Which register office do I give notice at?
You give notice at the register office for the district where you have lived for at least the last seven full days. If you and your partner live in different districts, you each give notice separately at your own office. Where you marry does not change where you give notice.
Notice district vs ceremony district
These are frequently different. Your notice district is decided by residence; your ceremony district is decided by the venue, and that district's registration service supplies the registrars for a civil ceremony.
Living in different areas
Two notices at two offices is a normal arrangement and does not delay you, provided both appointments happen promptly. The waiting period effectively runs from the later of the two notices.
Living abroad
If one of you lives outside England and Wales, the arrangements differ and you should speak to the register office for the district where the resident partner lives before booking anything.
What this means for you
- Book the later appointment first if one district is much busier than the other.
- Use the directory below to find the office covering each of you.
Official sources
Last reviewed: 16 August 2026 · Next review due 16 November 2026
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Search our directory of register offices in England and Wales. Every entry shows when we last checked it against official council sources.
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.