Giving notice
Before you can get married or form a civil partnership ‘notice’ must be given in person, in the district where each partner lives. The notice must be displayed for 28 – 70 clear days before the ceremony date. If you live within the Telford & Wrekin Council area you will give notice at the Wellington Register Office, even if you are having your ceremony out of area. However if you are having your ceremony within Telford and Wrekin but live in a different Council area you must contact your Local Register Office direct to arrange a notice appointment.
- Giving notice is the legal preliminary to marriage and forming a civil partnership and is by appointment only.
- You must be either British or an EEA national (with a share code for settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme EUSS) to give notice at the Register Office.
- You must give notice at the local Register Office for the registration area in which you live (for example the authority you pay Council Tax to).
Notice appointment
Each party to the marriage/civil partnership will need to attend an appointment at the Register Office in person, for where they have lived for at least the last nine days and give notice of their intention to marry or form a civil partnership. This will be the case even when you live in the same registration district. You do not have to attend together but will be encouraged to do so where possible. The Notice has to be displayed in accordance with the law, at the local Register Officer for a minimum of 28 days.
The Superintendent Registrar for the district will issue the authority for your marriage/civil partnership to go ahead once you have both been given notice.
A notice is venue specific and only valid for 12 months so please do not book an appointment more than 1 year ahead of your planned ceremony date.
In order to give notice of marriage/civil partnership you will be asked to produce documents as evidence of name and age and nationality. For example:
- a valid passport and either;
- a birth certificate
- certificate of registration
- certificate of naturalisation
- travel document
- EEA or Swiss nationals will also be required to bring their Share Code for settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS), or their certificate of application for it to prove their pre-settled or pending status
Please note: If you do not have a valid passport and were born in the UK on or after 1st January 1983, you will need to bring a copy of your full birth certificate and the passport or full birth certificate of the parent you have gained nationality from.
The Registrar will also need to see one document with your address on it. For example:
- a valid UK or EEA driving licence
- utility bill (gas, water or electricity bill) dated within the last 3 months
- bank or building society statement dated within the last 30 days
- council tax bill dated within the last 12 months
- mortgage statement dated within the last 12 months
- current tenancy agreement
- letter from your landlord confirming you live there, including your landlord’s name, address and their signature dated within the last 7 days.
If you have been married or in a civil partnership before, you will also need to provide either an original decree absolute, final order or death certificate of your former spouse. If you have had a divorce granted outside of the British Isle, additional fees will apply for the document to be verified – all fees are non-refundable.
If you have changed your name by deed poll or statutory declaration you will be required to produce that document.
If you are a non-relevant national (meaning not a British/Irish citizen or have not been granted European Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Status) you will also need to bring:
- a passport style photograph of each of you, even if only one of you is from outside the UK
- proof of your current immigration status (for example your visa, ARC card)
- a translation of any documents that are not in English.
If you or your partner is a non-relevant national and you do not have a visa or you are unable to make the appropriate immigration statement, the immigration authorities at the Home Office will be notified. A hard copy of a letter granting status is not evidence of rights in the UK.
Each party to the marriage/civil partnership will be required to declare their nationality. This will enable the Superintendent Registrar to advise you whether any further administrative procedure or legal requirements are needed to ensure the recognition of your marriage/civil partnership in the country of which you are a national.
Notice fees
Notice fees are charged in addition to the cost of your ceremony and any payments due for the hire of an approved venue and/or private suppliers. All notice fees are non-refundable.
- The cost of giving notice is £35 per person (£70 per couple).
- Additional fees may apply whereby further checks need to be carried out and you may need to wait up to 70 days before getting married or forming a civil partnership.
A notice is venue specific and only valid for 12 months so please do not book an appointment more than 1 year ahead of your planned ceremony date. If you change your ceremony date or location of your ceremony or your notice expires, you will be required to book and pay for another notice appointment.
The details recorded at your notice appointment must be correct to help ensure any subsequent ceremony is legal.