Get married in Ireland

If you want to get married in Ireland, you must give three months notice, in person, at a civil registration service. This applies to all civil, religious and secular marriages.

To give notice, you must book a notification appointment and both of you must attend.

Book a marriage notification appointment

To book a marriage notification appointment over the phone, contact a civil registration service.

More information on impediments to marriage in Ireland.

For certain areas of the country you can also book online.

Book your appointment as far in advance as possible. Waiting times can vary throughout the year.

Contact a civil registration service if you are in a civil partnership and you want to get married.

What happens during the marriage notification appointment

At the marriage notification appointment, the registrar meets both of you.

You sign a declaration stating that you do not know of any legal reason why the marriage can't happen.

If everything is in order, the registrar gives you a marriage registration form.

Registrars can investigate and form an opinion of the authenticity of an application. This can result in a decision to not grant a licence.

You need to bring certain documents and photocopies with you.

Postal notifications

If you are not living in Ireland and you want to give notice by post, contact a civil registration service.

You will still need to give 3 months notice. You will also need to meet the registrar at least 5 days before the ceremony to sign the declaration form.

The registrar will also give you the Marriage Registration Form.

EU and foreign nationals

You will need to attend an interview with the registrar if:

• you are an EU national marrying a non-EU national
• one of you is a foreign national

Notification fees

The non-refundable notification fee is €200.

Who can marry you

For a marriage to be legal, the ceremony must be performed by a solemniser.

The solemniser must be on the Register of Solemnisers.

For a civil ceremony, the registrar will solemnise the marriage.

Witnesses

Both witnesses must be over the age of 18 on the day of the marriage ceremony.

Civil ceremonies

You will need 2 witnesses over the age of 18.

The registrar who conducted the ceremony will register the marriage.

Note: Further charges can apply for civil ceremonies that take place at a venue that is not a registry office.

Religious ceremonies

You must book a notification appointment for a church, religious or secular ceremony.

Contact the religious authorities to arrange the ceremony. You will also need to register the marriage.

You will need to download and complete the capture of data form and bring it to your marriage notification appointment.

Documents everyone needs

Both of you must bring the original and a colour photocopy of the photo page of one of the following:

• passport
• refugee card or asylum card issued by the Department of Justice
• national identity card from an EU country accepting them as a travel document

Photo ID documents must be in date.

You will also need:

• the original and photocopy of your birth certificates
• proof of address - original and photocopy dated within last 3 months
• your Personal Public Service (PPS) Numbers

Translation and authentication of documents

If your documents are not in English or Irish you must provide translations.

Public documents issued by an EU member state should be accompanied by a Multilingual Standard Form (MSF), which is a translation and authentication document accepted across the EU.

If you were born outside the EU and you do not have an acceptable form of photographic ID (for example a valid passport, Public Service Card, etc.), you will require an apostille stamp or letter from your Embassy/Diplomatic Mission confirming the authenticity of your certificates.

You will also need:

• proof of address - original and photocopy of a utility bill
• Personal Public Service (PPS) Number - if you have a current address, or will have a future address, in Ireland
• nature of ceremony - civil, religious or secular
• name of the solemniser
• name and address of the proposed venue
• name and date of birth of both witnesses

If one of you is not an EU citizen

Please bring up-to-date evidence of your immigration status.

If you speak to each other in a language that is not English or Irish, you must provide an interpreter. You will also need to do this at the ceremony.

Ceremony details

You will need to provide the following information about your ceremony:

• the type of service
• name and address of the proposed venue
• name of the solemniser
• name and date of birth of both witnesses

If you're divorced

You will need an original or certified copy, and photocopy, of your divorce decree. If there is a stay on the divorce decree, bring this too.

Contact a civil registration service for advice if you divorced in another country.

All foreign divorces will be examined by the General Register Office to determine whether it can be recognised in the State.

