What happens if your marriage notice expires?
If more than 12 months pass between giving notice and your ceremony, the notice lapses and is no longer valid. You will need to attend a fresh notice appointment, provide your documents again, and pay the notice fee again, then wait a new statutory notice period before you can marry.
Why notice has an expiry
Notice confirms your circumstances at a specific point in time. After 12 months, the law requires you to reconfirm those facts are still accurate, rather than relying on an old declaration indefinitely.
What re-giving notice involves
It is essentially starting the process again: booking a new appointment, bringing your documents once more, and paying the fee again. The new notice period — usually 28 days — applies from the new date.
Avoiding this situation
If your wedding date is uncertain or more than a year away, it's usually better to delay giving notice until your date is settled, rather than giving notice early and risking it lapsing.
What this means for you
- A lapsed notice cannot be extended or reinstated — you must start again in full.
- If your ceremony gets postponed near the 12-month mark, act early to rebook rather than risk missing the deadline.
Official sources
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.