Marriage registration gives you an official marriage certificate, the proof that banks, passport offices, embassies and insurers ask for. It takes a short visit to the registrar’s office with your spouse and witnesses, and in most states you can start the application online.
Quick answer
If your marriage has already been solemnised by religious rites, register it under your personal law (for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, rules made under s.8 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955) or your state’s compulsory registration law. If you want a civil marriage, or are marrying across religions, use the Special Marriage Act, 1954, which needs 30 days’ notice.
The Supreme Court directed all states to make marriage registration compulsory (Seema v. Ashwani Kumar, 2006). Not registering does not make a valid marriage void, but the certificate is the easiest proof that you are married.
Which law applies to your marriage registration?
| Situation | Law | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Hindu, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist couple, already married by rites | Hindu Marriage Act s.8 and state rules | Register the completed marriage; usually one visit |
| Any couple wanting a civil marriage, including inter-faith | Special Marriage Act, 1954 | Notice, 30-day objection period, then marriage before the Marriage Officer |
| Couple already married under personal law but want SMA registration | Special Marriage Act s.15 | Register an existing marriage under the SMA |
| Christian, Muslim or Parsi marriages | Personal law plus state compulsory registration rules | Register with the registrar under state rules |
| Uttarakhand residents | Uniform Civil Code, 2024 | Compulsory registration on the UCC portal |
Documents needed for marriage registration
- Application form (online in most states)
- Proof of age of both spouses: birth certificate, Class 10 certificate or passport (the bride must be at least 18 and the groom at least 21)
- Address proof of both spouses (Aadhaar, passport, voter ID)
- Passport-size photos and a joint wedding photo
- Wedding invitation card, and a certificate from the priest or place of worship where available
- Affidavits on date and place of marriage, marital status and nationality (formats vary by state)
- If previously married: divorce decree or death certificate of the earlier spouse
- ID and photos of the witnesses (usually two or three)
Marriage registration: step by step
- Pick the right law using the table above.
- Gather documents, photos and witness IDs.
- Apply online on your state portal (for example IGRS UP for Uttar Pradesh or e-District Delhi), choosing the registrar’s office with jurisdiction.
- Book an appointment and pay the fee.
- Appear in person with your spouse, the original documents and the witnesses. Biometrics or photos may be taken.
- Download or collect the marriage certificate. Keep a few certified copies.
Special Marriage Act: notice and timeline
- Give notice to the Marriage Officer of a district where at least one of you has lived for 30 days before the notice (s.5).
- The notice is entered in the Marriage Notice Book and displayed (s.6). Anyone may object within 30 days (s.7).
- If there is no valid objection, the marriage is solemnised before the Marriage Officer and three witnesses, and a marriage certificate is entered in the register (ss.11 and 13).
- The marriage must take place within three months of the notice, or a fresh notice is needed.
- Courts have questioned the publication of notices on privacy grounds, and the Allahabad High Court held in 2021 that publication is optional at the couple’s request. Practice varies by state, so ask the Marriage Officer.
Recent state rules on marriage registration
Uttarakhand: Uniform Civil Code
The Uttarakhand UCC came into force on 27 January 2025. Marriages solemnised after that date must be registered within 60 days, online or offline. Marriages between 26 March 2010 and the commencement date had six months to register. The Sub-Registrar must decide within 15 days, and a Tatkal option shortens the inquiry. Live-in relationships also have to be registered. Not registering does not invalidate a marriage but can attract a penalty.
Uttar Pradesh
Marriage registration is compulsory under the UP Marriage Registration Rules, 2017, and you apply on igrsup.gov.in. After a fake-marriage racket came to light, the Allahabad High Court in May 2025 directed tighter checks: registration in the district where either spouse or their parents live, biometrics and photos of the couple and witnesses, Aadhaar-based identity and personal presence. Expect these checks at the office.
Fees and timelines
Marriage registration fees are small in most states (from a few rupees to a few hundred), with a late fee if you register after the state’s deadline. Under the Hindu Marriage Act route, the certificate is often issued the same day or within a week. Under the Special Marriage Act, allow at least 30 days for the notice period. Some states offer a faster Tatkal service for an extra fee.
