Giving notice
Before you can marry in a register office, approved premises, church or chapel in England or Wales (other than within the Church of England where you may have banns called), you must each give notice of your intention to marry. Notice must be given to the superintendent registrar of the district in which you live, regardless of where, in England or Wales, you wish to be married. A fee of £33.50 is charged for each notice.
Couples living in South Gloucestershire who are British nationals or nationals of a member of the European Economic Area can give their Notice of Marriage at the Register Office, Poole Court, Poole Court Drive, Yate, or in certain circumstances at Kingswood Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood. Appointments for Notices of Marriage can be made by telephoning the Register Office on 01454 863140, or by using the "Registrar - make an appointment" link on this page.
For those couples subject to immigration control (e.g. nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area) both parties must give notice in a designated register office. The nearest designated register office is Bristol Register Office, The Old Council House, Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1JG. Telephone 0117 9222800.
After you have given your notice, you must wait at least 15 clear days (not including the day the notice is given nor the day the authority is issued) whilst the notice is publicly displayed in the register office. If no one objects to your marriage, the superintendent registrar will then issues forms which allow your marriage to take place.
Once given, your notice is valid for 12 months. It does not matter if either of you move to a different address after the notices have been given.
In the event of an emergency, if you need to contact the Register Office out of opening hours, please telephone 01454 868009.
Where to give notice
You both need to go to your local register office to give notice of your intention to marry. If you plan to have a civil marriage ceremony in a different area, you should also contact the register office for that district. This is because you will need to make sure that a superintendent registrar (who will conduct the service) and a registrar of marriages (who will record the details in the marriage register and issue your certificate) will be free on the day you plan to marry.
Documentation needed
When you give notice of your intention to marry, you will be asked to produce evidence of your current name, age, address and nationality (ideally your passport, your full birth certificate and a recent utility bill). Alternative documents (but not a mobile phone bill) may be acceptable if these are not available.
Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be asked to provide some of the following documents:
- Parental consent (for those under 18 years old)
- For people born after 01.01.1983, a full birth certificate if a valid passport is not available, together with their mother's or father's birth certificate (a father's birth certificate is only acceptable if the parents were married when their child was born)
- A decree absolute, with an original court seal (if you have been divorced)
- A death certificate of a late spouse and in some cases your marriage certificate (for example if you are a widow and did not register your husband's death in person)
- A deed poll document (if you have changed your name)
Without the necessary documents the registrar will not be able to take your Notices.