Registering a marriage or civil partnership

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Registering a marriage or civil partnership

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You’ll need to complete and submit forms and documents before your ceremony. This is also known as submitting notice.

These need to be submitted in advance.

What you'll need to complete

Forms

You should complete either:

You’ll need to complete the celebrant and witness details form.

If you're a non-UK national, you should complete Declaration of Status by Non-UK Nationals.

If you had a divorce or dissolution outside the UK, complete:

Documents

Your forms should be send to the registrar along with:

your birth certificate or your adoption certificate, if you were adopted
evidence of your usual residence, such as a utility bill (not older than 3 months)
a valid passport or other document to provide evidence of your nationality

Check if you need to provide any additional documents, depending on your circumstances.

Find a registrar

You can find which local council area you live in by clicking here

When to submit your documents

Check timescales with your local registration office to avoid having to postpone your ceremony or registration.

The registrar must have your completed notices no later than 29 days before the date of your marriage or registration.

It is helpful to give them 10 – 12 weeks’ notice, so they can:

check your notices and accompanying documents
ensure that there is no impediment to the proposed civil partnership

If you do not give enough notice, they might:

postpone the marriage or civil partnership
stop it from proceeding

Only in exceptional circumstances will the Registrar General authorise a civil partnership to take place if 29 days’ notice has not been given.

After the registrar reviews your documents

The registrar will process your forms. After making sure there are no legal restrictions, they’ll prepare either a:

marriage schedule
civil partnership schedule

You need a schedule for your ceremony or registration. You cannot proceed without one.

How the schedule is used

The registrar will retain the schedule to be completed on the day of the marriage or registration. The schedule must be signed in best quality permanent black fountain pen ink by:

both parties
the registrar performing the marriage or civil partnership
the two witnesses

The registrar will then register the marriage.

One of you must collect the schedule from the registration office. The registrar will make arrangements with you regarding the collection of your schedule.

You must do this:

no more than 7 days prior to your ceremony and
no less than 29 days after your notice has been submitted

The schedule must be provided to the person performing the marriage or civil partnership before the ceremony can take place.

Immediately after the ceremony, the schedule must be signed in best quality permanent black fountain pen ink by:

both parties
the celebrant performing the marriage or civil partnership
the two witnesses

You must then return it to the registrar within 3 days so they can register the marriage or civil partnership.

After the event has been registered

You can get copies of the marriage or civil partnership certificate from the registrar. You’ll need to pay the certificate fee which is:

£10 if you’re purchasing within a month of your registration
£15 if you’re purchasing more than a month after your registration

If you need an urgent copy of your certificate, notify the registrar when you collect your schedule.

You do not need to formally change your surname after a marriage or civil partnership. If you choose to start using a new surname, most organisations will allow this change to be evidenced by a marriage or civil partnership certificate.

If you would like to formally change your name on your birth certificate for any other reason, follow the changing your name guidance.

More guidance

You can read guidance on:

If you’ve been married or in a civil partnership before

If your former spouse or civil partner died

If your marriage or civil partnership is not recognised or registered in the UK

What you need to know

What you may need to provide

What a 'relevant national' is

What appropriate immigration status is

What a relevant visa is

How long they'll need

If you’re having a civil marriage or registration

If you’re having a religious or belief ceremony

Changing your name