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Renu Suresh

Expert

Published on: Jun 24, 2026

Court Marriage - Registered Marriage Procedure in India

Court Marriage in India is solemnised under the special marriage act, 1954. The marriage can be solemnised in a court in the presence of a Marriage Officer and three witnesses. Court marriage can be performed between two Indians irrespective of their caste, religion or creed. The court marriage can also be solemnised between an Indian and a foreigner. In this article, we will look at the Court Marriage Procedure in India in detail.

Conditions for Court Marriage

The court marriage rules are provided under Section 4 of the Special Marriage Act. 
  • The parties have to meet the necessary conditions prescribed in the act before signing the Civil Marriage Contract.
  • There should not be Persisting valid marriage of either of the parties with any other person. The couples can proceed with the Court Marriage if the previous spouse is not living or the divorce has been obtained.
  • The parties must have given free consent for the court marriage, that is none of the party to the Court Marriage to be incompetent of giving valid consent due to unsound minds or any other factor.
  • The Court Marriage age for a bridegroom is 21 years, and for a bride is 18 years.
  • The parties to the marriage should not fall within the degree of prohibited relationship.
Know more about the Alimony and Maintenance The details of the Degree of Prohibited Relationship is given in the document:

Documents Required for Court Marriage in India

The applicant needs to furnish certain documents for completing the legal marriage process in the court.

Bride and Groom Documents

  • Marriage application form duly signed by both bride and bridegroom
  • Receipt of the fee paid
  • Age proof documents of both parties (SSLC book or Birth Certificate)
  • Residential address proof (Aadhar Card, Voter ID, Ration Card or Driving License)
  • Affidavit 
  • Passport size photograph of the bride and groom (2 copies)
  • Copy of divorce order in case of a divorcee and death certificate of spouse in case of widow/widower.

Documents of Witnesses

  • One passport size photograph
  • PAN card
  • Proof of Identification - Driving license, Aadhar Card

Documents required in case of Foreign National

  • In case the court marriage is solemnised between the Indian vs Foreign national, then the applicant has to submit the following documents in addition to documents as mentioned above:
  • Copy of Passport of with valid Visa.
  • Documentary evidence regarding stay in India of one of the parties for more than thirty days (Proof of residence or report from the concerned Station House Officer (SHO)).
  • NOC or Marital Status certificate from the concerned embassy or Consulate in India by a foreigner partner.

Attributes in Affidavit

The bride and groom should submit the separate affidavit for solemnization of court marriage in India.
  • Date of Birth 
  • Marital Status whether married, divorced or widowed
  • A statement is declaring that the couples are not related to each other under the prohibited degree of relationships. 

Other Condition for Court Marriage

If the marriage has to be solemnised in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, then it is mandatory that both the parties must be Indian citizens. According to the special marriage act, there is no procedure to get married in court with foreign nationals in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. For a foreigner to get married under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 they have to live in India for at least thirty days. They must have a residence proof.  In case the foreigner does not have residence proof, they can obtain the same from the local police station in whose jurisdictions they are living.

Court Marriage Fee

Court marriage fee is different in different states. Generally, court marriage procedure fees are between Rs.500 to Rs.1000. But it is advisable to check the fees while filing the Court Marriage application form.

Procedure for Court Marriage in India

The procedure for court marriage in India is explained in detail below:

Notice of Intended Marriage

The first step of court marriage is the preparation of the notice of intended marriage. The parties to the marriage have to furnish notice in a prescribed format to the Marriage Registrar of the districts in which at least one of the parties has resided for a period of thirty days immediately preceding the date on which such notice is given.

Publishing of Notice

The notice will be published by marriage by affixing it in Marriage Registrar's office which is clearly visible, and will keep the original copy of the notice in the office records.

Objection to Marriage

Any person who has an objection for the marriage can raise the objection within 30 days from the date of publication of the notice by marriage officer. If the marriage officer finds that the objection raised is correct, then the officer will end the Court Marriage process. But if the objection is unjustified, then the officer will proceed with the court marriage registration procedure. 

Declaration by Parties and Witness

Before performing the marriage, the Court Marriage application form has to be signed by the couples along with three witnesses declaring that the parties are doing the marriage with their free consent. 

Solemnization of Marriage

The marriage can be solemnised at the office of the Marriage Officer or at any other place within a reasonable distance as the couples may desire. For conducting the marriage in any other places, an additional fee has to pay.

Get the Marriage Certificate

Once the marriage solemnization takes place according to the rules and regulations of special marriage act, the marriage registrar enters the details in the marriage register and the marriage certificate will be issued. The Court Marriage certificate is proof of the valid marriage of the couples after the signatures of parties and witnesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Court Marriage Procedure in India.

A court marriage in India is a marriage solemnized under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. It is a legal marriage procedure that can be performed between two Indians or between an Indian and a foreigner, irrespective of their caste, religion, or creed. The marriage is solemnized in a court in the presence of a Marriage Officer and three witnesses.
The main conditions for a court marriage in India are: 1) Neither party should have a persisting valid marriage with someone else. 2) Both parties should give free consent and be of sound mind. 3) The bridegroom should be at least 21 years old, and the bride should be at least 18 years old. 4) The parties should not fall within the degree of prohibited relationship.
The documents required for a court marriage in India include a marriage application form, age proof documents, residential address proof, affidavits, passport-size photographs, and, if applicable, copies of divorce orders or death certificates of previous spouses. Witnesses also need to provide identification documents.
Yes, if one of the parties is a foreign national, they need to provide a copy of their passport with a valid visa, documentary evidence of staying in India for at least 30 days, and a No Objection Certificate or Marital Status Certificate from their embassy or consulate in India.
The notice of intended marriage is published by the Marriage Registrar by affixing it in a clearly visible place in their office. The original copy is also kept in the office records. Any objections to the marriage can be raised within 30 days of the notice's publication.
The court marriage procedure involves the parties signing a declaration along with three witnesses, stating their free consent. The marriage is then solemnized by the Marriage Officer at their office or another nearby location chosen by the couple. After solemnization, the Marriage Registrar enters the details in the marriage register and issues a marriage certificate.
Yes, there is a fee for a court marriage in India, which varies from state to state. Generally, the fee ranges from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000, but it is advisable to check the fee while filing the application form.
No, according to the Special Marriage Act, 1954, a court marriage cannot be solemnized in the state of Jammu & Kashmir if one of the parties is a foreign national. Both parties must be Indian citizens to get married in Jammu & Kashmir.
For a foreign national to get married under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 in India, they must have lived in India for at least 30 days immediately preceding the date of the notice of intended marriage. They must also provide proof of residence or obtain a report from the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) if they do not have a residence proof.
Yes, the court marriage certificate issued by the Marriage Registrar after the solemnization of the marriage is a valid proof of the legal marriage between the parties. It serves as evidence of their valid marriage after the signatures of the parties and witnesses are obtained.