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Give notice of marriage

Standesamt (registry office) · civil status matters

In person§ 1310 BGB

Registering your intended marriage – formerly called the "Aufgebot" (banns) – is done in person at the Standesamt (registry office) in whose district one of the two engaged partners has their place of residence or habitual abode (§ 12 PStG). Both partners attend together, submit their documents and declare that they are not aware of any impediment to marriage. Which documents are required depends on nationality and marital status; foreign partners frequently need a certificate of no impediment to marriage (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis). Contrary to what is often claimed, the ceremony itself is not automatically expensive: at the competent Standesamt and during normal opening hours it is free of charge in many local authorities – costs arise mainly from the registration, the certificates and surcharges for preferred dates or external wedding venues. After the examination, the Standesamt notifies you of the result; the six-month period under § 13(4) PStG runs from this notification – not from the date of filing.

Last updated25 August 2026
Legal basis§§ 1310, 1312 BGB · §§ 11–16 PStG
VerificationChecked by AmtsDeutschland.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information website: we are not the Standesamt, not an authority and not paid advice — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent body is always the final authority. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither solicitors nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
CostsRegistration approx. €40–75 · civil marriage ceremony often free of chargeSurcharges for preferred dates and external wedding venues
Processing timeDepends on the competent authorityNo statutory deadline for appointment scheduling
Validity of the registration6 monthsFrom notification of the examination result (§ 13(4) PStG)
MethodIn personBoth partners must appear together
Required documents

What you need to bring

Which documents your Standesamt requires follows from § 12 PStG and the specific individual case. The basic set is the same nationwide; everything else depends on nationality, previous marriages and children you have together. Request the binding list from your Standesamt before your appointment – only the competent authority can say conclusively which documents it wants to see in the original, as a certified copy or in translation.

Valid identity documents for both partners

Both partners prove their identity with a valid identity card (Personalausweis) or passport in the original; copies, photos taken on a mobile phone and expired documents are not accepted, and the appointment then ends without result. The document must still be valid on the day of the ceremony, because the registrar establishes your identity again there. If your document expires beforehand, apply for a new one in good time: since 7 February 2026 the identity card costs €46.00 from age 24 and €27.60 below that age (§ 1 PAuswGebV), and the passport costs €70.00 or €37.50 respectively (§ 27 PassV).

Certified extract from the register of births

Under § 12(2) PStG, both partners submit a certified extract from the register of births (Geburtenregister) – not the old birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde) from the family record book (Stammbuch), because the register extract contains additional information on parentage. It is issued by the Standesamt of the place of birth, or, for those born abroad, by the local register authority there. There is no statutory maximum age for the extract; many Standesämter nevertheless require a recent copy, usually no older than six months – how strictly this is applied depends on the competent authority.

Extended registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) showing marital status

The extended registration certificate shows your current place of residence and – unlike the simple registration certificate – also your marital status. It proves to the Standesamt that it has local jurisdiction, and at the same time serves as a reference point for checking impediments to marriage. It is issued by the Bürgeramt (citizens' office) of your place of residence; each local authority sets its own fee, and in electronic form it is free of charge in many places under § 18(3) BMG. The same applies here: some Standesämter only accept certificates of a recent date, so obtain it shortly before your registration appointment.

Proof of previous marriages or registered civil partnerships

Anyone who has previously been married or in a registered civil partnership must provide complete proof that this union has been dissolved – otherwise the prohibition on bigamy under § 1306 BGB applies and the registration is refused. You must submit the marriage certificate (Eheurkunde), or a certified extract from the marriage register of the previous marriage, plus the final divorce decree (Scheidungsurteil) bearing the certificate of finality or the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) of the former spouse. The certificate of finality is issued by the family court (Familiengericht) that granted the divorce; a judgment without this certificate is not sufficient. For a marriage divorced abroad, many Standesämter first require recognition of the foreign divorce by the state judicial administration (Landesjustizverwaltung) – this procedure often takes several months.

Certificate of no impediment to marriage for foreign nationals

Under § 1309(1) BGB, foreign partners generally need a certificate of no impediment to marriage (Ehefähigkeitszeugnis) from their home country, confirming that nothing under that country's law stands in the way of the marriage. It is issued by the competent authority in the home country or by the German mission abroad; an apostille or legalisation and a translation by a person sworn in Germany are often additionally required. The certificate is only valid for a limited period – usually six months – and should therefore be applied for with the right timing. If the home country does not issue such certificates, an exemption granted by the president of the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) under § 1309(2) BGB takes its place.

Residence title, apostille and certified translations

Third-country nationals additionally submit a visa or residence title so that the Standesamt can establish identity and residence status. Documents in a foreign language must generally be translated by a translator publicly appointed and sworn in Germany; translations done abroad are not accepted everywhere. Whether an apostille under the Hague Convention is sufficient or full legalisation by the German mission abroad is required depends on the issuing country. Clarify this point early: obtaining, authenticating and translating documents is the most common reason for delays of several months.

