This is a starting point, not legal advice
Rules, fees and required documents can change, and some details (like exact fees) are set locally by your council or registrar. Always confirm your specific requirements with your local register office before relying on any date here — official links are included below.
Where are you getting married?
The process is different in each nation — pick one to see the right requirements.
When do you need to give notice by?
Register offices get booked up, especially in spring and summer — it's worth trying to book your notice appointment as soon as you can, well ahead of this date.
Giving notice
What to bring & do
Costs to expect
These are approximate and can change — always check the exact fee with your own council or registrar. Separately, most register offices also charge for a registrar to attend your ceremony or for a room hire, which is a different cost again and varies a lot by venue and day of the week.
Official guidance
Always check the details that apply to you on the official government pages below.
Save your checklist
This tool gives general guidance only and isn't legal advice. Requirements, fees and processing times can change — always confirm with your local register office or the official links above before making firm plans.
Legal admin sorted? Build your full day next
Once your notice is booked, lock in the rest of the day — from arrival to last song — with exact timings for every moment.
Open the Wedding Day Timeline BuilderQuick guide
How to check the legal requirements to get married
- Choose England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- Enter your wedding or ceremony date and tick the immigration box if it applies.
- Read your give-notice-by date and tick off each item under What to bring & do.
- Use Copy checklist, Print or Email this draft to myself to keep a record.
What it does
- Separate rules for each UK nation
- Calculates your give-notice-by date
- Allows for an immigration check
- Tick-off document checklist
- Approximate notice fees
- Links to official government guidance
Use it with
- Wedding Day Emergency Kit Checklist – a tick-off list of what to pack in a wedding day emergency kit. From plasters and safety pins to phone chargers, in five sections
- Name Change Checklist – a UK checklist of everywhere to update your name after the wedding, in priority order from passport and driving licence to subscriptions
- Rain Plan Checklist – choose garden, marquee or barn and get a wedding rain plan. See what to move inside, what to keep on standby, and a day-of timeline
- Venue Comparison Tool – compare up to four wedding venues side by side on price, capacity, what is included, late licence and your own rating
Questions
Legal Checklist for Getting Married in the UK: common questions
Who is this marriage checklist for?
It is for couples marrying in the UK who want a clear starting point on the legal side: when to give notice, which documents to bring and roughly what the fees are. Rules differ between England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so the tool shows each nation separately. It is general guidance rather than legal advice, so always confirm with your register office.
How does it work out when to give notice?
Enter your wedding date and the tool counts back the minimum notice period for the nation you picked: 29 days for England & Wales and Scotland, and 28 days for Northern Ireland. If you tick the immigration check box it uses a longer period. Register offices get busy, so book your appointment well before the date shown.
Does the checklist save my details?
Yes, on your own device. Your chosen nation, wedding date, immigration setting and ticks are saved in your browser's local storage, so they are still there when you come back on the same browser. Nothing is sent to the website. Clear everything removes it, and clearing your browser data also wipes it.
What else should we budget for besides the notice fee?
The notice fee is only part of the legal cost. Most register offices also charge for a registrar to attend your ceremony or for the use of a room, and you will usually want at least one copy of your marriage certificate. These charges are set locally, so ask your own council for their current fees early on.
Tim’s tip
Once your notice is booked, send your DJ the ceremony and reception timings early. If the registrar's slot changes, everything after it moves, including when the music needs to start.
Made by Tim Daymond (Tinsel Tim). Tim has been a DJ since 1976 and has run Mobile Disco Network since 2013. He plays weddings and parties across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. He is a Norfolk County Council Trading Standards Trusted Trader (ID 0000457), a member of the NADJ and the winner of 23 independent awards.
Why choose Tim · Awards · Reviews
Your privacy: this tool runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Mobile Disco Network or stored on a server. Your work is saved in this browser only, so it is there when you come back. Clearing your browser data removes it. Email buttons only open your own email app, and nothing is sent until you press send.
Free to use, no sign-up. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
Paperwork in hand?
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