Marriage Duty Act 1694

The Marriage Duty Act 1694 (6 & 7 Will. & Mar. c. 6) was an act of the Parliament of England which imposed a tax, known as Marriage Duty or the Registration Tax, on births, marriages, burials, childless widowers, and bachelors over the age of 25.^[1] It was primarily used as a revenue raising mechanism for war on France and as a means of ensuring that proper records were kept by Anglican church officials. The tax was found ineffective and abolished by 1706.^[2]

Marriage Duty Act 1694

Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for granting to his Majesty certaine rates and duties upon Marriages Births and Burials and upon Batchelors and Widowers for the terme of Five yeares for carrying on the Warr against France with Vigour.
Citation	6 & 7 Will. & Mar. c. 6
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	22 April 1695
Commencement	1 May 1695[a]
Repealed	1 January 1871
Other legislation
Amended by	Statute Law Revision Act 1867
Repealed by	Inland Revenue Repeal Act 1870
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Marriage Duty Act 1695
Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for the inforcing the Laws which restraine Marriages without Licence or Banns & for the better registring Marriags Births and Burials.
Citation	7 & 8 Will. 3. c. 35
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	27 April 1696
Commencement	24 June 1696[b]
Repealed	1 January 1871
Other legislation
Amends	Statute Law Revision Act 1867
Repealed by	Inland Revenue Repeal Act 1870
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Duties on Marriages etc. Act 1697
Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for preventing Frauds and Abuses in the charging collecting & paying the Duties upon Marriages Births Burials Batchellors and Widowers.
Citation	9 Will. 3. c. 32 (Ruffhead: 9 & 10 Will. 3. c. 35)
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	5 July 1698
Commencement	3 December 1697[c]
Repealed	21 August 1871
Other legislation
Amended by	Statute Law Revision Act 1867
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1871
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

See also

• Bachelor tax

Notes

1. Section 1.
2. Section 1.
3. Start of session.