Part of: Family Law Specialists
Giving notice of marriage is the formal statement each of you makes at a register office to say you plan to marry. In England and Wales you must do it at least 29 days before the wedding. Each of you gives notice where you live, after living in that registration district for at least 7 days (Marriage Act 1949, s.27). It is also a good moment to think about money and property, which our guide to prenuptial agreements covers.
This guide explains the timings of giving notice of marriage, the documents, the questions and who can object. It also covers the family law points people often miss, such as proof of divorce and the effect of marriage on a will. It covers England and Wales only.
Reviewed by: Garry Steedman, Family Law Consultant (Divorce, Children & TOLATA), Kabir Family Law
Key takeaways
- 29 days is the minimum. Your notice goes on display for 28 days, so the earliest wedding date is 29 days after you give it (GOV.UK).
- 12 months is the maximum. The wedding must take place within 12 months of giving notice.
- Divorced? Bring the final order. The registrar needs your decree absolute or final order, not the earlier stage (GOV.UK).
- Objections need a legal reason. Anyone can enter a formal objection, called a caveat, and the registrar must look into it (Marriage Act 1949, s.29).
- Marriage changes your legal position. It cancels an existing will, and it can end your right to claim money from a former spouse (Wills Act 1837, s.18; Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, s.28(3)).
What is a notice of marriage?
Giving notice of marriage notice of marriage is a legal declaration that you intend to marry a named person at a named venue. It also confirms that you are both free to marry. The law sets out what the notice must contain, including your names, dates of birth, occupations, addresses and nationalities (Marriage Act 1949, s.27(3)).
In short, giving notice of your marriage gives the public a chance to raise a legal problem before the wedding. It also lets the registrar check that nothing stands in the way. You may also hear it called a notice of intention to marry, a notice to marry or simply a wedding notice. They all mean the same step, and the same process applies if you plan to form a civil partnership.
Most couples give notice at a register office. However, Church of England and Church in Wales weddings can follow a different process, such as banns, so check with the church first (GOV.UK). For most other religious weddings, you still give notice at the register office.
How long before a wedding do you have to give notice?
You must give notice of your marriage at least 29 days before the ceremony. So, if you give notice on 1 May, the earliest wedding date is 30 May. The register office displays your notice for 28 days first (Marriage Act 1949, s.31).
At the other end, the wedding must happen within 12 months of giving notice of marriage. Many register offices book up early, so most couples give notice a few months ahead. The table below sets out the main timings.
| Situation | Timing | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard notice | At least 29 days before the wedding | GOV.UK |
| Latest wedding date | Within 12 months of giving notice | GOV.UK |
| Where you live | In that registration district for the past 7 days | Marriage Act 1949, s.27 |
| Partner from outside the UK or Ireland | If the Home Office looks into your notice, the wait can be up to 70 days | GOV.UK |
| Exceptional cases | The Registrar General can shorten the 28-day wait for compelling reasons | Marriage Act 1949, s.31(5A) |
If one of you is very ill and not expected to recover, a special licence can allow a wedding without the usual wait. Our guide to marrying when a partner is seriously ill explains how that works.
What is the process of giving notice of marriage?
The process of giving notice of marriage is short, but each step matters. Here is the usual order.
- Choose your venue first. The notice names the place where you will marry, so you need the final venue before you book (GOV.UK).
- Book an appointment. Contact the register office for the district where you live. If you live in different districts, each of you books with your own office.
- Gather your documents. You need proof of identity, proof of address and, if it applies, proof that an earlier marriage has ended.
- Attend and answer the questions. The registrar records your details. After that, you each sign the notice and pay the fee.
- Wait out the display period. Your notice stays on display for 28 days. During that time, anyone with a legal objection can raise it.
- Receive the marriage schedule. When the wait ends, the register office issues a marriage schedule. On the day, you sign it along with your two witnesses and the registrar (GOV.UK).
If you live in different districts, you each give notice at your own office, and not necessarily on the same day. However, if one of you is from outside the UK or Ireland, you usually need to give notice together, unless you both have a status that exempts you (GOV.UK).
What do they ask in a notice of marriage?
When you give notice of marriage, the registrar asks for the facts the law requires. Expect questions about your name, date of birth, job, address and nationality. They also ask whether you have been married or in a civil partnership before, and how it ended.
Some register offices also interview each of you separately for part of the appointment. It is routine, so there is no need to worry about it.
What documents do you need to give notice to marry?
You must bring original documents, not copies. The table below shows what each of you usually needs.
| What you need | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identity | A valid passport, or a UK birth certificate. If you use a birth certificate and were born after 1 January 1983, bring evidence of your parents’ nationality too. |
| Address | A UK or Irish driving licence, a utility bill from the last 3 months, a bank statement from the last month, a Council Tax bill or mortgage statement from the last 12 months, or your current tenancy agreement. |
| Venue | Details of the final venue for your ceremony. |
| Name change | Proof of any change of name, such as a deed poll. |
| Earlier marriage | A decree absolute or final order, or your former partner’s death certificate. |
| Partner from outside the UK | A passport-sized photo each, proof of immigration status and translations of any documents not in English. |
The full list is on GOV.UK. Check it before your appointment, because a missing document can mean a second visit.
