atheism and humanism, we have online study material to guide you.

Having joined SASS, you should volunteer for one or more of our projects.  Make a meaningful contribution of your time and energy over 6-12 months. Having proved your worth, you must pass some interviews and tests before we let you write the DHA exam.  On passing, you will be a SASS Marriage Officer.  The Marriage Officer is one of the leaders of our Society, somewhat analogous to the Pastor in a church.  This is a role you do not just step into overnight.

Caution!  If you want to become a Marriage Officer to run it as a business or to create an extra income stream, please do not apply through SASS.  Our Marriage Officers may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, but essentially this is a service to the secular community.  By law, you may not be rewarded for any service under the Civil Union Act: Neither solemnising the marriage, nor submitting the paperwork to the Department of Home Affairs.

Please ensure that you understand the process and have fulfilled the requirements before applying for the SASS Marriage Officer Programme.  The Application Form is available to MEMBERS ONLY.