Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership
By law you must give notice of a marriage or civil partnership. This is a formal declaration of your intention to enter into civil partnership or marriage. You are both required to give notice and there is a standard fee for this.
If you live in Manchester and you are a British Citizen, Irish Citizen or you have either EUSS settled status, EUSS pre-settled status or a pending application for EUSS settled status that was submitted on or before 30 June 2025, you must give notice to us at the Manchester Registration Service. If either or both of you live in another district, then you must give your notice(s) at your local register office(s). Prior to giving notice you must have lived in the district where you are giving notice for a minimum of 7 clear days.
If you are an EEA national without EUSS settled status, EUSS pre-settled status or a pending application for EUSS settled status that was submitted on or before 30 June 2025 or you are from anywhere outside of the EU you must give your notices together at a district in which one of you lives. Prior to giving notice one or both of you must have lived in the district where you are giving notice for a minimum of 7 full days.
Your marriage or civil partnership can only be formed at the venue you name on the formal notice, so you need to have chosen your venue before you give notice. If you change the venue you will have to give, and pay for, fresh notices.
Marriages and Civil Partnership are available for both same sex and opposite sex couples. It is not currently possible to convert a marriage to a civil partnership. Read about the differences between a marriage and a civil partnership
Find out more about the ceremonies and venues available in Manchester
Make an appointment to give notice
If you live within the Manchester registration district you can now make an appointment online.
Timings are important: you cannot give notice of a civil partnership or marriage more than a year before the date of the ceremony, and a marriage or civil partnership cannot be formed until a minimum of 28 full days after you have given the notice.
Couples wanting to marry in the Church of England or Church in Wales, please contact us at registeroffice@manchester.gov.uk to enquire whether a notice of marriage is required.
Please note to book an appointment you do not need an account log-on. You will be booking your appointment as a guest on the system.
Book an appointment to give notice
If you arrive for a notice appointment and do not have the required documentation, or do not meet the residency requirements, then the notice appointment will not be able to go ahead. A further appointment will need to be made, and the fees will need to be paid again. If you are in any doubt please contact the Register Office at: registeroffice@manchester.gov.uk If you would like to speak to a member of staff, please include a daytime telephone number in your email.