Birth certificates of joint children

If you already have children together, many Standesämter require their birth certificates or certified register extracts. The reason is that the marriage can raise questions about the children's use of a name and – where the parents did not previously have joint custody – about parental custody. Bring the certificates as a precaution; whether and in what form they are needed depends on the competent authority.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Determine the competent Standesamt

    Under § 12 PStG, the Standesamt responsible for the registration is the one in whose district one of the two partners has their place of residence or habitual abode. If you live in different places, you are free to choose which of the two Standesämter you register with. You may then still marry elsewhere: the registering Standesamt forwards the documents and the examination result to the Standesamt of your choice. This is not free everywhere – Berlin charges €40.00 for a ceremony held at a different Standesamt. Anyone living abroad who wants to marry in Germany registers at the place where the ceremony is to take place.

  2. 2

    Check capacity to marry and impediments to marriage

    Before booking appointments, check the personal requirements: under § 1303 BGB, a marriage may only be concluded between adults, and none of the impediments to marriage under §§ 1306 to 1308 BGB may apply – these include an existing marriage or registered civil partnership as well as close family relationships. The Standesamt examines these points of its own motion and refuses to officiate if an impediment exists. Clarify doubtful situations in advance, rather than raising them for the first time at the registration appointment.

  3. 3

    Obtain documents – as early as possible

    Apply for the certified extract from the register of births at the Standesamt of your place of birth and for the extended registration certificate at the Bürgeramt. If you were previously married, obtain the marriage certificate of the previous marriage and the divorce decree bearing the certificate of finality at the same time. The most time-critical item is the certificate of no impediment to marriage: depending on the home country, several months can pass between applying for it and receiving the apostilled and translated version. Ask the Standesamt in advance for the full list and have it confirmed which documents must be submitted in the original – this avoids having to obtain documents twice.

  4. 4

    Arrange an appointment for registration

    In almost all local authorities, registration is only possible with a prior appointment, usually booked through the city's administrative portal or by telephone. When booking, already have your preferred dates for the ceremony ready, as many Standesämter only reserve ceremony dates in connection with the registration. There is no statutory lead time – how far in advance appointments are given out depends on the competent authority. Some Standesämter offer an advance check of documents by email; use this option if foreign documents are involved.

  5. 5

    Attend the registration appointment together

    For the registration, both partners attend in person, submit their documents in the original and declare for the record that they are not aware of any impediment to marriage. If a partner is demonstrably prevented from attending – for example due to a stay abroad – the Civil Status Act (Personenstandsgesetz, PStG) provides for a written registration or a written authorisation of the other partner in that case; you should definitely clarify in advance whether and in what form your Standesamt accepts this. This appointment also records your wishes regarding the wedding venue, witnesses and the married name. The registration fee is usually payable immediately.

  6. 6

    Wait for the examination and receive notification

    After the registration, the Standesamt examines under § 13 PStG whether the requirements for the marriage are met, and notifies you of the result. This notification is the actual starting point: under § 13(4) PStG, the marriage again requires registration and examination if more than six months have passed since the notification without the marriage having taken place. The deadline therefore expressly does not run from the date of filing – where a foreign element is involved, weeks can pass between registration and notification, pushing back the usable period by that amount. Note down the date of the notification in writing; it is your decisive point of reference for the deadline.

  7. 7

    Set the ceremony date, venue and married name

    Now you fix the date, time and location. The ceremony in the wedding room of the competent Standesamt during normal opening hours is free of charge in many local authorities; surcharges apply for appointments outside opening hours, for ceremonies outside the official premises, and for a ceremony at a different Standesamt. At the same time, you decide on the married name: since 1 May 2025, § 1355(2) no. 3 BGB also allows a genuine compound surname made up of both family names, with or without a hyphen. You can make the declaration at the marriage ceremony or later (§ 1355(4) BGB) – for details and forms, see Changing your name after marriage.

  8. 8

    Ceremony, recording and marriage certificate

    The marriage is concluded by both partners declaring, in person and in each other's simultaneous presence before the registrar, that they wish to marry each other (§ 1310(1) BGB). Bring your valid identity documents to the ceremony again, and witnesses should bring their own as well. The marriage is then recorded in the marriage register (§ 15 PStG); you receive the marriage certificate (Eheurkunde) against a fee – in Berlin €12.00, in Münster €15.00 for the first and €9.00 for each further copy. Keep at least one copy safe, as the health insurance fund (Krankenkasse), tax office (Finanzamt) and pension insurance regularly request it.

Fee information

Costs and payment

The fees for registration, the ceremony and certificates are set by each local authority or federal state in its own fee ordinance – there is no nationwide ceremony fee. The amounts below come from published official fee schedules and are for guidance only; the by-law of your local authority is what applies.

