Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership
Couples intending to marry or form a civil partnership must
personally give notice to the superintendent registrar, unless you
are having a Church of England wedding as this does not come under
the Civil Registration Service. If you are having a Church of
England wedding please contact the Vicar of the church for advice
on legal requirements for marriages and fees.
You should make an appointment at the register
office in the district you have lived for the last seven days prior
to giving notice. Each partner is required to give an
individual notice. If you and your partner live in the same
district, it is helpful if you both attend at the same time.
You can book
an appointment online or by telephoning 0151 443
2900.
Either a superintendent registrar and
registrar or an approved person needs to be present at the
marriage. Therefore, it is important that you make sure that
the registrar is available for your wedding before you confirm any
other arrangements.
Do we need to take anything with us to our
appointment?
Proof of identity or nationality
If you do not have a passport please provide:
- Full birth certificate. Please note if you were born in the UK
after 1 January 1983 and are unable to provide a current
passport, you will need to provide evidence of the nationality and
marital status of your parents at the time of your birth. For
further advice or guidance please contact the office.
Proof of residence
- You should provide a proof of residence document, preferably
your recent council tax bill. Alternatively a bank statement or
utility bill (dated within the previous six months).
What if I have been married or entered into a civil partnership
before?
If either of you has been married or in a
civil partnership before (in the UK or abroad), you will need to
provide evidence that you are free to marry.
- If you were divorced in England or Wales we need to see a court
stamped copy of the decree absolute.
- If you were divorced abroad we need to see an English
translation of the original documents issued by that country. If no
documents were issued, we will tell you what we count as acceptable
proof of divorce.
- If you are widowed, we need to see a certified copy
of your partner's death certificate.
- If you have already married each other abroad, you will only
need to marry here if you don’t think the marriage is legal.
- If you are under eighteen, we need to see proof that your
parents agree to the marriage. If your parents are divorced, we may
need to see the custodial court order. Please speak to the reigster
office for further information.
Costs
The fee for each notice is £30 and
is payable at the time of giving the notice of marriage or
civil partnership.
Fees for your marriage ceremony will vary
depending on the venue and day of the week.
What happens after we give notice of marriage or civil
partnership?
After 15 clear days of giving notice of
marriage or civil partnership, the superintendent registrar will
issue a ‘marriage or civil partnership authority’. You must
then give this to the superintendent registrar of the district
where your marriage or civil partnership will be taking
place. The authority is valid for 12 months from the date you
gave notice (only for the venue you have specified).
Civil Marriage and Civil Partnership – Special Licences
If someone or their partner has a terminal illness it is
possible to get a licence to marry or form a civil partnership very
quickly without having to give the usual statutory notices. You
will need to speak to a Registrar who can provide further
information. Please contact the office on 0151 443 2900. If you
call out of office hours please follow the instructions provided on
the telephone message.
