Giving notice of marriage, involves attending an appointment at a register office where you will declare who you intend to marry or form a civil partnership with, where the ceremony will take place and that you are legally free to get married or form a civil partnership.
Before you book your appointment to give notice, please read the following, as it is your responsibility to ensure that the legal formalities have been completed.
- Legal requirements
- Where to give notice
- When to give notice
- Fees
- Documents you will need to bring
- Contact the service
Legal requirements
You cannot get married or form a civil partnership if you are under 18 years of age from 27 February 2023.
Subject to immigration control
From 1 July 2021, if either of you are not British or Irish citizens, or you do not have settled, pre-settled status or a pending application under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS), you may be subject to immigration control. You should read the information on legal requirements of marriage and civil partnership for foreign nationals.
Not subject to immigration control
From 1 July 2021, where you are both British or Irish citizens, or have settled, pre-settled status or a pending application under the EUSS, you are not subject to immigration control. Unless you are marrying in an Anglican church in England or Wales by banns or common licence, you must give your notices of marriage or civil partnership to the superintendent registrar for the district(s) in which you have lived for the proceeding eight nights immediately prior to giving your notices.
Where one or both of you have settled or pre-settled EUSS status, you must provide a valid EUSS share code at your notice appointment. If you have a pending EUSS application, then you must bring your Certificate of Application to your notice appointment.
Where to give notice
- If you live in a Surrey borough you can book your appointment to give notice at any one of our Surrey register offices.
- If you live outside a Surrey borough, you will need to give your notice of marriage or civil partnership at the register office in the district(s) where you live.
When to give notice
- You must both give your notices at least 28 days prior to your ceremony date and know where and when you are holding your ceremony.
- Your notice is valid 12 months from the date of giving notice. If you change the date of your ceremony and it is more than one year from giving notice, you will need to give notice again.
- If you change the venue for your ceremony, you will need to give notice again.
Fees
- Your notice of marriage or civil partnership fee is £35 per person, or
- if your notice of marriage or civil partnership is referred to the Home office it is £47 per person.
- Where possible please bring a credit or debit card for payment.
If your last marriage was dissolved or annulled, and your divorce document was issued outside the British Isles it will need to be validated by Surrey Registration Service or the General Register office. Please see: Documents you'll need to give notice (GOV.UK) for more information.
The fees are as follows:
- £50 if the documents can be cleared by the Surrey Registration Service, or
- £75 if the documents require referral to the General Register Office (GRO).
- Where possible please bring a credit or debit card for payment.
Documents you will need to bring
The documents you require are listed below. Please note that in all cases you must provide original documents, photocopies are not acceptable.
You must each provide the relevant documentation at your appointment or we will not be able to complete the registration and another appointment will need to be made.
Proof of your identity, age and nationality
- a valid United Kingdom (UK) passport
- a valid Irish passport
- a valid EEA or Swiss passport and your valid EUSS share code or Certificate of Application.
British citizens only without a valid passport
If you do not hold a valid UK passport, you may provide your UK birth certificate with one of the following documents:
- utility bill dated within three months of giving notice
- bank/building society statement/passbook dated within one month of giving notice
- council tax bill dated within 12 months of giving notice
- mortgage statement dated within 12 months of giving notice
- a current residential tenancy agreement
- valid UK photo driving licence.
If you were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, your full birth certificate must be produced, together with the birth certificate or UK passport of your mother, or father where your parents are or have been married, or formed a civil partnership with each other, to prove your nationality.
If you have a certificate of naturalisation or registration from the Home Office confirming you are a British national, you should produce this with one of the documents listed above.
If you are currently using a different name to that shown on your birth certificate, certificate of naturalisation or registration from the Home Office, you will need to demonstrate your name change by providing your marriage/civil partnership certificate(s) or change of name document.
Proof of your residency
You will require one of the following documents as proof of your residency:
- utility bill dated within three months of giving notice
- bank or building society statement/passbook dated within one month of giving notice
- council tax bill dated within 12 months of giving notice
- valid UK driving licence.
If you have been married or in a civil partnership before
- Death certificate of your former partner.
- Your British Isles decree absolute or final order papers bearing the court's original stamp.
- If your divorce took place outside of the British Isles, your divorce or final order papers. These vary from country to country and it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documents. If your divorce or final order papers are not in English, in addition to the original documents, you must provide a full translation including any stamps and signatures contained thereon. The translation must contain the name and address of the translator and be certified by them as a true and accurate translation.
- Your previous marriage/civil partnership certificate(s) where your current name does not appear on the decree absolute, final order or death certificate.
Other documents
- Any change of name documents for example deed poll or change of name deed.
Contact us
If you have an enquiry, please contact us.