Why the marriage certificate matters
- Passport (adding or changing a spouse’s name) and spouse visas abroad
- Bank accounts, nominations and insurance claims
- Changing the wife’s surname, if she chooses to (see our gazette name change guide)
- Proof in maintenance, inheritance and divorce matters
- Employer records, family pension and government schemes
Marriage registration for inter-faith and inter-caste couples
Couples of different religions who do not wish to convert usually marry or register under the Special Marriage Act, which keeps each spouse’s religion unchanged. Inter-caste Hindu couples can register under the Hindu Marriage Act like any other Hindu couple. If you fear harassment, you can ask the police for protection; courts have repeatedly directed protection for adult couples who marry by choice.
Marriage registration for NRIs and foreign spouses
- If the marriage took place in India, register it in India; the NRI spouse must usually appear in person.
- If one spouse is a foreign national, the Special Marriage Act is commonly used, and the Marriage Officer may ask for a no-impediment certificate or embassy letter.
- For use abroad, get the marriage certificate apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Marriages solemnised abroad between Indians can be registered at the Indian mission under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969.
Correcting a marriage certificate
If a name, date or address is wrong, apply to the same registrar with proof and an affidavit. Minor spelling errors are usually corrected by a note in the register; larger changes may need both spouses to appear. Do this early, because passport and visa offices compare names letter by letter.
Marriage registration and the Aadhaar name
Use the same name spelling in the marriage registration application as on Aadhaar and PAN. If a spouse later changes their surname, update Aadhaar and PAN using the marriage certificate, which is accepted as proof in most cases.
Marriage registration in other states
Each state makes its own rules, so the office and portal differ. The table shows where couples usually start in some large states. Always check the current fee and document list on the official site before you go.
| State | Where to apply | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | igrsup.gov.in (Stamp and Registration Department) | UP Marriage Registration Rules, 2017; sub-registrar office |
| Delhi | e-District Delhi portal | Office of the SDM (Revenue Department) |
| Maharashtra | Local municipal corporation or gram panchayat | Under the state’s marriage registration law of 1998 |
| Karnataka | Kaveri Online Services (Registration Department) | Sub-registrar office for Hindu marriages |
| Tamil Nadu | tnreginet.gov.in | Tamil Nadu Registration of Marriages Act, 2009 makes registration compulsory |
| Rajasthan | Pehchan portal | Rajasthan Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act, 2009 |
| Telangana | Registration and Stamps Department portal | Sub-registrar office |
| Kerala | Local body (panchayat or municipality) | Kerala Registration of Marriages (Common) Rules, 2008 cover all communities |
| Uttarakhand | UCC portal | Compulsory under the Uniform Civil Code; 60-day limit |
Marriage registration vs court marriage
People often use “court marriage” to mean two different things. A marriage under the Special Marriage Act is solemnised before the Marriage Officer, after the 30-day notice, and the certificate is issued at the same time. Registration of a marriage already performed by religious rites is different: the marriage has happened, and the registrar only records it. If you have already had a Hindu wedding, you do not need a fresh court marriage. You need marriage registration under the Hindu Marriage Act route. Couples who married by religious rites can still choose to register under s.15 of the Special Marriage Act, which some prefer for use abroad.
Arya Samaj and temple certificates
A certificate from an Arya Samaj mandir, gurdwara or temple shows that a ceremony took place, but courts have said that such a certificate on its own is not a substitute for registration by the state’s registrar. Use it as supporting proof in your marriage registration application, along with photos and witness statements. If the marriage was performed in secret or without the required ceremonies, registration may be refused or questioned later.
Worked example: registering a marriage in Uttar Pradesh
Neha and Arjun married by Hindu rites in Varanasi in February 2026. They apply for marriage registration on igrsup.gov.in, choosing the sub-registrar office for Arjun’s address. They upload Class 10 certificates as age proof, Aadhaar as address proof, a joint wedding photo and the invitation card, and pay the fee online. On the appointment date, they appear with two witnesses carrying Aadhaar cards. The sub-registrar checks the originals, takes photos and approves the application. They download the marriage certificate the same week and keep three certified copies: one for the passport, one for Neha’s employer and one for the bank.
How to check the status and download the certificate
- Log in to the state portal with the application number or registered mobile number.
- The status usually moves from “submitted” to “appointment booked”, “verified” and “approved”.
- Once approved, download the digitally signed certificate, or collect a printed copy from the registrar’s office.
- For a certified copy later, apply to the same office with the registration number and a small fee.
- Verify a digital certificate using the QR code or verification link printed on it, where the state provides one.
