Marriage certificate: request for full copy or extract
Verified 22 March 2022 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
Three types of marriage certificates can be given to you: full copy (i.e. the reproduction of your entire marriage certificate) or a extracted with parentage or a unrelated extract. The application for a marriage certificate shall be free.
Gait varies by place of marriage : in France or abroad.
In France
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On the Internet
You can make the request directly online :
Application for marriage certificate (celebrated in France) - Free service
You will receive the document at home by mail in a few days.
The delay may vary depending on the processing of your request by the services of the city council and the time of delivery of the mail.
By mail
You can send your request by free paper mail to the mayor's office.
If you are applying for someone else, you will need to provide your contact information.
The information you want to include in your mail depends on the document you requested:
You will receive the document at home by mail in a few days.
The delay may vary depending on the processing of your request by the services of the city council and the time of delivery of the mail.
On the spot
You must apply to the mayor's office.
The document will be issued to you immediately.
Warning
if you request a marriage certificate (full copy or extract with filiation) other than yours (that of your daughter, for example), proof of your direct filiation with this person (copy of your birth certificate, family record,...) will be requested. You will also need to show your ID card.
Yes, the request is free.
Warning
there is no need to make your request on websites that ask you for financial compensation.
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Full Copy
The complete copy shall reproduce all the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It shall include in particular the following information:
- Surnames, first names, date and place of birth, on each of the spouses
- Identity, occupation and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal entries where they exist
Extract with filiation
The extract with parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall contain the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, on each of the spouses
- Identity, occupation and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal entries where they exist
Unrelated Extract
The extract without parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall contain information on each spouse (surname, forenames, date and place of birth) and marginal mentions when they exist.
Access to a copy of a marriage certificate depends on the type of document and the person requesting it.
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Full Copy
You can obtain a full copy of a marriage certificate if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided he is of age) or his legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Lawyer (example: a lawyer)
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives. at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (e.g. uncle, aunt) will not be able to request the release of these documents until:
- 100 years if the person is a minor
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the file, if the person is alive
- 25 years if the person has died
Extract with filiation
You can obtain an extract from a marriage certificate with filiation, if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided he is of age) or his legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Lawyer (example: a lawyer)
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives. at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (e.g. uncle, aunt) will not be able to request the release of these documents until:
- 100 years if the person is a minor
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the file, if the person is alive
- 25 years if the person has died
Unrelated Extract
You can obtain an excerpt from a marriage certificate without having to justify your request.
Abroad
The marriage certificate must have been entered in the civil registration records of the consulate.
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On the Internet
To apply online, you must create an account Service-Public.fr or connect via FranceConnect.
Application for marriage certificate (celebrated abroad) - Free service
The time limit for issuing your marriage certificate is approximately 20 days.
To get it, you need to log in to your Service-Public.fr account.
You can download the PDF document to your personal space.
You can also request to receive it by mail.
The document shall include the electronic signature of a registrar.
By mail
If you do not wish to apply online, you can submit your request by mail, on free paper, with the Central Civil Registry Service of Nantes (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Who shall I contact
Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)
Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a Frenchman abroad
Only by mail to:
Central Civil Registry Service
11 White House Street
44941 Nantes Cedex 09
The service is not open to the public.
You can apply for a civil status certificate through a online service.
For more information, you can:
- Go to diplomatie.gouv.fr
- Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing - Email courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr
FYI
if you are a foreigner, you have to go to the authority that drew up the act.
If you are applying for someone else, you will need to provide your contact information.
The information you want to include in your mail depends on the document you requested.
For an application by post, the time limit for issuing a marriage certificate is approximately 30 days.
Warning
if you request a marriage certificate (full copy or extract with filiation) other than yours (that of your daughter, for example), proof of your direct filiation with this person (copy of your birth certificate, family record,...) will be requested. You will also need to attach a copy of your identity card.
Yes, the request is free.
Warning
there is no need to make your request on websites that ask you for financial compensation.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Full Copy
The complete copy shall reproduce all the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It shall include in particular the following information:
- Surnames, first names, date and place of birth, on each of the spouses
- Identity, occupation and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal entries where they exist
Extract with filiation
The extract with parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall contain the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, on each of the spouses
- Identity, occupation and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal entries where they exist
Unrelated Extract
The extract without parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall contain information on each spouse (surname, forenames, date and place of birth) and marginal mentions when they exist.
Access to a copy of a marriage certificate depends on the type of document and the person requesting it.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Full Copy
You can obtain a full copy of a marriage certificate if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided he is of age) or his legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Lawyer (example: a lawyer)
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives. at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (e.g. uncle, aunt) will not be able to request the release of these documents until:
- 100 years if the person is a minor
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the file, if the person is alive
- 25 years if the person has died
Extract with filiation
You can obtain an extract from a marriage certificate with filiation, if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided he is of age) or his legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Lawyer (example: a lawyer)
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives. at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (e.g. uncle, aunt) will not be able to request the release of these documents until:
- 100 years if the person is a minor
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the file, if the person is alive
- 25 years if the person has died
Unrelated Extract
You can obtain an excerpt from a marriage certificate without having to justify your request.