Am I allowed to get married in Denmark?
Yes — from 18, and there are no exceptions. Both parties must be at least 18; the old exemption for under-18s was abolished in 2017, and both of you must also be unmarried. Before the wedding you need a certificate of marriage conditions confirming the conditions are met, and it is valid for 4 months — it is the date of the wedding, not of the booking, that counts, so collect it too early and you must apply again. You apply via borger.dk at the municipality, or at the Family Law House for international cases. The wedding can be civil at a town hall or in church, and you can marry in any municipality. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2012.
📋 The rules
- Age limit 18, no exceptions
- You need a certificate of marriage conditions (valid 4 months)
- The wedding can be civil or church
- You can marry in any municipality
- Same-sex marriage legal since 2012
🔓 Exceptions
- International marriages are handled by the Family Law House, not the municipality
- The mayor can allow a wedding off-site, for example in a forest
- Both must be unmarried with no existing marriage or partnership
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no fine attached to wanting to marry — the sanction is simply that the wedding does not go ahead. If the certificate has expired, is missing, or one of you is still married or in a registered partnership, the wedding cannot be performed and you must start over. It catches couples who collect the certificate too early: it is valid for only 4 months, and it is the date of the wedding, not of the booking, that counts. A marriage entered into under false conditions can be annulled afterwards, and it then carries none of the legal effects you were counting on.
📎 Official sources
- Borger.dk · Conditions for marriage →
- Family Law House · Certificate →
- Borger.dk · When you want to marry →
❓ Frequently asked
How old must I be to marry?
18, and there are no exceptions since the exemption for under-18s was abolished in 2017. Both parties must also be unmarried, that is with no existing marriage or registered partnership.
What is a certificate of marriage conditions?
A certificate confirming that you meet the conditions to marry, and without it the wedding is not performed. It is valid for 4 months, and you apply via borger.dk at the municipality — or at the Family Law House in international cases.
Can I marry in any municipality?
Yes. You can choose a civil wedding in any municipality, not just your own, or have a church wedding instead. The mayor can even allow a wedding away from the town hall, for example in a forest.
Is same-sex marriage legal?
Yes, since 2012, and same-sex couples can also be married in church. The same conditions apply as for everyone else: both must be 18, unmarried, and hold a valid certificate of marriage conditions.
What if we do not marry in time?
The certificate is valid for 4 months, and it is the date of the wedding that counts. If you do not marry within that, you must apply for a new certificate before the wedding can go ahead — no penalty, but you start again.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “am I allowed to marry denmark”
- “marriage age limit 18”
- “certificate 4 months”
- “civil wedding municipality”
- “same-sex marriage 2012”
- “conditions for marriage”