Simply MarriedEngland & Wales

What evidence proves you are free to marry?

If you have never been married or in a civil partnership, your declaration at the notice appointment is usually sufficient, alongside standard identity documents. If you have been married or in a civil partnership before, you must provide original evidence that it has legally ended, such as a final order or a death certificate.

If you have never married before

You will complete a formal declaration confirming you know of no legal reason you cannot marry, and this, together with your identity documents, is generally enough.

If a previous marriage or civil partnership has ended

The original final order (formerly decree absolute) or dissolution order is the standard evidence, and it must be the document ending the marriage, not an earlier stage such as the conditional order.

If your former spouse or civil partner has died, an original death certificate serves the same purpose.

Marriages or divorces that took place abroad

Foreign divorce or death documents are usually accepted but may need to be professionally translated, and in some cases a register office will want additional confirmation that a foreign divorce is recognised in England and Wales.

What this means for you

  • Track down original documents for every previous marriage or civil partnership, not just the most recent.
  • Build in extra time if any document was issued outside the UK, since translation and verification take longer.

Official sources

Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026

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Related guides

What documents do you need if you were married before?If a previous marriage or civil partnership has ended, you need original evidence of that before you can give notice of a new marriage.Do foreign documents need translating for your marriage notice?When documents issued outside the UK — birth certificates, decrees, passports — need an official translation before a register office will accept them.Capacity to consent to marriageBoth people marrying must understand what marriage means and consent freely. Here is what that means in practice at a notice appointment.

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.