Title I: Of the Ascription of Clerics to Some Diocese

§ 1. Every cleric must be ascribed either to some diocese or to some religious institute, so that wandering clerics are in no way admitted.

§ 2. Through the reception of first tonsure a cleric is ascribed, or, as they say, incardinated, into the diocese for whose service he was promoted.

Apart from the cases mentioned in canons 114 and 641, Sec. 2, in order that a cleric be validly incardinated into another diocese, he must obtain from his own Ordinary letters of perpetual and absolute excardination signed by that Ordinary, and from the Ordinary of the other diocese letters of likewise perpetual and absolute incardination signed by that Ordinary.

The Vicar General cannot grant excardination and incardination without a special mandate, nor can the Capitular Vicar, except after one year from the vacancy of the episcopal see and with the consent of the Chapter.

Excardination and incardination are effected if, from the Ordinary of another diocese, a cleric has obtained a residential benefice with the consent of his own Ordinary given in writing, or with permission granted by that same Ordinary in writing to depart from the diocese permanently.

By religious profession also, one is excardinated from his own diocese, according to the norm of can. 585.

Excardination cannot be made without just causes, and it does not obtain its effect unless incardination in another diocese has followed; the Ordinary of that diocese is to make the previous Ordinary aware of it as soon as possible.

The Ordinary is not to proceed to the incardination of another's cleric unless:

1° The necessity or usefulness of the diocese requires it, and the prescriptions of law concerning the canonical title of ordination have been saved.

2° It is established for him from a legitimate document that legitimate excardination has been obtained, and he has also received from the dismissing Curia, under secrecy if need be, suitable testimonials concerning the cleric's birth, life, morals, and studies, especially if there is question of incardinating clerics of different language and nation; moreover the dismissing Ordinary, with his conscience gravely burdened, must watch that the testimonials conform to the truth.

3° The cleric, by oath before the same Ordinary or his delegate, has declared that he wishes to be devoted forever to the service of the new diocese according to the norm of the sacred canons.