Implementing Regulation of the Act of 25 November 1987 on Civil Status (RLEC) - Layout [ 3, 4 ] (RLEC)

1. The Canton of Vaud constitutes a single civil status district (hereinafter: Civil Status Office of the Canton of Vaud).

2. The Civil Status Office of the Canton of Vaud, with its headquarters in Lausanne, is subordinate to the cantonal civil status oversight authority.

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1. The civil status office (hereinafter: the service) may establish a specialized civil status office, whose activities encompass the entire cantonal territory.

2. The specialized civil status office handles the tasks mentioned in Article 2, paragraph 2 of the OEC [B].

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1. The service may establish external offices at the main civil registry headquarters, particularly in the major maternity hospitals of the canton.

1. Civil status officers record natural events affecting civil status, personal declarations pertaining to civil status, judgments rendered or decisions made by courts and administrative authorities, as well as foreign decisions or documents.

2. They prepare and solemnize marriages.

3. They disclose personal data in the prescribed form, either ex officio or upon request of entitled parties.

4. Moreover, their duties are governed by federal and cantonal law.

1. Service circulars and directives have binding force insofar as federal law does not provide for comprehensive regulation.

2. The service issues the necessary directives for the organization of civil status in the canton of Vaud.

1. The examination of the authenticity of foreign documents by the competent Swiss representation and the legalization of these documents may be required if justified by reasons (reasonable doubt regarding the authenticity of documents, suspicions of document fraud, forgery, or illegal use of documents, etc.).

2. The costs of translation, authentication, and legalization are borne by the person who submitted the documents or who holds them.

1. Only individuals who hold the federal civil status officer certificate in accordance with the regulations concerning the professional examination of civil status officers may be employed as civil status officers. The conditions set by federal law are reserved (Art. 4 para. 3 and 95 OEC [B]).

2. To perform their duties without limitation and for the full scope of their tasks, a civil status officer must hold the federal certificate of proficiency. Obtaining this certificate is required at the time of appointment.

3. The cantonal authority overseeing civil status delineates the tasks that a civil status officer may carry out, taking into account the theoretical and practical knowledge they have acquired and their experience, if the person has not yet obtained the federal certificate.

4. Furthermore, civil status officers, as well as all civil status staff members, are subject to the provisions of the personnel legislation of the State of Vaud [D].

1. Civil registry officers and staff are required to attend courses, working sessions, and training seminars organized by the department that pertain to the knowledge of civil registry matters.

2. The service collaborates as much as possible in the field of training with other cantons or with appropriate training organizations or groups.

1. The basic training for the federal proficiency certificate includes introductory courses and at least two years of activity in the civil status service. It is a prerequisite for preparing for the examination to obtain the federal proficiency certificate.

2. All civil status subjects, both old and new laws, as well as the recording of data in the computerized civil status register, are taught as part of advanced training courses and training seminars.

1. The department may cover, within the framework of applicable cantonal regulations in this matter, the costs of basic training, courses, and exams, as well as accommodation, travel, and food expenses.

2. Training days for the preparation of the federal certificate of competence taken during working hours are not paid.

2bis. A training agreement is established by the service with each newly hired person undertaking civil status officer training and not holding the federal civil status officer certificate.

3. Furthermore, the provisions of the legislation on the personnel of the State of Vaud [D] apply.

1. Under Article 45, paragraph 2 SCC [A], the cantonal supervisory authority for civil status examines, in particular upon request by the civil status office of the canton of Vaud

a. civil status documents with a foreign character presented for the registration of a foreign national (Art. 16, para. 6 CSCRO [B]);

b. when foreign law is or could be applicable to the registration of a name or any other personal data;

c. whether civil status events that occurred abroad and concern foreign nationals domiciled in the canton can be recognized even when no Swiss civil status register is involved;

d. the possibility of correcting or supplementing already registered data in the event of errors or omissions being identified.

2. Failures to comply with the reporting obligations set out in Articles 34 to 39 CSCRO are communicated to the cantonal supervisory authority for civil status.

1. The cantonal supervisory authority for civil status regularly inspects the civil status office of the canton of Vaud and the specialized civil status office, in accordance with the provisions of federal law (Art. 85 para. 1 OEC [B]).

2. The inspection particularly pertains to the application of legal provisions and cantonal and federal directives, the transfer of personal data from family registers to the computerized civil status register, and the computerized recording of civil status events.

