Give notice of marriage or civil partnership

If you’re getting married or forming a civil partnership, you must both attend the register office where you live to inform the registrar of your intention to marry or enter a civil partnership. This means declaring you are both free to marry or enter a civil partnership with each other. 

You must do this in person at least 29 days before the day of your ceremony. This is called ‘giving notice’.

Depending on your immigration status, you may need to give 71 days' notice. See: GOV.UK - Marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales: If you or your partner are from outside the UK or Ireland

Where either party is a foreign, EEA or Swiss national, without a relevant visa for marriage/civil partnership or pre or settle status, you may be subject to immigration control. The Home Office will investigate sham marriages and civil partnerships. You must attend the register office together to give notice.

A notice is only valid for 12 months. This means your ceremony must take place within one year of the date you give notice.You will be required to provide certain documents.

You also need to:

  • be aged 18 or over
  • not already be married or in a civil partnership
  • not be closely related
  • have both lived for at least nine consecutive days at a UK address
  • know the venue for marriage/civil partnership. Your notice will only allow for you to be married or enter a civil partnership at the venue stated on the paperwork. If you change venue, new notices must be given.

Documents you need to provide

You will need to bring documents proving:

  1. your name, nationality and date of birth
  2. your address
  3. your right to marry if you have previously entered into a marriage or civil partnership

Other documents may be required depending on the circumstances. For example, a change of name document such as a deed poll.

1. Proof of name, nationality and date of birth

You need to bring:

  • a vaild passport
  • a passport-sized photograph each, unless you are both British nationals or both EU nationals with settled or presettled status

If you do not hold a valid UK passport

You can prove your identification with your full or standard UK birth certificate and a documents proving your current use of name.

If you were born in the UK on or after 1 January 1983, you must also show either the full UK birth certificate of either your: 

  • mother
  • father, where your parents are or have been married to each other

If you are showing your father's UK birth certificate, you would also have to show an original copy of the marriage certificate.

If you have a certificate of naturalisation or registration from the Home Office confirming you are a British national, you should produce that with a document proving your current use of name.

To prove your current use of name, you can show either a:

  • utility bill (gas, electricity or water) dated within the previous three months
  • bank or building society statement dated within the previous month
  • current Council Tax bill
  • mortgage statement dated within the previous year
  • current residential tenancy agreement
  • valid UK photo driving licence

If you are a EU passport holder from 1 July 2021

You also need to bring either:

If you are a foreign national

You also need to bring:

2. Proof of address

You need to bring a printed, original document of either a:

  • utility bill (gas, electricity or water) dated within the previous three months
  • bank or building society statement dated within the previous month
  • current Council Tax bill
  • current residential tenancy agreement
  • valid UK photo driving licence, registerd to your current address

If you have no proof of address

If you have only recently entered into the UK and do not have a proof of address, you need to provide two documents from the person you are living with. These are:

  • a letter stating how long you have been living at the address (note this must be at least nine days)
  • their current Council Tax bill (the original document, not a copy)

3. Proof of your right to marry

If either of you has previously married or entered into a civil partnership in the UK or any other country, you need to provide either of the following depending on the circumstances:

  • divorce documents or dissolution papers bearing the court’s original stamp
  • your previous spouse or civil partner's original death certificate

If your current name does not appear on these documents, you also need to provide your previous marriage or civil partnership certificate.

If the divorce or dissolution papers are not in English

You need to both:

  • provide a translation in addition to the original documents
  • pay an additional statutory fee for consideration of the divorce or dissolution. The fee is paid at the appointment and is for the consideration, not the outcome. The fee is either £55 or £83, depending on where the divorce took place.

At the appointment

The registrar will ask you questions about yourself and your partner. They will ask:

  • for full names and any other names you or your partner may use or have been known by
  • your dates of birth
  • whether you or your partner have been through any form of marriage or civil partnership before in this or any other country
  • your occupations
  • your nationalities
  • your addresses

You may not refer to notes and must answer the questions independently.

Where to register

You should give notice at the register office for where you live.

You can check which council covers the area where you live (GOV.UK).

If you live in Hounslow, you need to book an appointment to give notice at Hounslow Register Office. The address is:

Hounslow Register Office
Feltham Lodge
38-40 Harlington Road West
Feltham
TW14 0JJ

Hounslow Register Office on Google Maps.

You can usually book an appointment between the following times, depending on availability:

  • Weekdays except Wednesday - 9am to 3.30pm
  • Wednesday - 9am to 12.30pm

Book an appointment to give notice of marriage
Book an appointment to give notice of civil partnership
Book an appointment for a Certificate of No Impediment

If you already have an appointment and need to change it, you can reschedule your appointment.

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