Exceptional circumstances

The notice of marriage or civil partnership can be different in exceptional circumstances.

Housebound or detained person

As part of our duties, we perform marriage or civil partnership ceremonies for housebound or detained persons. Both people planning to get married need to give a notice in the area they live in.

The housebound or detained person, this may be taken at the place they are resident. If the second party is able, their notice will be taken in the local register office. The couple need to produce the same documentary evidence and will need to give the same information as for a standard notice. The couple will also need to produce a statement relating to the housebound or detained person.

In the case of a housebound individual a registered medical practitioner must make a statement, no more than 14 days before the date the notice is given.

The statement should show:

• he or she ought not to be moved from his/her home, hospital, or other place where he/she is at that time
• illness or disability is likely to continue to immobilise that person for at least the three months following the date on which the statement is made

In the case of a detained person a statement is made by the responsible authority for the place of detention, not more than 21 days before the date the notice is given, that there is no objection to that place being specified in the notice of marriage as the place where that marriage is to take place.

The couple wishing to marry must have these statements before the notice can be taken.

The notice must be given a minimum of 16 days prior to the ceremony. The ceremony venue will be recorded as the current residence of the housebound or detained person.

Terminal illness

Provisions are made to allow a marriage or civil partnership to take place when someone is seriously ill, not expected to recover and cannot be moved to a place where a ceremony would normally take place. This process is referred to as a Registrar General’s Licence.

One of the couples will still need to give a notice to the register office for the area the ceremony will take place in. The register office taking the notice contact the General Register Office to arrange the Registrar General’s Licence. There is no fixed waiting period for a Registrar General’s Licence. Once the licence has been granted, the ceremony may take place at any hour of the day or night, within one month of the notice being taken.

The person giving notice needs to have a medical certificate from the doctor attending the person who is ill.

The certificate must show the:

• doctor is in medical attendance on the person concerned
• person is seriously ill and not expected to recover
• person cannot be moved to a place registered for marriages
• person understands the nature and reason for the marriage ceremony
• signed and dated by the doctor and include their qualifications as registered by the General Medical Council

The party giving notice will still need to provide the following details for themselves and their partner when giving notice:

• full name 
• age - the minimum legal age in England and Wales is 16 years of age, but written consent may be needed under 18 years
• address
• nationality
• status for example single or divorced
• occupation
• intended venue for your marriage or civil partnership

You will be asked for paper evidence to verify some of the information, for example your nationality, your address, and your current status. This may include:

• passport
• proof of address, preferably in the form of a bank statement, council tax bill, driving licence or two utility bills from two separate suppliers
• if either person has been married before then we need the Decree Absolute dissolving the previous marriage or the death certificate of the former spouse. If the documents are not in English, you will need to give us a translation

Once the notice has been completed the registrar will send all the relevant paperwork to the General Register Office to get the Registrar General’s Licence. The registrar will be told immediately if the licence has been given. Then you can start to arrange the ceremony.

More information

Contact the Ealing register office for more information.