If you're a widow or widower

You will need the:

• original and photocopy of the civil marriage certificate
• original and photocopy of the civil death certificate of late spouse

If you're in a civil partnership

Contact a civil registration service if you want to get married.

Note: You will need the original and a photocopy of the civil partnership certificate.

Previous civil partnership

For a previous civil partnership, you will need the final decree of dissolution.

If you're a surviving civil partner

You will need the:

• original and photocopy of the civil partnership certificate
• original and photocopy of the civil death certificate of late civil partner

If you have a civil annulment

You will need the:

• original and photocopy of the civil annulment court order
• court letter and photocopy confirming there is no appeal lodged against the order

You can book a marriage notification appointment online for a religious or secular marriage. You can do this for all areas of the country except Limerick, Clare and Tipperary North.

The couple and celebrant must arrange the marriage ceremony.

Book a religious or secular marriage notification appointment.

Book a marriage notification appointment online

You can book a civil marriage notification appointment online in the following areas:

• Cavan
• Cork
• Galway
• Kerry
• Louth
• Mayo
• Meath
• Monaghan
• Roscommon
• Wexford

Book a civil marriage notification appointment online.

Book a civil marriage notification appointment and ceremony online

You can book a civil marriage notification appointment and ceremony online in the following areas:

• Meath
• Louth
• Cavan
• Monaghan

Book a civil marriage notification appointment and ceremony online.

A civil ceremony can be held in a civil registration service or a venue approved by the registrar. You do not have to live in the same area as the venue.

In general, registrars only perform ceremonies in the county in which they are based.

If you want to get married in a venue other than a civil registration service, contact the civil registration service in that area. The registrar may need to inspect the venue.

An additional fee is charged for holding a civil ceremony in a venue other than a civil registration service.

Selecting a venue

The venue must be suitable for a marriage ceremony. It must have enough space for those attending.

The venue must be either:

• a building that is open to the public
• a courtyard, garden, field or piece of ground that is open to the public and is near to and usually shared with the building

The venue must also:

• be clearly recognised by description and location
• allow unrestricted access
• meet planning permission, fire safety and health and safety requirements
• have public liability insurance cover
• be accessible to all
• have no recent or current connection with any religion, religious practice or persuasion

How you register your marriage depends on the type of ceremony you have.

Civil marriage

The registrar who conducted the ceremony will register the marriage.

Religious or secular marriage

Bring the marriage registration form to any civil registration service. You must do this within 1 month of the date of marriage.

Fee for registering a marriage

Registering a marriage in Ireland is free.

There is a charge for purchasing a marriage certificate.

Marriages outside Ireland

If you get married abroad, the registration of your marriage will be in the country where the marriage took place.

The civil registration service does not register marriages that took place abroad.

Order online, by post or in person from any civil registration service.

To get a marriage certificate you need to provide:

• couple's full names before marriage
• date of marriage or approximate date if not known
• name and full address of church, civil registration office or venue where the marriage took place

Fees

Online orders

€20 for a full standard certificate.

Over the counter orders

Fees for ordering certificates at a civil registration service or by post are:

• €20 for a full standard certificate
• €5 for an uncertified copy - can only be used for research purposes
• €10 to have a certificate authenticated - available from the General Register Office
• No fee for a copy for social welfare purposes and registering for a Public Services Card PSC. (A letter from the department is required)
• €20 for a certified copy of an entry in the Adopted Children Register

Online orders

Delivery time depends on how long it takes to locate the certificate and where it is being posted to. We aim to post certificates within 20 working days.

Postage for online orders is €1.50 per order in Ireland and €2 per order outside of Ireland.

If we are unable to find the record, we will send you a full refund.

Note: You can only order full standard certificates online.

Order by post

To order a certificate by post in English or in Irish, download one of the application forms at the bottom of this page.

Years certificates are available

Certificates are available for:

• marriages registered in the island of Ireland from 1864 to 1921 and in Ireland from 1922
• civil partnerships registered in Ireland from 2011

Contact us about online orders