Get a marriage licence
Before you get married, you need to apply for a marriage licence. This confirms it’s legal for you to marry. A marriage license costs $150.
What you need to know
- You need to arrange your licence at least 3 working days before you get married.
- It expires after 3 months.
- If you’re using a celebrant, they have separate fees.
- Only one of you needs to complete the application, but you need information about both of you.
Apply online
Anyone can apply online, whether you’re in New Zealand or not.
Apply for a marriage licence online
If you want to use the paper form instead
Cost
Personalised ceremony
The marriage licence costs $150.
Celebrants set their own fees on top of the cost of the licence.
Registry ceremony
The marriage licence costs $150.
The ceremony has a set fee of $90, which is paid to the celebrant on the day.
Who can get it
Most people can get a marriage licence. Same-sex marriages are legal in New Zealand.
You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen. Visitors to New Zealand can marry or have a civil union here.
What happens after you apply for a licence
Tip: Put a back-up venue in your application. You can only have the ceremony in the places you’ve put on the application.
Utility links and page information
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