Page updated on: Thursday March 20, 2008
Marriage is a formalised legal relationship between two people of the opposite sex. To be married neither partner can be currently married or in a civil union and both must be 16 or older. Close family members can not marry each other. These excluded relationships are found in Schedule 2 of the Marriage Act 1955 found at www.legislation.govt.nz. Same-sex couples cannot marry in New Zealand. A marriage formally comes to an end when the Family Court issues a dissolution (divorce) order.
No formal legal steps are necessary for a married couple to separate – they simply stop living together. However, one of them may want to apply to the Family Court for a separation order; this can be a useful record of when the couple separated if one or both of them later applies for a dissolution order. The order also has the effect of excluding the separated spouse from any property they might ordinarily inherit should their spouse die intestate (ie without leaving a will).
More information on getting married can be found at www.lawaccess.govt.nz/Lrm_V2.aspx?BookId=67&ChapterId=1#_Marriages