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Marriage in France
Verified 28 March 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
You can get married whether you're a different-sex couple or a same-sex couple. You must meet certain conditions and file a file in the city hall.
What applies to you ?
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In image
7 steps to get married
You're single or divorced
Two people, of different or same sex , must meet certain conditions to get married.
Age
You must be of age to marry, i.e. at least 18 years of age.
If you are a minor, you may exceptionally be allowed to marry.
You must have the following permissions:
- Age exemption granted by the public prosecutor for serious reasons
- At least one of your parents agreed
Unrelated
The marriage is forbidden when a very close link exists.
Consent
Each of you 2 must give his free and informed consent at the wedding.
If consent is not free and informed, the wedding can be canceled at the request of one of the following persons:
- You or your future husband
- Public Prosecutor
The request for cancelation must be made in a maximum period of 5 years.
The wedding is celebrated in a commune with which at least one of you 2 has a lasting bond.
The link can be with one of the following municipalities:
- That of the domicile or the residence from one of you two
- That of the home or residence of a parent of one of you 2
The registrar ensure that at least one of the persons concerned has lasting links with the municipality.
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Municipality of the home
The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has domicile.
Municipality of residence
The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has his residence.
This residence may be a primary or secondary residence.
It shall be established by at least 1 month of continuous housing on the date of publication of the reports.
Common of a parent
The wedding can be celebrated in one of the following municipalities:
- Municipality of the home of one of the parents (father or mother) of one of you 2
- Municipality of the main residence of one of your parents
- Municipality of the secondary residence of one of your parents
Other situation
If you are all 2 foreigners and you do not live in France, know that the marriage in France of a foreigners couple is only possible in the following locations:
- Consulate of your country of origin
- Municipality of overseas collectivity (Com) or New Caledonia
Documents to be provided by the future spouses
Each of the future spouses must provide his birth certificate.
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Birth certificate issued in France
You must provide a birth certificate (extract with indication of parentage) of less than 3 months.
The starting point of the period of validity of the birth certificate is calculated in relation to the day of the filing of the marriage file, and not the day of the celebration. It is this deposit that determines the publication of the tapes.
FYI
if your marital status or that of your future spouse has changed before the marriage is celebrated, you must give a copy of the updated document to the registrar responsible for celebrating the marriage.
Birth certificate issued abroad
You must provide a birth certificate of Maximum 6 months.
No time limit shall be imposed if the birth certificate was issued in a country which does not provide for the updating of birth certificates.
The starting point of the period of validity of the birth certificate is calculated in relation to the day of the filing of the marriage file, and not the day of its celebration. It is this deposit that determines the publication of the tapes.
FYI
if your marital status or that of your future spouse has changed before the marriage is celebrated, you must give a copy of the updated document to the registrar responsible for celebrating the marriage.
Each of you 2 must also provide the following:
- Identity document (original and photocopy)
- Proof of domicile or residence (water, electricity or gas invoice, tax notice, proof of housing tax...)
Depending on your situation, you must provide additional documents.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You or your future husband are a foreigner
If a future spouse is a foreigner, he or she must provide documents specific to his or her nationality.
Formalities are sometimes necessary (apostille for example).
You can inquire at the city hall and the consulate.
Please note
it is possible to provide a multilingual birth certificate.
You're signing a marriage contract
If a marriage contract is concluded, you must provide the notary's certificate.
You or your future spouse are divorced or widowed
Additional documents are requested, for example the divorce decision, the death certificate or the birth certificate of the deceased spouse.
You or your future spouse are under guardianship or curatorship
If one of the future spouses is under guardianship or trusteeship, he must, before marriage, inform the person in charge of the protection measure. You must provide proof of this information.
Please note
the authorization of the guardian or curator is not necessary to marry.
Documents to be provided by witnesses
For each of your witnesses, you must provide the following information:
- Name
- First Name
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation
- Home
- Copy of identity document
You must submit the file to the municipality of the municipality chosen for the ceremony.
Check with the city hall if you need to make an appointment.
The registrar auditions you two together.
If he considers it necessary, he may also ask for individual interviews with both.
This hearing is mandatory. But it does not occur in the following cases:
- Impossibility
- The registrar does not consider it necessary
The officer may request the presence of a translator or interpreter (at your expense if paid) if you or your future spouse are in any of the following situations:
- Deaf, dumb
- Does not understand French
If you or your future spouse resides abroad, the hearing can be conducted by the competent diplomatic or consular authority.
Before and after the hearing, the city hall cannot refuse a marriage file.
But she can ask the public prosecutor prohibit the solemnization of the desired marriage.
The announcement of the marriage is made by the publication of the bans.
These are notices posted by the registrar at the door of the town hall.
They shall contain the following information:
- Given names, surname, occupation, domicile or residence of each of you 2
- Place where the wedding is to be celebrated
They are displayed for 10 days at the gate of the following town halls:
- Mayor of the wedding
- Town hall where you or your future spouse have your home
Please note
You can request a publication waiver from the public prosecutor in the case of serious grounds.
