It was enacted on 18 July 1872 and applies throughout India, excluding the territories (Travancore-Cochin, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.

[1]) which, immediately before 1 November 1956, were comprised into the States of Kerala and Manipur, and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

An ordained minister of any church in India, a clergyman of the Church of Scotland, a marriage registrar or a special licensee may get an aspiring couple married under the act.

As is common in other Indian marriage acts, the minimum age is 21 for the groom and 18 for the bride.

[1] Under the special marriage act, any woman of any religion can marry or remarry without satisfying any religious ceremony.