Remarriage after divorce or the death of a spouse
If either of you was married before, the registrar will check that the earlier marriage has ended. Attach a certified copy of the divorce decree, or the death certificate of the earlier spouse. Under the Hindu Marriage Act, remarriage is allowed only after the divorce decree is final, that is, when no appeal is pending or the time for appeal has passed. For a decree of mutual consent divorce, there is usually no appeal. Marriage registration is refused if a living spouse from an earlier marriage is shown, because a second marriage in that case is void.
Late marriage registration for pension or inheritance
Many people discover the need for a marriage certificate only when a spouse dies and a family pension, bank claim or property transfer is pending. Most states still allow late marriage registration, but the surviving spouse may need extra proof: an affidavit, statements of witnesses who attended the wedding, joint documents such as ration cards, bank accounts or children’s birth certificates naming both parents. If the registrar will not register it, a declaration from a civil court can establish the marriage. See our death certificate guide for the other papers you will need.
Tips for smooth marriage registration
- Fill in names exactly as on Aadhaar and Class 10 certificates.
- Carry originals and two self-attested copies of every document.
- Choose witnesses who know you both and carry valid photo ID.
- Book the earliest appointment; slots fill up during the wedding season.
- Check the certificate for errors before leaving the office, as corrections later take longer.
- Keep a scanned copy of the certificate in your email or DigiLocker, where your state issues it there.
When a marriage registration application is rejected
Rejections usually happen for a few reasons: an age proof that does not match, a missing witness, a district where neither spouse lives, an earlier marriage that is not shown as ended, or doubts that the ceremony took place. The registrar should record the reason. Fix the problem and apply again with better proof. If you think the refusal is wrong, most state rules allow an appeal to a higher officer, such as the district registrar, within a set time. Under the Special Marriage Act, a refusal by the Marriage Officer can be challenged before the district court (s.17). Keep copies of everything you submit, as you may need to show them on appeal.
Applying with complete papers the first time is the easiest way to avoid delay. Most registrars will tell you in advance which documents they expect if you ask at the counter.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting years to register and then struggling to prove the date and place of the marriage.
- Mismatched names or dates across Aadhaar, school certificates and the application.
- Bringing witnesses without valid ID.
- Applying in a district where neither spouse lives.
- Under the Special Marriage Act, letting three months pass after the notice.
Frequently asked questions
Is marriage registration compulsory in India?
Many states have made it compulsory following the Supreme Court’s 2006 direction. Even where it is optional, registering is strongly advisable.
Is a marriage invalid if it is not registered?
No. A marriage that meets the legal conditions stays valid, but you may face difficulty proving it without a certificate.
Can we do marriage registration online?
You can usually apply and book a slot online, but both spouses and the witnesses must still appear before the registrar.
How many witnesses are needed?
Usually two for registration of a Hindu marriage under state rules, and three under the Special Marriage Act.
Can we register a marriage that took place years ago?
Yes. Most states allow late registration with a late fee and affidavits about the marriage.
Can NRIs register their marriage in India?
Yes, if the marriage took place in India and the parties can appear. Marriages abroad are usually registered at the Indian mission under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969.
Do I need to change my name after marriage registration?
No. A name change is optional. If you choose to change it, use an affidavit and, where needed, a gazette notification.
What is the minimum age for marriage registration?
The bride must be at least 18 and the groom at least 21 on the date of marriage. Registration is refused if either was under age.
Can marriage registration be done without the parents?
Yes. Parents’ consent is not needed for adults. Only the spouses and the witnesses must appear.
Is an Arya Samaj certificate enough as proof of marriage?
Not on its own. Use it as supporting proof and register the marriage with the state registrar to get an official marriage certificate.
What is the difference between marriage registration and court marriage?
Court marriage usually means a marriage solemnised under the Special Marriage Act after a 30-day notice. Marriage registration records a marriage that has already been performed by religious rites.
How do I get a certified copy of my marriage certificate?
Apply to the registrar’s office that registered the marriage, with the registration number and the fee. Many states also let you download a digitally signed copy online.
Can we register our marriage in a different state from where we married?
Usually you register where the marriage took place or where either spouse lives, depending on the state’s rules. Check the jurisdiction rule on your state portal.
Where can I get a ready-to-use affidavit for name change after marriage?
Use the CIVL name change affidavit format, and the address proof affidavit format if your address has changed.
CIVL format
Paperwork after marriage
Changing your surname? Use the name change affidavit format and read our gazette name change guide. Updating your address? Try the address proof affidavit format and our Aadhaar address update guide. Or Ask CIVL.