What conditions must be met for us to get married?
Conditional — you may marry, but only once the statutory prerequisites are met. Under the Family Act marriage is entered into by an adult with legal capacity, and exceptionally by a person who has turned 16 — but only with prior court permission in non-contentious proceedings, if that person is mature enough and there is a justified reason. Here a common myth falls: neither engagement nor pregnancy grants a minor the right to marry without a court decision. Marriage is contracted by a bride and groom of opposite sex (a same-sex couple enters a life partnership, not marriage), by declaring consent before a registrar or before an official of a religious community that has arranged relations with the state, in the presence of two adult witnesses. Marriage cannot be entered into by someone under 18 without court leave, a person deprived of legal capacity or unable to reason, close blood relatives, or a person already married — bigamy is prohibited. You may choose any venue in Croatia.
📋 The rules
- Age and capacity: marriage is entered into by an adult with legal capacity; a person aged 16 only with prior court permission (Family Act).
- Consent and form: free consent of both is required, given before a registrar (civil marriage) or before an official of a recognised religious community (religious marriage with civil effect).
- Witnesses: marriage is contracted in the presence of two witnesses, and any adult with legal capacity may be a witness.
- Impediments: marriage cannot be contracted by close blood relatives (direct line without limit; siblings, an uncle or aunt with a niece or nephew, first cousins) or a person already married.
- Venue and notice: the intention is reported to the registrar competent for the place of the wedding, and the ceremony may take place anywhere in Croatia.
🔓 Exceptions
- Minor aged 16: in non-contentious proceedings a court may allow marriage to a 16-year-old if that person is mentally and physically mature and there is a justified reason.
- Religious marriage: a marriage in religious form has civil effect only if the religious community has arranged legal relations with the Republic of Croatia.
- Foreign nationals: foreign persons attach proof of free marital status and that their home law raises no impediment to the marriage.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The wedding itself carries no fine, but wrong steps have serious consequences. Bigamy is not merely an impediment but a criminal offence under the Criminal Code, and a marriage contracted despite an impediment can be annulled, as though it had never existed. If consent was given under duress or mistake, the marriage is voidable and can be struck down by action. The hidden costs are financial: marriage creates marital property that, without a prenuptial agreement, you split in equal shares, and debts incurred during the marriage burden both spouses. A wedding outside official premises or outside working hours of the registry office is charged under a decision of the town or municipality, and amounts differ from place to place, while a ceremony in official premises during working hours is generally free of any state fee. It therefore pays to check documents and possible impediments in advance.
📎 Official sources
- Ministry of Justice and Administration — prerequisites for marriage →
- zakon.hr — Family Act (marriage and prerequisites) →
- gov.hr — getting married (procedure and documents) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a person under 18 get married?
As a rule no, because marriage is entered into by an adult with legal capacity. Exceptionally, a court in non-contentious proceedings may allow marriage to a person who has turned 16 if it finds that person mature for marriage and that there is a justified reason for it.
Can first cousins marry?
No, first cousins are blood relatives of the fourth degree in the collateral line, and the Family Act prohibits such a marriage. The ban also covers siblings and half-siblings, as well as a child with a brother or sister of that child's parent.
Do we need residence or cohabitation before the wedding?
There is no requirement of shared living or a waiting period; the intention to marry is simply reported to the registrar competent for the place of the wedding. The registrar then sets the date with the couple and verifies that all prerequisites are met.
Does a religious marriage have civil effect?
It does, but only if it is contracted before an official of a religious community that has arranged legal relations with the Republic of Croatia. The marriage is then entered in the state registers and is legally equal to a civil marriage before a registrar.
How much does getting married cost?
A ceremony in the official premises of the registry office during working hours is generally free of any state fee, while a wedding outside those conditions is charged extra. The fee for a wedding outside official premises or hours is set by each town or municipality, so amounts vary.
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