The Clergy Conduct Rules 2026

S.I. 2026/882 · Made 11 July 2026

Contents

1. Part 1: INTRODUCTORY
2. 1Citation, commencement and interpretation
3. Part 2: OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE
4. 2Overriding objective
5. 3Duty to co-operate
6. 4Powers
7. Part 3: PROTECTED PARTIES
8. 5Litigation friend: appointment
9. 6Litigation friend: removal
10. 7Litigation friend: change of circumstances
11. 8Service on litigation friend
12. Part 4: MAKING A COMPLAINT
13. 9Complaint form: main information
14. 10Complaint form: additional information
15. 11Complaint about exercise of function conferred by or under the CCM
16. 12Permission to make complaint out of time
17. Part 5: REFERRALS AND ALLOCATION
18. 13Referral of a complaint
19. 14Allocation of complaint
20. 15Action after allocation of complaint
21. Part 6: GRIEVANCE
22. 16Application of this Part
23. 17Provision of Code of Practice
24. 18Response to a grievance
25. 19Withdrawal of admission
26. 20Decision on a grievance
27. 21Grievance record
28. 22Reallocation
29. Part 7: COMPLAINT OF MISCONDUCT
30. 23Application of this Part
31. 24Provision of Code of Practice
32. 25Response to a complaint of misconduct (but not serious misconduct)
33. 26Withdrawal of admission
34. 27Advice from the Investigation and Tribunals Team
35. 28Report
36. 29Conciliation
37. 30Reallocation
38. Part 8: COMPLAINT OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT
39. 31Application of this Part
40. 32Provision of Code of Practice
41. 33Response to a complaint of serious misconduct
42. 34Findings on the basis of admissions
43. 35Partial admissions
44. 36Withdrawal of admission
45. 37Report
46. 38Representations and decision
47. 39Order for production of documents by person not party to complaint
48. 40Failure to comply with an order under rule 39
49. Part 9: SAFEGUARDING ISSUES DURING INVESTIGATION
50. 41Addition of safeguarding professional as party to complaint
51. 42Role of safeguarding officer, director or professional
52. Part 10: CASE MANAGEMENT
53. 43Duty to manage cases
54. 44General powers
55. 45Duty of registrar to consult Chair
56. 46Power of Chair to act on own initiative
57. Part 11: DIRECTIONS
58. 47Giving directions
59. 48Matters on which directions may be given
60. Part 12: EVIDENCE
61. 49Witness statements for use at hearing
62. 50Use of witness statements for other purposes
63. 51Expert reports
64. 52Exclusion of evidence
65. 53Oral evidence
66. Part 13: HEARINGS: GENERAL PROVISION
67. 54Conduct of hearings: general
68. 55Cross-examination of witnesses in person
69. 56Amendments to allegations
70. 57Tribunal or court sitting in private
71. 58Personal attendance of witness
72. 59Absence from hearing
73. 60Power to exclude from hearing
74. 61Special measures
75. 62Power to order identity not to be published
76. Part 14: TERMINATION, SUBSITUTION AND WITHDRAWAL
77. 63Proceedings cease on death of respondent
78. 64Substitution on death, incapacity etc of complainant
79. 65Withdrawal of complaint
80. Part 15: PENALTIES AND DECISIONS
81. 66Penalties: misconduct (but not serious misconduct)
82. 67Penalties: responsible bishop’s view
83. 68Penalties: imposition without a complaint
84. 69Pronouncement of decisions
85. 70Penalties or sanctions imposed without a complaint: copies of decision
86. Part 16: DEPOSITION FROM HOLY ORDERS
87. 71Priests and deacons: notice
88. 72Priests and deacons: appeals
89. 73Priests and deacons: decision
90. 74Archbishops and bishops: notice
91. 75Archbishops and bishops: representations etc
92. Part 17: RESTRICTION ORDERS AND SUSPENSIONS
93. 76Notice of restriction order
94. 77Notice of suspension
95. 78Record of decision on restriction order or suspension
96. 79Notice of revocation of restriction order or suspension
97. 80Service of notice under this Part
98. 81Provision of copies of notice under this Part
99. Part 18: THE ARCHBISHOPS’ LIST
100. 82Access to the list
101. 83Notice of inclusion in the list
102. 84Protected convictions
103. 85Appeal against particulars or inclusion in error
104. Part 19: WORK IN OTHER CAPACITIES
105. 86Work in other capacities: complaints under the CCM, CDM or EJM
106. 87Work in other capacities: findings in disciplinary proceedings etc
107. 88Power under rule 87: time limit
108. 89Review by President of Tribunals of penalty under rule 87
109. Part 20: APPEALS AND REVIEWS
110. 90Application for permission to appeal etc.
111. 91Determination of application for permission to appeal etc.
112. 92Application for permission to appeal etc out of time
113. 93Striking out appeal or review
114. 94Absence of a party
115. 95Re-calling witnesses to give evidence before the appeal court
116. 96New evidence
117. 97Production of documents by person not party to complaint
118. 98Amendment or withdrawal
119. 99Powers of appellate court etc.
120. 100Determination by majority
121. 101Making an appeal or a request for review
122. 102Decisions on review
123. 103Restriction orders and suspensions: decisions on review or appeal
124. 104Penalties: decisions on review
125. Part 21: APPLICATIONS: GENERAL PROVISION
126. 105Form and content of applications
127. 106Notice of applications
128. 107Disposal of applications with a hearing
129. 108Disposal of applications without a hearing
130. 109Dismissal of vexatious etc applications
131. 110Copy of order made on an application
132. Part 22: SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS
133. 111Methods of service
134. 112Meaning of “proper address”
135. 113Timing of service
136. Part 23: ROYAL PECULIARS
137. 114Application of CCM to Royal Peculiar clergy
138. Part 24: MISCELLANEOUS
139. 115Time limits
140. 116Recording and publication of decisions
141. 117Reporting convictions etc.
142. 118Reporting divorce or separation order
143. 119Vexatious litigants: restraint orders
144. 120Excluded offences
145. 121Irregularities
146. 122Word and page limits
147. Signature
148. Schedule 1Forms
149. Schedule 2: Royal Peculiars
150. 1Jurisdiction
151. 2Investigation
152. 3Disciplinary tribunal
153. 4Royal Peculiars panel
154. 5Suspension
155. 6Penalties
156. 7Deposition from Holy Orders
157. 8Conviction for offence etc: power to impose penalty etc
158. 9Appeal and review
159. 10Composition of appeal panel
160. Schedule 3: Recording and publication of decisions
161. 1Interpretation
162. 2Allocation of complaint (section 21(1)(a) to (c))
163. 3Dismissal of complaint (section 21(1)(d) to (f))
164. 4Grievance (section 23)
165. 5Misconduct that is not serious misconduct (sections 25 and 38)
166. 6Serious misconduct: referral or dismissal (section 27)
167. 7Serious misconduct: determination (sections 27, 31 and 38)
168. 8Vexatious litigant: restraint order (sections 32 and 33)
169. 9Restriction order (sections 34 and 35)
170. 10Suspension (sections 34 and 36)
171. 11Conditional discharge (section 40)
172. 12Deposition from Holy Orders (sections 41 and 42)
173. 13Conviction for offence, inclusion on barred list etc. (section 46)
174. 14Reviews and appeals (section 50)
175. Explanatory note