1. In addition to the ex officio disclosure to other authorities as provided, in particular, in Articles 49 et seq. OEC [B], the civil status officer shall communicate in particular

a. to the naturalization service: the birth of a foundling in order to determine its origin (Art. 6 of the Federal Act on the Acquisition and Loss of Swiss Citizenship [E]);

b. to the justice of the peace at the domicile of the deceased: the death occurring in the canton of persons domiciled therein (Art. 40 para. 1 of the Act of 27 February 1963 concerning the transfer duty on real estate transfers and the inheritance and gift tax [F]);

c. to the tax official at the domicile of the deceased and to the cantonal tax administration: the death occurring in the canton of persons domiciled therein (Art. 40 para. 1 of the Act of 27 February 1963 concerning the transfer duty on real estate transfers and the inheritance and gift tax [F]);

d. to the justice of the peace at the domicile of the deceased of foreign nationality: the civil status records provided for the processing of the death registration;

e. to the justice of the peace of the district of the missing person's domicile, if this domicile is known: the registration of the declaration of absence (Art. 38 CC) as well as the lifting of this declaration;

f. to the child protection authority at the place of domicile of the person concerned: the adoption of a minor child in Switzerland;

g. to the youth protection service at the domicile of the adopted person: the adoption pronounced for a minor child in the canton of Vaud or abroad if the adoption is transcribed in Switzerland by the Vaud civil status office.

1. The civil status officer issues, free of charge, a birth notification to the parents of the child for the purpose of baptism.

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1. The civil status officer registers the death and immediately and free of charge issues a certificate of the death announcement, for the purpose of the transportation of the body and the burial of the deceased person.

2. Furthermore, Article 9 of the regulation of September 12, 2012, on deaths, burials, and funerals is applicable.

1. The service orders ex officio or upon request the administrative modification of civil status data as provided for in Article 29, paragraph 1 of the OEC.

2. Any request must be submitted in writing to the service with the necessary supporting documents.

1. The supporting documents referred to in Article 31 OEC [B] are retained, where possible, in the offices for two years. Thereafter, they are transferred to the civil status archives.

1. The engaged parties must contact the civil registry office at least 48 hours in advance in order to arrange the day and time of the ceremony. If applicable, they should also provide authorization for the marriage to be celebrated in accordance with Article 67, paragraph 2, in fine OEC [B].

2. On the agreed-upon day and time with the official, the engaged parties shall present themselves in appropriate attire in the marriage hall, accompanied by their witnesses.

3. Marriages are celebrated from Monday to Saturday.

4. The civil registry office of the canton of Vaud provides marriage halls approved by the service.

1. The service may authorize, upon request, the provision of specific rooms situated in locations other than those designated by the civil registry office of the canton of Vaud and deemed appropriate for marriage ceremonies. The authorization is revoked if circumstances arise that would have prevented its granting. It becomes void if the facility has not been utilized for a period of two years.

2. The costs associated with the arrangement and operation of a particular room are borne by the entity that provides it, by the engaged couple or future partners who use it. The use of this room is not contingent upon the purchase of other services.

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4. Marriage ceremonies in specific rooms are possible after agreement between the engaged couple and the entity providing the room and if circumstances allow. There is no right to the use of such rooms.

5. The civil registry office of the canton of Vaud is responsible for settling the details. In case of disagreement, the cantonal civil registry supervisory authority makes a final decision.

6. The civil registry office of the canton of Vaud collects fees and expenses within the limits set by federal law (ordinance on civil registry fees, OEEC [B]), taking particular account of the additional work generated by the use of such rooms.

1. Each regional site may have up to three particular celebration venues in private rooms, for the purpose of covering the entire cantonal territory. In exceptional cases, the cantonal civil status supervisory authority may authorize additional private rooms.

2. To obtain authorization from the service, the private rooms must meet the following criteria

a. the venue for the marriage celebration must primarily be a public site, featuring an exceptional setting of historical (castles, similar buildings, "belle époque" boats, etc.), heritage (recognized cultural site, classified monument, places with historical or architectural specificities, etc.), or tourist (original location, exceptional tourist site, etc.) nature;

b. the private room may be used on all working days, from Monday to Saturday, specifically up to three Saturdays per month; it must be made available to host more than one marriage celebration on Saturdays;

c. the private room must be accessible to persons with reduced mobility.

3. An agreement specifying the provision and terms of use of each private room shall be concluded between the owner-operator of the room and the cantonal civil status supervisory authority.

1. The regulation of December 23, 1987, implementing the law of November 25, 1987, on civil status is repealed.

1. This regulation shall be submitted for the approval of the Federal Council.

1. The Department of Institutions and External Relations is responsible for the execution of this regulation which comes into force on January 1, 2007.