Where do we give notice?

If you want to get married or form a civil partnership in England or Wales you must both give notice at the register office in the area where you have lived for the eight days before giving notice, regardless of where you intend to hold your ceremony. For those who reside in Halton, your appointment will be at the Register Office, Runcorn Town Hall, Heath Road, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 5TN. To make an appointment, please phone 0151 907 8307

What is a Notice of Marriage/Civil Partnership?

The notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal statement which you must sign.  Your names are displayed on the public notice board of the Register Office for 28 clear days. Only then can the ‘marriage’ or civil partnership ‘schedule’ be issued. A notice of marriage or civil partnership is valid for 12 months.

How much does it cost?

The fee for the notice is £35 each (plus £5 admin fee) or £45 each (plus £5 admin fee) on a Saturday; payable at the time of making the appointment.

What documents will we need to provide?

You will need to provide evidence of your name, age, nationality and marital status. The most commonly accepted documents are:

• Name, age and nationality: A Current Passport. If you do not have a current passport your birth certificate, if you were born before 31/12/1982. If you were born after 1/1/1983 you will need to provide your own birth Certificate and evidence of your parent’s nationalities.
• Marital Status: If previously married or formed a civil partnership – evidence of how the marriage/civil partnership ended, for example, a Death Certificate or a Decree Absolute of Divorce.
• Proof of Address: You will also be asked to provide evidence of your current address, the preferred document is your current council tax bill. Other documents are your driving licence, or a utility bill or bank statement (dated within the last month).

Marriage abroad

Please visit https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad for advice.

Abuse of immigration laws

We are working with the UK Border Agency to identify marriages and civil partnerships which seek to abuse UK immigration laws. Anybody found to be arranging, facilitating or entering into a marriage or civil partnership solely to gain permission to stay in the UK risks arrest or prosecution. Foreign nationals may also face deportation and be barred from re-entering the UK for up to 14 years.

Further Information

Further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships