You can use this page to:
- order a marriage or civil partnership certificate
- apply for a correction to a marriage or civil partnership certificate
- get your marriage or civil partnership certificate legalised for international use.
Order a marriage or civil partnership certificate
Marriage or civil partnership certificates cost £12.50 each.
You can either have your certificate posted to you or you can collect it from Medway Register Office.
If you would like it posted, it will be sent by second class post and you should receive it within 10 working days of payment.
If you choose to collect it, it'll be ready within 5 working days of payment (unless you do not live in the UK).
If you need a certificate urgently, use our priority service.
Who can order a certificate
You can order a certificate at Medway Register Office if:
- the marriage or civil partnership took place in Medway
- you can give us enough information to find the record.
If the marriage or civil partnership took place outside of Medway, you can order a certificate from:
- the General Register Office
- the register office local to where the marriage or civil partnership took place.
How to order
You can:
- order a marriage or civil partnership certificate online
- order a marriage or civil partnership certificate in person or by post.
Order a marriage or civil partnership certificate online
To complete our online application form, you’ll need to tell us:
- if the certificate is about your marriage or civil partnership or someone else's
- why you want a certificate
- details from the original certificate, including first and last names, date and the venue for the marriage or civil partnership
- how many certificates you need
- your contact details (we'll need an email address to send you a confirmation or to contact you if you do not live in UK)
- if you'd like the certificate sent to you or if you'll collect it (if you live in the UK).
Order a copy of a marriage or civil partnership certificate
What happens next
We'll send you a confirmation email and Medway Register Office will check to see if they hold the record.
If they hold the record, the register office will call you to take payment by card.
You'll then:
- get your certificate in the post within around 10 working days
- be able to collect your certificate within 5 working days.
If they do not hold the record, the register office will contact you.
If you're not in the UK
Medway Register Office cannot call you if you're not in the UK.
If they need more information about your application, the register office will email you.
If Medway Register Office hold the marriage or civil partnership record, they'll email you asking you to call to pay.
Once you've paid, the certificate will be posted to you.
Priority service
If you need your certificate urgently and live in the UK, you can use our priority service to get your certificate the next working day.
Your certificate will be sent by first class post or you can collect it from Medway Register Office.
Priority service applications are only accepted from Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 3pm.
Call the register office on 01634 338 899 or visit in person.
The priority service costs £38.50 for one certificate. Any extra certificates ordered at the same time for the same record will cost £12.50 each.
Order a certificate in person or by post
Order in person
You'll need to visit Medway Register Office and complete an application form. They'll search for the record and if the register office hold it, they'll call you to take payment.
You'll then:
- get your certificate in the post within around 10 working days
- be able to collect your certificate within 5 working days.
Medway Register Office is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.
Order by post
You'll need to download and complete an application form.
Download a marriage certificate application form.
Download a civil partnership certificate application form.
Post the application form to Medway Register Office, Northgate, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1LS along with your payment.
Apply for a correction to a marriage or civil partnership certificate
You can only apply for a correction to a certificate if:
- your marriage or civil partnership took place in Medway
- the information on the certificate is wrong, for example a job title
- both people named on the certificate are alive.
You cannot apply for a correction if a change was made after the marriage or civil partnership took place. For example, a name change.
How to apply
To apply, phone Medway Register Office on 01634 338 899.
During the call, they'll tell you if the mistake was made on the registration or the certificate.
If you need a registration correction, they'll tell you:
- what type of correction you'll need
- the evidence you'll need
- how much the correction will cost.
After your call, download and complete the GOV.UK certificate correction form.
You'll then need to visit Medway Register Office with your evidence and your completed form.
You do not need to make an appointment. Medway Register Office is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.
You'll need to bring your original documents or certified copies as evidence. We cannot accept photocopies.
You'll also need to pay your correction fee by card.
If you need a locally authorised correction
A locally authorised correction costs £83, which you'll pay by card at Medway Register Office. This does not include copies of the new certificate.
When you're there, the register office will make copies of your evidence.
If the correction is authorised, they'll make the correction within 5 working days.
The original record will stay the same, and the correction will be added to the margin of the register with the date it was made.
If a correction is not authorised, the record cannot be changed.
If you need a General Register Office authorised correction
A General Register Office authorised correction costs £99, which you'll pay. This does not include copies of the new certificate.
When you're there, they'll make copies of your evidence.
It can take up to 25 days for the General Register Office to authorise a correction. If the correction is authorised, Medway Register Office will make the correction within 5 working days.
The original record will stay the same, and the correction will be added to the margin of the register with the date it was made.
If a correction is not authorised, the correction cannot be made.
Get your marriage or civil partnership certificate legalised for international use
Medway Register Office are not able to legalise documents.
If you need your UK marriage or civil partnership certificate to be accepted in other countries, it'll need to be legalised by the Legislation Office.
Contact the Legislation Office to get your documents legalised.