British and Irish Nationals and those with EU settled or pre-settled status

Giving legal notice of marriage or civil partnership

In England and Wales, both parties must give legal notice of their intention to marry or form a civil partnership. This must be done in person, by appointment, at the Register Office in the district where each person lives or has lived for at least seven clear days prior to the appointment.

The fee for each notice of marriage or civil partnership is £42.

What is a notice of marriage / civil partnership?

A notice is a signed legal declaration of your intention to marry or form a a civil partnership. It is displayed in the Register Office for 28 clear clear calendar days and ensures that both parties are legally free to proceed with the ceremony.

It is essential that all information recorded is accurate. Any corrections required after your ceremony must be submitted to the General Register Office, who will charge a £99 correction fee. Please check all details thoroughly before signing any paperwork.

To book your notice appointment with Leicestershire, please call 0116 3056565. For further details about the information you will be asked to provide when booking, please refer to our FAQs.

Please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive late, we may not be able to proceed, and your appointment may need to be rearranged. Any rearranged appointment may not be available on the same day.

After you have given notice, there is a statutory waiting period of at least 28 days before your marriage or civil partnership can take place. A notice is valid for 12 months, so please keep these timeframes in mind when requesting your ceremony date.

What documents do I need to provide at my appointment?

We can only complete your notice if all required documents are produced at your appointment. You must bring evidence of your name, date of birth, address, nationality, marital status and, where applicable, your immigration status.

You will also need to provide accurate details of the venue where your legal ceremony will take place, as well as the time you intend to marry or form a civil partnership.

You will need to provide one of the following documents to prove your name, date of birth and nationality:

• A valid full passport, or
• A full original UK birth certificate
  • If you were born before 1st January 1983, your birth certificate is sufficient.
  • If you were born on or after 1st January 1983, you must provide your own birth certificate along with your mother’s birth certificate to confirm nationality (or your father’s birth certificate if your parents were married at the time of your birth).

You will need to provide one of the following documents as proof of your current address:

• A utility bill dated within 3 months of your appointment
• A bank or building society statement dated within 1 month of your appointment
• A council tax bill for the current year
• A current residential tenancy agreement
• A valid driving licence or provisional licence showing your current address
• A letter from your landlord, dated within the last 7 days, confirming that you live at the address. The letter must include the landlord’s name, address and signature.

If your documents are not all in the same name, you will also need to provide evidence of any name changes, such as a change of name deed or a previous marriage certificate.

If you are unsure about whether your documents are acceptable, please contact us before your appointment to ensure we can take your notice.

If you have previously been married or in a civil partnership, you must also provide one of the following documents:

• A decree absolute or final order
  • The name on this document must match the name shown on the other documents you provide. If the name differs, you may need to supply your original marriage certificate or an official name change document to link the records.
• The death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner

Please only book an appointment once you have all the required documents ready.

Parents details

For historical record purposes, we will ask for your parents’ details during your notice appointment, including their full names, occupations and whether they are retired. Providing this information is optional, but please bring these details if you would like them included on your marriage schedule.

We can record information for natural, step or adoptive parents, and these details can also be included if your parent or parents are deceased.

EU, EEA or settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you are from the EU or EEA, or you hold stelled or pre-settled status un der the EU Settlement Scheme, you will be asked to provide your Home Office Share code. Your immigration status will be checked before your appointment.