The residency requirement for giving notice of marriage
You must have lived in the district where you give notice for at least the last seven full days before your appointment. This is checked against your proof of address, so if you have recently moved you may need to wait before booking or give notice in your previous district instead.
What counts as residency
The seven-day rule looks at where you have actually been living immediately before your appointment, evidenced by documents like utility bills, council tax or a tenancy agreement dated within that window.
It is not about where you are registered to vote or where your post is sent — it is about where you have genuinely resided.
Recently moved
If you moved less than seven days before your ideal appointment date, you have two options: push the appointment back until the seven days have passed, or give notice in the district you were living in immediately beforehand, if you can still evidence that address.
Different districts for each partner
You do not need to live in the same district as your partner. Each of you gives notice separately, in your own local district, and the two notices are linked for your ceremony.
What this means for you
- Book your appointment for at least seven days after any house move, not before.
- Keep dated proof of address covering the relevant week — a single recent bill is not always enough.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Give notice at your local register office
- GOV.UK — Marriages and civil partnerships in the UK
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026
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Related guides
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.