Marriage Certificate: Documents, Fees and Registration Process

You get a marriage certificate by registering your marriage with your state’s marriage registrar. Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh couples usually register under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955; any couple can use the Special Marriage Act, 1954, after a 30-day notice. Fees run from ₹15 to about ₹1,100 by state, and both spouses attend with witnesses.

Key facts

Why register your marriage

Section 8(5) of the Hindu Marriage Act says a marriage stays valid even if it is not registered. Even so, the register is admissible as evidence of what it records, and a certificate is the simplest proof of marriage you can hand to an office.

In Seema v. Ashwani Kumar (14 February 2006), the Supreme Court directed that marriages of all Indian citizens, of every religion, be made compulsorily registrable in their states. The court noted that registration helps women prove claims to maintenance, custody and inheritance. Where a state has made registration compulsory under Section 8(2), the Act caps the fine for breaking the rule at ₹25.

In practice you will be asked for the certificate when you:

• change your surname in bank, tax or insurance records;
• add a spouse to a passport or apply for a spouse visa;
• claim as a spouse on a policy, pension or deposit, or update a nominee;
• apply for a joint home loan or joint property purchase.

Our guide to money after marriage covers the financial side of that list: joint accounts, nominations and insurance. For passports, Passport Seva lets a married applicant give a joint declaration (Annexure J) in lieu of a marriage certificate.

Hindu Marriage Act vs Special Marriage Act

Use the Hindu Marriage Act route if both of you are Hindu, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh and the wedding was held with religious ceremonies. You register a marriage that has already happened. Section 8 leaves the procedure to each state, which is why forms, fees and witness rules differ.

Use the Special Marriage Act route for an interfaith marriage, a civil marriage without a religious ceremony, or a couple where either partner is not covered by the Hindu law. You give notice to the Marriage Officer, wait 30 days for objections, then marry before the officer with three witnesses. Couples who already had a ceremony can instead apply under Section 15. That section requires, among other conditions, that both have completed 21 years, neither has a living spouse, and both have lived in the district for at least 30 days before applying.

Documents and witnesses

Lists vary by state. Maharashtra’s Special Marriage Act checklist asks for one document from each group:

For Hindu marriages, Delhi also asks for separate affidavits from husband and wife covering the date and place of marriage, dates of birth, marital status and that they are not related within prohibited degrees. Add two attested passport-size photographs of each spouse and wedding photographs. Delhi also wants a divorce decree or death certificate if either spouse was married before, and a priest’s certificate if the wedding was at a religious place. Photo sizes are set on each state’s form, so check it before you print. For the affidavits, see how to make an affidavit.

Witnesses bring their own ID and address proof. Telangana asks three witnesses to sign the form and the register. Delhi’s Hindu marriage route needs a gazetted officer who attended the wedding.

Online application and appointment

Most states now take the application online and ask you to visit only for signatures and verification. Maharashtra’s Special Marriage Act flow on mregigr.maharashtra.gov.in runs like this:

1. Create a login by selecting your district and marriage office.
2. Enter the groom’s details and upload his documents, then do the same for the bride.
3. Capture both photographs and thumb impressions, and complete Aadhaar verification for both.
4. Upload age and residence proof, preview the notice and submit it.
5. Note the reference number and track the status with it.
6. Pay the notice fee online once the Marriage Officer accepts the notice, and download the receipt.
7. Go to the marriage office after 30 days from the receipt date for solemnisation with your witnesses.
8. Pay the certificate fee and collect the certificate.

Other states use their own portals. Karnataka takes Hindu marriage registrations on Kaveri 2.0, Telangana through its registration department, and Assam through Sewa Setu. In Telangana, the Form A application must be presented in person before the Registrar, at the office where the marriage took place or where either spouse lived for at least six months before the wedding.

Fees and timelines in selected states

Other states charge different amounts. Check your state’s registration or revenue department page before you pay.

Common problems

For disputed marriages, foreign spouses or earlier divorces abroad, a family lawyer can confirm which Act and documents apply.

Frequently asked questions

Is marriage registration compulsory in India?

The Supreme Court directed in 2006 that states make it compulsorily registrable, and many have done so. An unregistered Hindu marriage is still valid under Section 8(5), but you will struggle to prove it without a certificate.

Can I get a marriage certificate online?

You can apply online in most states, but both spouses and the witnesses usually have to appear before the registrar once. The certificate is issued after that visit.

Can we register years after the wedding?

Yes. Under the Special Marriage Act, Section 15 covers marriages celebrated earlier if the couple have lived together as husband and wife since. Under the Hindu Marriage Act, your state’s rules decide how late registration is handled.

How many witnesses are needed?

Three under the Special Marriage Act. For Hindu marriages it depends on the state: Telangana asks for three.

What is the minimum age?

21 for the man and 18 for the woman, as the Telangana and Kerala pages state. Section 15 of the Special Marriage Act requires both parties to be 21 at registration.

Which photographs do I need?

Usually passport-size photographs of each spouse plus a wedding photograph. The exact size and number are set on your state’s form.

Sources

• Marriage registration — Revenue Department, Government of NCT of Delhi (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Fees, procedure and checklist for marriage certificate — IGR Maharashtra (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Marriage registration — Registration Department, Kerala (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Hindu marriage procedure — Registration and Stamps Department, Telangana (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Application for marriage registration — Sewa Setu, Assam (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Section 8, Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 — Indian Kanoon (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Section 15, Special Marriage Act, 1954 — Indian Kanoon (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Seema v. Ashwani Kumar, 14 February 2006 — Supreme Court of India, via Indian Kanoon (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Annexures and affidavits (Annexure J) — Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs (checked 16 Sep 2026)