Giving 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 marry.
A Superintendent Registrar and Registrar, or an authorised person, needs to be present at all marriages/civil partnerships, except those at a church belonging to the Church of England. It is therefore important that you make sure the Registrars are available before you confirm any other arrangements.
Where do we give notice?
If you live in Liverpool, the Register Office is at:
St George's Hall (Heritage Entrance),
St George's Place,
Liverpool,
L1 1JJ.
For all weddings (except Church of England weddings), each of the parties to a marriage/civil partnership must give notice personally at this office of their intention to marry in person.
To make an appointment, or for any other advice on marriage please contact us.
What is a Notice of Marriage?
The notice of marriage or civil partnership is a legal statement which you must sign. If you plan to be married in the Church of England, you should see your local vicar who will arrange for the Banns of Marriage to be published.
A notice states the names, age, marital status, address, occupation and nationality of the people intending to marry or form a civil partnership. It also states the intended venue for the ceremony.
Notices are displayed on the public notice boards of the register office for 15 clear days. Only then can the ‘authorities for marriage’ or civil partnership ‘schedule’ be issued. These must be collected from the register office and taken to whoever is officiating at the ceremony, be they a religious minister or a registrar, in advance of the ceremony. Your marriage cannot take place without them.
The 'authorities for marriage' or 'schedule' are only valid for use in the venue stated, so it is vital that you are certain of the place in which you plan to be married or form a civil partnership at the time of giving your notice. If you need to change the venue after giving your notice you will be required to give fresh notices stating the new venue.
A notice of marriage or civil partnership is valid for 12 months.
If you are not able to attend a church or Register Office because of long term or serious illness, you can be married at home or in hospital. The Registrars will be pleased to explain and advise further.
How much does it cost?
The fee for the notice is £35 each (£70 per wedding/civil partnership) payable to the Superintendent Registrar at the time of giving the Notice of Marriage.
What documents will we need to provide?
You will need to provide evidence of your name, age, nationality and condition. The most commonly accepted documents are:
- Name, age and nationality – 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 evidence of your parent’s nationalities also.
- Condition (this is required when you have been previously married or formed a legally recognised civil partnership either in this country or abroad) – evidence of how the marriage/civil partnership ended, for example, Decree Absolute of Divorce or death certificate of former husband/wife/civil partner. A Decree Nisi of Divorce is not acceptable. Photocopies or faxes are not acceptable. If the document is in another language, we will need a translation into English.
You will also be asked to provide evidence of your current address, for example your driving licence, or a utility bill or bank statement (dated within the last 6 months)
If you cannot provide any of the above documents please contact us for advice.