The wedding cannot be celebrated until the 10the the day following the publication of the reports.
Example :
If the bans are published on June 4, 2023, the wedding can be celebrated from June 14, 2023.
The day of the celebration of the marriage is fixed in agreement with the mayor and the future spouses, provided that the marriage file is complete and up to date.
The marriage must be celebrated within one year of the expiration of the 10-day period.
FYI
It is forbidden to celebrate a religious marriage before civil marriage.
Location
The wedding is to be celebrated in the town hall, in a room open to the public.
The mayor may celebrate the marriage in any communal building (e.g. a party room), provided that the building is located in the territory of the commune. But the public prosecutor may object to it.
If you or your future spouse are seriously prevented from traveling, the registrar may travel to your home or residence, at the request of the public prosecutor.
He can move without this request in case of life-threatening risk.
Process
The celebration must be made by the mayor or a deputy, in the presence of you 2 and your witnesses.
During the celebration, each of you 2 confirms his commitment to respect the obligations of marriage.
A translator-interpreter may be present.
One family record book is delivered to you.
In the days that follow, you can ask the city hall for a extract or a full copy of the marriage certificate.
Please note
if you and your future spouse had children before your marriage and already have a family record, this booklet will be updated with the marriage certificate.
Once married, you can use the name of your spouse or partner as your last name.
You are currently on a pass
If you are hired by a Civil partnerships: titleContentNo, you can get married.
Marriage is possible in the following situations:
- With your past partner
- With another person
Marriage automatically dissolves Civil partnerships.
To get married, you and your future spouse must meet certain conditions.
These conditions are the same whether you are a couple of different sex or of the same sex.
Age
You must be of age to marry, i.e. at least 18 years of age.
If you are a minor, you may exceptionally be allowed to marry.
You must have the following permissions:
- Age exemption granted by the public prosecutor for serious reasons
- At least one of your parents agreed
Unrelated
The marriage is forbidden when a very close link exists.
Consent
Each of you 2 must give his free and informed consent at the wedding.
If consent is not free and informed, the wedding can be canceled at the request of one of the following persons:
- You or your future husband
- Public Prosecutor
The request for cancelation must be made in a maximum period of 5 years.
The wedding is celebrated in a commune with which at least one of you 2 has a lasting bond.
The link can be with one of the following municipalities:
- That of the domicile or the residence from one of you two
- That of the home or residence of a parent of one of you 2
The registrar ensure that at least one of the persons concerned has lasting links with the municipality.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Municipality of the home
The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has domicile.
Municipality of residence
The wedding can be celebrated in the commune where one of you 2 has his residence.
This residence may be a primary or secondary residence.
It shall be established by at least 1 month of continuous housing on the date of publication of the reports.
Common of a parent
The wedding can be celebrated in one of the following municipalities:
- Municipality of the home of one of the parents (father or mother) of one of you 2
- Municipality of the main residence of one of your parents
- Municipality of the secondary residence of one of your parents
Other situation
If you are all 2 foreigners and you do not live in France, know that the marriage in France of a foreigners couple is only possible in the following locations:
- Consulate of your country of origin
- Municipality of overseas collectivity (Com) or New Caledonia
Documents to be provided by the future spouses
Each of the future spouses must provide his birth certificate.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Birth certificate issued in France
You must provide a birth certificate (extract with indication of parentage) of less than 3 months.
The starting point of the period of validity of the birth certificate is calculated in relation to the day of the filing of the marriage file, and not the day of the celebration. It is this deposit that determines the publication of the tapes.
FYI
if your marital status or that of your future spouse has changed before the marriage is celebrated, you must give a copy of the updated document to the registrar responsible for celebrating the marriage.
Birth certificate issued abroad
You must provide a birth certificate of Maximum 6 months.
No time limit shall be imposed if the birth certificate was issued in a country which does not provide for the updating of birth certificates.
The starting point of the period of validity of the birth certificate is calculated in relation to the day of the filing of the marriage file, and not the day of its celebration. It is this deposit that determines the publication of the tapes.
FYI
if your marital status or that of your future spouse has changed before the marriage is celebrated, you must give a copy of the updated document to the registrar responsible for celebrating the marriage.
Each of you 2 must also provide the following:
- Identity document (original and photocopy)
- Proof of domicile or residence (water, electricity or gas invoice, tax notice, proof of housing tax...)
Depending on your situation, you must provide additional documents.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You or your future husband are a foreigner
If a future spouse is a foreigner, he or she must provide documents specific to his or her nationality.
Formalities are sometimes necessary (apostille for example).
You can inquire at the city hall and the consulate.
Please note
it is possible to provide a multilingual birth certificate.
You're signing a marriage contract
If a marriage contract is concluded, you must provide the notary's certificate.
You or your future spouse are divorced or widowed
Additional documents are requested, for example the divorce decision, the death certificate or the birth certificate of the deceased spouse.
You or your future spouse are under guardianship or curatorship
If one of the future spouses is under guardianship or trusteeship, he must, before marriage, inform the person in charge of the protection measure. You must provide proof of this information.
