Mariage religieux à effets civils

In December 2001, the Estonian government issued a regulation on the basis of the Family Act giving the Minister of the Interior (from 2004 to the Minister of Regional Affairs) the right to authorize clergy from registered religious associations to conduct marriages with civil validity. Before being granted the authorization, the clergy must participate in the two-days training course, and pass the test conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and the Statistics Offices. Clergy having the authorization to contract marriages with civil validity has the right to refuse to contract a marriage, if the persons being married do not meet the requirements set for marriage by the religious association.
In September 2014 there were 136 clergy from 14 different religious associations with this authorization.