If you wish to marry by civil ceremony, at a register office or other building approved for civil marriage in Lancashire, you will need to contact the Ceremonies Officer for the area where you wish to marry. If you are both legally free to marry you can make a booking up to 12 months in advance. Elsewhere contact the Superintendent Registrar for the district where you wish to marry. You may marry at any register office in England or Wales. However, for a marriage in an approved premise e.g. a hotel licensed by the local authority, you will also need to make arrangements, at the venue. In addition, you will both need to give a formal notice of your marriage to the superintendent registrar of the district where you live.

Non British Citizens should contact their local Registration Office for further information or visit the Home Office Website.

If you live in Lancashire you can chose to attend at any Lancashire County Council registration office to give notice of your intention to marry. You do not have to go to the one nearest to your home. All offices operate appointment systems so please contact your preferred office in advance for an appointment.

The Ceremonies Officers are responsible for managing the marriage programme for each of three areas across the County. If you plan a Civil Marriage in a Register Office or at an approved premise in Lancashire you will need the Superintendent Registrar or her Deputy and a Registrar in attendance to conduct the ceremony and register your marriage.  When you are both legally free to marry, and have chosen the date and venue for your marriage, contact the Ceremonies Officer for the area where you plan to marry.

When you attend before the superintendent registrar to make the formal arrangements, you will need to produce certain documents. You will need to give evidence of your name, age, marital status, nationality and current address.

A current full passport would be the preferred document (or where appropriate a national identity card). If this is not available a birth certificate issued at or near the time of the registration of you birth would be acceptable. If you were born after the 31st December 1982 and do not hold a British Passport you will need to produce your full birth certificate plus, for nationality purposes, either your natural/adoptive mother’s passport or birth certificate or your natural/adoptive father’s passport or birth certificate.

In order to check your current address we will need to see either a bank statement or Council Tax/utility bill on which your name appears.

If you have been married before you will need to produce documents to confirm that you are now free to marry. These could include either a divorce decree absolute bearing the court’s original stamp, or the death certificate of your former husband or wife.

Depending on your individual circumstances, other documents may be required, but your local superintendent registrar will be able to advise you. You should be aware that photocopies are not acceptable.

Lancashire Register offices use an appointment system, and you should contact the appropriate office to book an appointment.