Am I allowed to get married in Sweden?
Yes — if both are at least 18, unmarried and not close relatives. You must first complete an impediment check (hindersprövning) at the Tax Agency, which certifies that nothing prevents the marriage; the certificate is valid 4 months. Then comes the ceremony before an authorised officiant with two witnesses and mutual consent — without the officiant or the witnesses the marriage is void, however fine the ceremony was. The minimum age is 18 with no exemption since 1 July 2014, and foreign child marriages are not recognised. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2009, but clergy are not obliged to marry same-sex couples — choose a civil officiant. Half-siblings may marry only with county-board permission.
📋 The rules
- Age 18, unmarried and not close relatives
- Impediment check at the Tax Agency (certificate valid 4 months)
- Ceremony before an authorised officiant with two witnesses
- No exemption under 18 since 2014
- Same-sex marriage legal since 2009
🔓 Exceptions
- Valid foreign marriages are recognised, except child, forced and polygamous marriages
- Half-siblings may marry with county-board permission
- Clergy are not obliged to marry same-sex couples — choose a civil officiant
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Bigamy — marrying while already married — is a crime under the Penal Code: fines or prison up to 2 years. The commonest consequence is nevertheless civil: a ceremony without an authorised officiant or without two witnesses is void, and then you are simply not married, whatever you celebrated. That can bite much later, because the right to inherit as a spouse rests on a valid marriage. Valid foreign marriages are recognised in Sweden, but child, forced and polygamous marriages are not.
📎 Official sources
- Marriage Code (1987:230) · Riksdagen →
- Tax Agency · Impediment check →
- Tax Agency · Wedding ceremony →
❓ Frequently asked
How old must I be to marry?
18, and the requirement applies to both parties. Since 1 July 2014 there are no exemptions allowing marriage under 18, and child marriages entered into abroad are not recognised in Sweden.
What is the impediment check?
A check with the Tax Agency that nothing prevents the marriage — that you are over 18, unmarried and not close relatives. The certificate is valid four months, so do not collect it too early if the wedding is far off.
How many witnesses are needed at the ceremony?
Two witnesses must be present, and the ceremony must take place before an authorised officiant. Without the witnesses or the officiant the marriage is void, so you do not count as married despite the ceremony.
Is same-sex marriage allowed?
Yes, since 2009 — the Marriage Code is gender-neutral and the same rules apply to every couple. Clergy are not obliged to marry same-sex couples, however, so choose a civil officiant if you want certainty.
Can I marry a relative?
Not a close relative — such an impediment is caught at the impediment check. Half-siblings may marry, but only after specific permission from the county board, and without that permission the ceremony may not take place.
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