What is a notice of marriage / notice of civil partnership?
A notice of marriage or notice of civil partnership is a legal declaration which must be given individually, by each of you, in person, before a legal marriage ceremony or civil partnership formation can take place.
A notice is venue specific, so you must know where your legal marriage ceremony or civil partnership formation is going to take place before you book your appointment to give notice.
A notice is valid for 12 months from the date the notice is given, so ensure that your ceremony or formation has been booked within the relevant timeframe with both the venue and / or local registration service.
If, after giving notice, you change the ceremony venue or the date is moved beyond 12 months from the date of your appointment, you must give a new notice and pay the fees again.
Your notice must be displayed publicly for 28 clear days before a marriage or civil partnership schedule can be issued. However, if one or both parties to the marriage / civil partnership is subject to immigration control, this legal wait period may be extended, by the Home Office, to 70 days.
Please do ensure that you plan ahead as appointments can be in high demand and your marriage or civil partnership cannot take place if the legal preliminaries are not carried out in sufficient time to allow for the marriage or civil partnership schedule to be issued ahead of the ceremony date.
When and where can we give notice?
The requirements are different depending on your nationality. Please read the following information carefully.
If you are British, Irish or an EEA citizen with EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status granted or applied for before 30 June 2021 you must:
- each give your notice of marriage or civil partnership at the register office in the district where you have lived for the nine days prior to the appointment.
- If you both live in the Milton Keynes registration district you can book a double appointment and attend together or, if you can't find a suitable double appointment, you can book single notice appointments and attend separately. Please do check that you live within the Milton Keynes registration district before booking your appointment as not all areas with an MK postcode, or Milton Keynes in their address fall within the Milton Keynes registration district, so check where you pay your council tax, if it is paid to Milton Keynes City Council, then you need to book your notice appointment with us. If you pay your council tax to any other district, then you need to book your appointment in the district where your council tax is paid.
If one or both of you is a non-EEA national or an EEA citizen without EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status:
- You must book a double notice appointment and attend together
- Both of you must live in a district of England or Wales for the nine days immediately before giving notice and you must give notice, together, in the district where one, or both of you, has lived for the nine days immediately before the appointment.
Further information regarding giving a notice can be found on the Give Notice pages on the gov.uk website.
What documents do we need to take to our notice appointment?
The documents required are prescribed by law and these requirements are slightly different depending on your nationality.
All documents must be originals, we are unable to accept electronic documents.
Check the details below to ensure you bring the correct documentation as if anything is missing, expired, photocopied or on a mobile device, we won't be able to take your notice and you will need to book a new appointment and pay the appointment fee again.
Please select the relevant option below, depending on your nationality, for details of the documents required for a notice appointment:
We are British, Irish or EEA citizens with EUSS status granted or applied for prior to 30 June 2021
One or both of us are non-EEA or EEA citizens without EUSS status
What happens after we've given notice?
Once you have successfully given notice, we have to display your notices publicly for 28 full days, depending on your immigration status, this period may be extended up to 70 days. Your marriage or civil partnership schedule will be issued after this legal wait period has been completed and:
- any investigations by the Home Office have been carried out (if applicable);
- any foreign divorce documentation has been cleared by the General Register Office (if applicable).
The schedule will be printed in the district where your ceremony is taking place and will either be retained by the register office, if the ceremony is taking place there or within a licenced venue within that district, or sent to the place of worship in advance of the ceremony date.
How do we book a notice appointment?
If you live within the Milton Keynes registration district, and pay your council tax to Milton Keynes City Council, you can book your appointment by using the appropriate link below or by calling 01908 372101. Please ensure you have a credit or debit card to hand as payment will need to be made to secure your booking.
Book a notice of marriage appointment
Book a notice of civil partnership appointment
What if we are getting married in a church or religious building?
If you are planning to marry in the Church of England or Church in Wales you must carry out the legal formalities by Banns or Common Licence (please check with your church). However, where one or both of you are non-EEA or EEA nationals without EUSS status you will be required to give your notice of marriage together at a register office in a district of England or Wales where one or both of you has lived for the nine days immediately before the day the appointment takes place.
If you wish to marry in any other denomination of faith one or both of you must live in the district where the place of worship is located.
- If you are both British, Irish or EEA citizens with EUSS granted or applied for before 30 June 2021, you must give your notice in the district where you have lived for the nine days immediately before your appointment.
- If one or both of you are non-EEA or EEA nationals without EUSS status then you must book a double appointment in the district where one of you has lived for the nine days immediately before the appointment takes place. Please note that both of you must have lived in a district of England or Wales for the nine days immediately before the appointment takes place.
If you do not live in the district where the place of worship is located then you must bring a letter from the place of worship, on official headed paper, confirming that this is the usual place of worship for one or both of you along with the documents needed to give notice.
In the first instance you should check with the church or place of worship to see if they are available for the date you are considering and to confirm what is required. Also if a registrar needs to be booked to attend the ceremony in order to register the marriage.
Fees
Fees are payable at the time of booking your appointment to give your notice of marriage or notice of civil partnership.