Getting married

You can get married in the marriage room at the Births, Deaths and Marriages offices in:

• Darwin from Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 3:30pm and Friday 2pm to 3:30pm
• Alice Springs from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 3:30pm.

You must bring 2 witnesses over 18 years old on the day of the ceremony.

How to arrange a registry office ceremony

To arrange a registry office ceremony, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in and submit a notice of intended marriage form at a Births, Deaths and Marriages office.

You can get the form from an office or on the Australian Government's Attorney-General's Department website.

You must use the new forms made available since 9 December 2017. Older forms should no longer be used.

You must submit the form at least 31 days before the intended date of marriage.

Step 2. Organise a time and date for your ceremony with the registry office celebrant.

Step 3. Provide your identity and marital status documents as listed below.

Step 4. Pay the fee to submit a notice of intended marriage form as listed below.

Identity and marital status documents

You must provide all of the following at least one week before the ceremony:

• original birth certificates
• current photo identification
• documents proving any name changes
• an Australian or overseas passport showing the date and place of birth
• if you have been divorced or widowed, you must provide an original divorce or death certificate.

Fees for a registry office ceremony

Fees for a registry office ceremony include:

• a non-refundable lodgement fee, which must be paid with the notice of intended marriage form
• a marriage certificate fee which must be paid one week before the date of your ceremony.

Find out more about marriage fees.

If you want to cancel your marriage, you must give 14 days' notice before the ceremony date to be refunded the marriage ceremony fee.

Ceremony day

With physical distance measures, you can only have up to 4 guests at your ceremony.

You and your guests should report to the front counter at least 15 minutes before the time you are booked. If any of your guests are running late, let the staff know at the front counter.