Married before? What does the registrar need to see?
If you have been married before, you must show that the marriage has legally ended. For a divorce, that means the decree absolute or, for newer cases, the final order. The earlier stage is not enough, because you are still married until the final order is made. Our guide to the decree absolute and final order explains the difference.
If you lost your copy, you can apply for a copy. Build that time into your plans, because you cannot give notice of your marriage without it. Similarly, a divorce granted outside the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man needs extra checks. GOV.UK lists a fee of £55 at a local register office, or £83 if the General Register Office handles it.
There is also a money point that catches people out. If you remarry before you apply for a financial order against your former spouse, you lose the right to make most of those claims (Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, s.28(3)). So, before you give notice of marriage, make sure the finances from your last marriage are properly dealt with.
Where are notices of marriage displayed, and who can object?
Each register office that takes a notice displays it in a public place in the office for 28 days. The law also allows the details to appear in an approved electronic form (Marriage Act 1949, s.31(1)). So, if you live in different districts, your notice may appear in two offices.
During that time, anyone can enter a caveat. This is a signed objection that gives the person’s address and the legal ground for it. The registrar then looks into it before issuing the marriage schedule. A caveat has to rest on a legal reason, such as one of you already being married. Simple disapproval of the match is not enough.
What can stop a wedding going ahead?
A registrar will not issue a marriage schedule if there is a legal barrier. The main ones are simple to state.
- One of you is still married or in a civil partnership.
- One of you is under 18. The minimum age rose to 18 on 27 February 2023 (Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022). See our guide to the legal age for marriage.
- You are closely related in a way the law does not allow.
- One of you does not freely agree to the marriage.
A marriage that breaks some of these rules is void, which means that in law it never existed (Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, s.11).
If someone is being pushed into a marriage, the family court can step in before the wedding. It can make a forced marriage protection order (Family Law Act 1996, s.63A). Our page on protection from forced marriage explains who can apply. The government’s Forced Marriage Unit also gives confidential help.
Why does the notice date matter for money and property?
Giving notice sets a clear date on the calendar. That makes it a sensible point to check the legal side of your plans, not just the flowers and the guest list.
First, marriage cancels any will you made before it, unless the will was made with this marriage in mind (Wills Act 1837, s.18). So, if you have children from an earlier relationship, review your will before the wedding.
Second, if you want a prenuptial agreement, timing matters. The Supreme Court held that a court should give effect to an agreement both people entered freely and understood, unless holding them to it would be unfair (Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42). An agreement signed days before the wedding invites questions about pressure. For that reason, the Law Commission recommended signing at least 28 days before the ceremony.
In practice, it helps to agree the terms well before you give notice of marriage. Then you each have time to take advice and share full financial details.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get married anywhere in the UK?
Not in England and Wales. Here most weddings take place at a register office, at a venue the local council has approved, or at a church or other registered religious building. A few exceptions exist, for example for people who are seriously ill. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so check the rules for the country where you plan to marry.
How much does a notice of marriage cost?
Each of you pays a statutory fee when you give notice of your marriage. Council register offices list it at £46.50 each, or £63 each if you are subject to immigration control, so confirm the amount when you book. Checking a divorce granted outside the UK costs extra: £55 locally, or £83 if the General Register Office does it.
Is a notice of marriage UK-wide?
No. A notice given in England or Wales is for a wedding in England or Wales. If you plan to marry in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you follow the process there instead, even if you live in England.
Can one of us give notice without the other?
Often, yes. Each of you gives your own notice, and if you live in different districts you each go to your own office. But if one of you is from outside the UK or Ireland, you usually have to attend together.
Do we still need to give notice for a religious wedding?
For most religious weddings, yes. Church of England and Church in Wales weddings can follow their own process. For other faiths, a ceremony that skips the legal steps may not create a valid marriage at all. That can leave you without the legal protections of marriage if the relationship ends.
Planning to marry? Get advice before you give notice
Once you give notice of marriage, the wedding date gets close quickly. If you have questions about a past divorce, money from an earlier marriage or protecting what you bring to this one, it helps to ask them now. Book a free initial consultation, where one of our specialists gives you initial advice tailored to your circumstances. You can also read our guide to prenuptial agreements.
Expert Tip
We are often asked by people who have divorced whether they can simply book the register office and move on. Before you do, check that your financial claims against your former spouse are settled or at least started. Remarrying first can shut the door on most of those claims for good.
Iblal Iqbal, Partner & Family Law Strategist
