Lodge notice of marriage or civil partnership

If you plan to marry or enter a civil partnership in South Lanarkshire, both of you must lodge a notice of your intention to do so. This lets us check your documents and prepare your schedule.

You can send your notice forms and supporting documents:

• by post to: Licensing and Registration Services, Floor 11, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AA
• by email: civilceremonies@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

When emailing, please:

• put your ceremony date and venue in the email subject
• attach your documents as files, not in the message body
• tell us how many documents you are sending
• give a daytime phone number so we can contact you for any questions

Please do not hand‑deliver documents, as we cannot accept them.

When to send your forms

You should lodge your notice 8 to 10 weeks before your ceremony, and no later than 29 days before.

If you are subject to immigration control, the Home Office may extend the notice period to 70 days, so we recommend giving 11 to 12 weeks’ notice.

You cannot lodge your forms more than three months before the ceremony date.

What documents you need to provide

Along with your notice forms and the documents listed on them, you must also provide:

• evidence of your usual address
• your birth certificate
• your valid passport or other proof of nationality

If you were previously married or in a civil partnership, you must provide proof that it has legally ended.

You should also complete a witness details form. You can get all forms from the National Records of Scotland website or any registration office in Scotland.

Before your ceremony

We must see your original documents before we issue your marriage or civil partnership schedule. We will arrange an appointment for you to visit the Council Offices in Hamilton to collect the schedule and confirm your documents.