Give a notice of marriage or civil partnership

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Maintenance alert: due to maintenance work our notice of marriage booking appointment system may not be working on Monday 1st April 2024.

A notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal declaration. It permits you and your partner to marry or form a civil partnership. It is displayed on the public notice boards of the register office for 28 days, unless further investigation is required by the Home Office. If an investigation is required it can be extended to 70 days.

When the notice period is complete, the marriage or civil partnership is authorised. Then, the ceremony can take place at any time over the next 12 months.

Points to consider before you give notice

  • 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 is changed, you and your partner will need to submit a new notice. This will incur additional fees.

Documents you need to provide

You will need to provide the following documents at your appointment:

  • Proof of identity: valid passport
  • Proof of address: this can be any of the following
    • a utility bill issued within 3 months of the date of the appointment and at least 9 days old
    • a bank statement issued within 1 month of the date of the appointment and at least 9 days old
    • a driving licence.
  • Original decree absolute (if applicable) or foreign divorce papers which will need to be translated into English and verified. This will incur additional charges. For the 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 and ensure that both the venue and registrars are booked

Book an appointment

Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership

To book your appointment to give a notice of marriage or civil partnership please use one of the following online forms:

Notice of marriage

Notice of civil partnership