A notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal declaration. It permits you and your partner to marry or form a civil partnership. We display it on the public notice boards in our Register office for 28 days.
This is unless more investigation is needed by the Home Office. If an investigation is needed, it can be extended to 70 days. After the notice period ends, the marriage or partnership will be complete.
What to consider before giving a notice
Before booking your appointment, there are a few things you need to think about:
- You need to give notice at least 29 days before the ceremony.
- You need to have your ceremony within 12 months of submitting your notice.
- The ceremony must take place at the venue stated on the notice. If the venue has changed, you and your partner will need to submit a new notice. This will incur extra fees.
Booking your notice appointment
Before attending your appointment, there are a few things you will need to bring:
- Proof of identity. This can be a valid passport.
- Proof of address. This can be any of the following:
- a utility bill issued within three months of the date of the appointment. It must be at least nine days old.
- a bank statement issued within one month of the date of the appointment. It must be at least nine days old.
- a valid driving licence.
- Original decree absolute (if applicable). Or foreign divorce papers. It which will need to be translated into English and verified. This will incur extra charges. For a full price list, see our Register office fees page.
- Death certificate and original marriage certificate. (If applicable).
- Address and postcode of the venue where the ceremony will be held. Making sure that both the venue and registrars are booked.
When you are ready to book your appointment, select one of the options below:
Fees for giving a marriage or civil partnership notice
Below is a table of the current charges for giving a notice of marriage or civil partnership.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Notice of marriage or civil partnership |
£42.00 per person |
| Notice of marriage or civil partnership. This is where one or both of you are subject to immigration control | £57 per person |
If either of you have been divorced outside the British Isles, your notice will need to be considered by:
- a Superintendent registrar; or
- Registrar general.
The table below shows the extra charges for this service.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Superintendent registrar to consider a divorce obtained outside the British Isles | £55.00 |
| Registrar general to consider a divorce obtained outside the British Isles | £83.00 |
Where you can give a notice of marriage
If you are British passport holders. Or European nationals with settled status
Both you and your partner will have to give notice of marriage at the Register office. This will have to be in the borough(s) in which you live, if you hold:
- a British passport, or
- you are a European national who holds settled status.
If your partner lives in a different borough, they will need to give notice there.
If you are subject to immigration control
If you or your partner are subject to immigration control, you must go together. You must go to a local, designated, Register office. Harrow's Register office is a designated office.
If you are having a religious marriage
If you’re having a religious marriage your authorising documents will be sent by:
- the borough in which you live, or
- the borough where the ceremony will take place.
You must ensure that the documents are given to the person approved to perform your marriage. You won’t be able to proceed with the marriage without the documents.
Need an interpreter to give notice?
You are welcome to use an interpreter to give notice. You will need to bring your own interpreter. You will also need to arrange for them to attend the appointment.
The interpreter will need to sign the notice. They must do this in front of the registration officer.