Can I get married in Ireland?
Yes — but you must give at least 3 months' notice in person to a registrar before the wedding date. This 3-month notification applies by law to all civil, religious and secular marriages. The notification fee is €200 (non-refundable), usually paid at the appointment, which both partners normally attend together with ID, PPS numbers, and details of the venue and solemniser. If everything is in order, the registrar issues a Marriage Registration Form (MRF) — effectively your authorisation to marry. You must be at least 18, have the capacity to marry, be free to marry (not already married or in a civil partnership), and not be in a prohibited degree of relationship. In short: yes, with the mandatory 3-month notice and an MRF — you can't just turn up.
📋 The rules
- Give 3 months' notice in person to a registrar
- Applies to civil, religious and secular weddings
- Notification fee is €200 (non-refundable)
- The registrar issues a Marriage Registration Form (MRF)
- Minimum age to marry is 18
🔓 Exceptions
- Can't give 3 months' notice? Apply to the Circuit Court for an exemption
- Religious/secular ceremony: return the MRF within 1 month to register it
- One partner can give notice alone in limited cases, but both must meet the registrar
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Marrying without the required notice or MRF means the marriage is not legally valid. The notification fee is €200; a civil ceremony in a registry office carries an additional venue or solemniser fee. If you genuinely can't give the full 3 months' notice (for example serious illness), you can apply to the Circuit Family Court for a Marriage Notification Exemption. For a religious or secular ceremony, you must return the completed MRF to a registrar within one month of the wedding for the marriage to be registered. Beware a myth: "you can just turn up and have a quick registry-office wedding" is false — even the simplest civil marriage requires the full 3-month notice and a face-to-face notification appointment first. To marry: book your registrar appointment early, well over three months before the date.
📎 Official sources
- Citizens Information — notification requirements for marriage →
- HSE — getting married: how →
- Courts Service — marriage exemption →
❓ Frequently asked
How much notice do I need to get married?
You must give at least three months' notice, in person, to a registrar at a Civil Registration Service before your wedding date. This applies to all marriages — civil, religious and secular. Without the required notice and the resulting Marriage Registration Form, the marriage won't be legally valid, so it's important to plan well ahead.
How much does it cost to give notice?
The marriage notification fee is €200 and is non-refundable, usually paid at your notification appointment. A civil ceremony held in a registry office carries an additional fee for the venue and solemniser. Religious and secular ceremonies have their own separate arrangements and costs with the relevant body or celebrant.
Can I get married sooner than three months?
Only with a court exemption. If you can't give the full three months' notice — for example because of serious illness — you can apply to the Circuit Family Court for a Marriage Notification Exemption. Without an exemption, the three-month notice period is mandatory for every type of marriage in Ireland.
What is a Marriage Registration Form?
The Marriage Registration Form, or MRF, is issued by the registrar once your notification is in order. It's effectively your authorisation to marry, and the solemniser needs it for the ceremony. For a religious or secular wedding, you must return the completed MRF to a registrar within one month so the marriage is officially registered.
What are the requirements to marry?
You must both be at least 18, have the mental capacity to marry, be free to marry — that is, not already married or in a civil partnership — and not be within a prohibited degree of relationship. You'll need to bring identification, your PPS numbers, and details of your intended venue and solemniser to the appointment.
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