Before your ceremony, you have to complete a legal Notice of Marriage or Civil Partnership at the Register Office in the district where you live.

Where to give notice

If you both live in Warrington, you need to give notice at Warrington Register Office. 

• If you and your partner live in different districts, you have to give notice separately to the Register Office in each area. You don’t have to do this on the same day.
• If you or your partner are from outside the EU, EEA or from Switzerland, you may have to give notice together at a ‘designated register office’. Check the list of Designated Register Offices. 

You have to give notice yourself and in person, no one can give notice on your behalf.

When to give notice

At least 28 days before your marriage or civil partnership takes place. If one or both of you are subject to immigration control, you may have to do this further in advance - up to 70 days before. You have to hold your ceremony within one year after you give notice.

What to bring

Proof of your identity and nationality:

• your passport
• your full birth certificate if you don’t have a valid passport* 
• your National Identity Card if you’re from the EU, EEA or Switzerland

*If you don’t have a passport and you were born after 1 January 1983, you’ll need to bring your full birth certificate and:

• the birth certificate or passport of your biological or adopted mother, or if not available
• Provided your father was married to your mother at the time of your birth, you may bring his passport or birth certificate. If you do, you will also need to bring their marriage certificate with you.

Proof of your address:

• full, UK driving licence
• a utility bill, dated within the last three months
• a recent council tax bill 
• a bank or building society statement, dated within the past month
• a mortgage statement or tenancy agreement

Proof of any name changes:

• a legal document proving your legal name change, like a deed poll

If you’ve been married or been in a civil partnership before:

• the decree absolute or dissolution order from your most recent marriage or civil partnership
• your former spouse or partner’s death certificate, showing your name on the certificate as the informant – if you weren’t the informant, you must also bring your marriage or civil partnership certificate
• if your divorce, annulment or dissolution was granted outside the UK, bring proof of this. You’ll have to pay £50 so that we can check these documents. If the General Register Office needs to check the documents, you’ll have to pay £75.

Please bring the original documents

All of your documents must be the originals, we can’t accept photocopies. If you don’t bring all of the necessary documents with you we can’t accept your notice, and you’ll need to book another appointment at a later date.

Costs

Giving Notice of Marriage or Civil Partnership costs £35 per person, at Warrington Register Office you can pay by cash or card.

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