The legal framework
Trinidad and Tobago has separate statutes for civil marriage, Muslim marriage, Hindu marriage and Orisa marriage, each with its own registered marriage officers. In 2017 Parliament repealed the provisions that had allowed religious marriages of children, setting a uniform minimum age of eighteen across all four regimes — a reform that attracted considerable debate.
Key points
| Four statutes | Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, Hindu Marriage Act, Orisa Marriage Act |
|---|---|
| Marriage officers | Registered under the relevant statute |
| Licence | Required, from the Registrar General |
| Minimum age | 18 for all forms of marriage since the 2017 reform |
| Registration | With the Registrar General's Department |
| Cohabitants | Cohabitational Relationships Act gives rights after five years |
| Four registers | Each statute maintains its own list of marriage officers |
| Uniform minimum age | Eighteen across all four statutes since 2017 |
In practice
- Check that the person conducting the ceremony is legally authorised to do so: that single fact usually decides whether you are married.
- Give the required notice to the civil authority in advance — the waiting periods are strict.
- Make sure the marriage is registered afterwards and obtain several certified copies.
- If the ceremony has no civil effect, put a written agreement in place to protect the financially weaker partner.
- Match the officer's registration to the statute you are marrying under.
Recent changes
The 2017 reform set a uniform minimum age of 18, ending the religious-marriage exemptions that had allowed child marriage.
Where to go
- Registrar General's Department.
- Registered marriage officers of the relevant faith.
- Legal Aid and Advisory Authority.
Worth knowing
Make sure the officer is registered under the statute matching the ceremony: an Orisa marriage conducted by an officer registered only under the Marriage Act is not validly solemnised. An officer registered under one statute cannot validly solemnise under another. The registration, not the rite, is what matters.
Official sources and links
- UN Human Rights Office — ratified treaties and country reviews
- ILO NATLEX — national legislation database