Please note
the authorization of the guardian or curator is not necessary to marry.
Documents to be provided by witnesses
For each of your witnesses, you must provide the following information:
- Name
- First Name
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation
- Home
- Copy of identity document
The file must be submitted to the municipality of the municipality chosen for the ceremony.
Check with the city hall if you need to make an appointment.
The registrar auditions you two together.
If he considers it necessary, he may also ask for individual interviews with both.
This hearing is mandatory. But it does not occur in the following cases:
- Impossibility
- The registrar does not consider it necessary
The officer may request the presence of a translator or interpreter (at your expense if paid) if you or your future spouse are in any of the following situations:
- Deaf, dumb
- Does not understand French
If you or your future spouse resides abroad, the hearing can be conducted by the competent diplomatic or consular authority.
Before and after the hearing, the city hall cannot refuse a marriage file.
But she can ask the public prosecutor prohibit the solemnization of the desired marriage.
The announcement of the marriage is made by the publication of the bans.
These are notices posted by the registrar at the door of the town hall.
They shall contain the following information:
- Given names, surname, occupation, domicile or residence of each of you 2
- Place where the wedding is to be celebrated
They are displayed for 10 days at the gate of the following town halls:
- Mayor of the wedding
- Town hall where you or your future spouse have your home
Please note
You can request a publication waiver from the public prosecutor in the case of serious grounds.
The wedding cannot be celebrated until the 10the the day following the publication of the reports.
Example :
If the bans are published on June 4, 2023, the wedding can be celebrated from June 14, 2023.
The day of the celebration of the marriage is fixed in agreement with the mayor and the future spouses, provided that the marriage file is complete and up to date.
The marriage must be celebrated within one year of the expiration of the 10-day period.
FYI
It is forbidden to celebrate a religious marriage before civil marriage.
Location
The wedding is to be celebrated in the town hall, in a room open to the public.
The mayor may celebrate the marriage in any communal building (e.g. a party room), provided that the building is located in the territory of the commune. But the public prosecutor may object to it.
If you or your future spouse are seriously prevented from traveling, the registrar may travel to your home or residence, at the request of the public prosecutor.
He can move without this request in case of life-threatening risk.
Process
The celebration must be made by the mayor or a deputy, in the presence of you 2 and your witnesses.
During the celebration, each of you 2 confirms his commitment to respect the obligations of marriage.
A translator-interpreter may be present.
One family record book is delivered to you.
In the days that follow, you can ask the city hall for a extract or a full copy of the marriage certificate.
Please note
if you and your future spouse had children before your marriage and already have a family record, this booklet will be updated with the marriage certificate.
Once married, you can use the name of your spouse or partner as your last name.
You're already married
If you're already married, you can't marry a 2e times.
This prohibition applies in the following 2 situations:
- Married according to French law
- Married according to a foreign law
Warning
If you are in the process of divorce or legal separation, you are considered married.
- Civil Code: Articles 63 to 76Marriage certificates
- Civil Code: Articles 143 to 164Qualifications and requirements for entering into marriage
- Civil Code: Articles 165 to 171Formalities relating to the solemnization of marriage
- Civil Code: Articles 515-1 to 515-7-1Dissolution of Civil partnerships by marriage (Article 515-7)
- General code of local and regional authorities: Articles L2121-29 to L2121-34Wedding hall (article L2121-30-1)
- LAW n°2021-1109 of 24 August 2021 confirming the respect of the principles of the RepublicHearing of future spouses (Article 35)
- Law No. 2009-594 of 27 May 2009 for the economic development of overseas territories: article 58Marriage of 2 persons of foreign nationality not residing in France
- Circular of 26 July 2017 relating to various provisions in the field of the rights of individuals and the family of Law No. 2016-1547 of 18 November 2016 (PDF - 566.9 KB)Building the marriage file (Annex 4)
- Circular of 23 July 2014 on civil status (PDF - 249.4 KB)
- Circular of 29 May 2013 on the introduction of the law opening marriage to same-sex couples (PDF - 624.5 KB)
- Ministerial reply of 20 January 2015 on the place of solemnization of marriageMunicipality of the domicile or residence of one of the parents of the spouses
- Ministerial reply of 20 January 2015 on "gray marriages"
FAQ
- Can the city hall turn down a marriage report?
- Is the mayor obliged to perform a wedding himself?
- Can you marry a family member?
- Witnesses to a marriage: what are the rules?
- Can two foreigners living abroad marry in France?
- In which countries can same-sex marriages take place?
- Marriage, Civil partnerships or cohabitation (common-law): what differences?
- Carte grise Name change after marriage: Should the name change?
- Translating a document: how to find a certified translator?
- Change in civil statusService-Public.fr
- User name: use of wife or husband’s nameService-Public.fr
- Decision 13-50059 on marriage between a French and a Moroccan of the same sexCourt of Cassation
- Delegation of the civil registration functions of the mayor for the celebration of marriagesSenate
- Celebration of marriages by a municipal councilorSenate
- Couples in EuropeNotaries of Europe