Getting married after your spouse has died
You are free to remarry once a previous marriage has ended by death, and the process is the same as any other notice of marriage. The one extra step is proving it: you bring the original death certificate for your late spouse or civil partner to your notice appointment.
What you need to bring
Register offices need to see that you are legally free to marry. If your previous marriage or civil partnership ended because your spouse or civil partner died, the original death certificate is the standard evidence. A photocopy is not accepted.
If the death was registered overseas, bring the original overseas certificate. It may need to be an official document in English or accompanied by a certified translation — check with your register office before you book.
Ordering a replacement certificate
If you no longer hold the original death certificate, you can order a certified copy from the General Register Office or the local register office where the death was registered. This can take a few weeks, so order it as soon as you know you want to give notice, rather than leaving it until your appointment is booked.
Everything else stays the same
Beyond that one document, there is no separate process for widowed people. You each give notice in person at the register office for the district where you live, and the standard 28-day notice period applies before you can marry.
There is no waiting period tied to bereavement itself — the law does not require you to wait a set time after a spouse's death before remarrying.
What this means for you
- Order a replacement death certificate early if you do not have the original to hand.
- An overseas death certificate may need translation, which adds time — start that process well ahead of your notice appointment.
- The 28-day notice period is the only statutory wait; there is no bereavement-related delay in the law itself.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Give notice at your local register office
- GOV.UK — Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026
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Simply Married is an independent planning service, not a register office or government department. Confirm current requirements and fees with your own register office and on GOV.UK.