Marriage licence rules in Ireland

In Ireland, you must give 3 months' notice of your marriage at an HSE civil registration office, and the fee is €200. After a notification appointment, the registrar gives you a Marriage Registration Form. The HSE says it is sometimes called a marriage licence.

The notification appointment

You book a marriage notification appointment with a civil registration service. The HSE lists 40 offices. The 3 months' notice starts from the date of that appointment. The non-refundable fee is €200, and you usually pay it at the appointment.

The Marriage Registration Form is valid for 6 months from the date you intend to marry. If you change the date within that time, the form can be amended. Otherwise you apply again, with at least 3 months' notice before the new date. The HSE says you do not pay a second fee.

What to bring

The HSE checklist asks each of you to bring:

• valid photo ID and a photocopy of the photo page, such as a passport or an EU national identity card
• your birth certificate, original and photocopy
• proof of address dated within the last 3 months
• your PPS number

If you are divorced, bring the divorce decree. If you are widowed, bring your late spouse's death certificate and your civil marriage certificate. Documents that are not in English or Irish need a translation.

You also give details of the ceremony. These include the type of ceremony, the venue, the solemniser's name, and the names and dates of birth of your two witnesses.

Foreign nationals

The registrar interviews you if one of you is a foreign national. An interview also happens if an EU national marries a non-EU national.

The ceremony

The ceremony can be civil, religious or secular. The solemniser must be on the register of solemnisers. You need 2 witnesses aged 18 or older.

Before you book

Opening hours and appointment rules differ by office. Confirm the current details with the civil registration office you plan to use.