Fees

Registration of the marriageapprox. €40–75 depending on local authority (Berlin €45.00 · Munich approx. €40 · Münster €72.00)
Ceremony in the wedding room during opening hoursfree of charge in many local authorities (Berlin and Münster: no separate ceremony fee) · Munich approx. €80
Surcharge outside opening hoursBerlin €80.00 · Münster €119 on Fridays from midday, €153 on Saturdays
Ceremony outside the official premises or at branch officesBerlin €75.00–150.00 · Münster (Mühlenhof open-air museum) €171 · Munich €200–600 depending on the wedding venue
Ceremony at a Standesamt other than the one where you registeredBerlin €40.00
Examination where foreign law appliesBerlin an additional €45.00 per spouse
Marriage certificate (Eheurkunde)Berlin €12.00 · Münster €15.00 (each further copy €9.00)
Declaration on the married name after the ceremonyBerlin €25.00
Place of paymentAt the Standesamt, usually at the time of registration
Means of paymentEC card, bank transfer or cash – depending on the competent authority

Important for budget planning: the ceremony itself is not the main cost item. In Berlin it does not even appear in the official fee schedule and is therefore free of charge during opening hours; in Münster only surcharges for special dates are charged. A simple ceremony on a weekday morning there costs around €57 in total – €45.00 for registration, €0.00 for the ceremony, €12.00 for the marriage certificate. The widely circulated claim that a registry office wedding costs "at least €120" cannot be derived from any official fee ordinance. It only becomes expensive through optional choices: a Saturday date, a ceremony in a castle or museum, a Standesamt other than your own, additional certificates and, for international couples, apostilles and sworn translations, whose prices are set by the private market.

Good to know

Important notes

The six-month period starts with the notification, not with the registration. § 13(4) PStG puts it clearly: if more than six months have passed since the notification to the couple without the marriage having taken place, the marriage again requires registration and examination of the requirements. The distinction matters in practice because, where a foreign element is involved, weeks can pass between registration and notification – your usable period shifts back accordingly. If the deadline nevertheless expires, the registration and examination are repeated in full, including a new fee and having to obtain documents again that have since become outdated.

Reform of naming law since 1 May 2025: a genuine compound surname is possible. Under § 1355(2) no. 3 BGB, spouses can choose a compound surname made up of both family names as their married name – with or without a hyphen, as they prefer. The familiar alternatives remain available alongside this: making one partner's birth name the married name, each partner keeping their previous name, or adding one's own name as an accompanying name before or after the married name. Under § 1355(4) BGB, the declaration can be made at the marriage ceremony or later; a declaration made afterwards costs €25.00 in Berlin. Older guides, forms and information sheets that describe a genuine compound surname as impermissible reflect the legal position before 1 May 2025 – for details on how this works in practice, see Changing your name after marriage.

Marriageable age and impediments to marriage are examined by the authority of its own motion. A marriage may only be concluded between adults (§ 1303 BGB); the law no longer recognises any exception for minors. It is also prohibited while an earlier marriage or registered civil partnership exists (§ 1306 BGB), between relatives in the direct line and between full and half siblings (§ 1307 BGB), and between persons related by adoption, unless the family court grants an exemption (§ 1308 BGB). If such an impediment is concealed, the marriage can later be annulled by a court.

No certificate of no impediment to marriage available? An exemption via the Higher Regional Court. If the home country does not issue certificates of no impediment to marriage, the president of the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht) in whose district the registering Standesamt is located can grant an exemption from this requirement under § 1309(2) BGB. You submit the application through your Standesamt, which forwards the documents together with a statement; capacity to marry under the home country's law is then examined on the basis of substitute documents. The exemption is valid for six months, is subject to a fee and can take several months to process – build this firmly into your timeline before booking a celebration.

Witnesses are optional. Since the Marriage Law Reform Act (Eheschließungsrechtsgesetz) of 1 July 1998, witnesses have no longer been a legal requirement in Germany. § 1312 sentence 2 BGB makes clear that, at the couple's request, up to two witnesses may be involved. They must be adults with legal capacity, no family relationship is required, and they must bring a valid identity document to the ceremony. Register your witnesses at the registration appointment if possible, so that their details can be recorded in the official record.

Registration and the ceremony do not have to take place at the same location. You register at the Standesamt of your place of residence, but you may generally marry at any Standesamt in Germany. The registering Standesamt forwards the examination documents to the Standesamt holding the ceremony, so you do not have to obtain the proof twice. Expect a surcharge – €40.00 in Berlin – and a little more lead time, because two authorities are involved. Popular wedding venues and symbolically significant dates are often booked a year in advance; the reservation is usually only binding once the registration has been completed.

Only the civil ceremony at the registry office establishes the marriage. Under § 1310(1) BGB, a marriage is concluded exclusively by the couple declaring, in person and in each other's simultaneous presence before the registrar, that they wish to marry each other. A religious or independent ceremony has no effect under civil law – without a civil marriage ceremony, no marital property regime and no inheritance, tax or pension entitlements arising from marriage come into being. Therefore only fix a religious ceremony date once the civil ceremony appointment has been confirmed.

Marriages concluded abroad: recognition and subsequent recording. A marriage validly concluded abroad is generally recognised in Germany without any special procedure being required. On application, it can additionally be recorded subsequently in the German marriage register; for couples without a place of residence in Germany, the Standesamt I in Berlin is responsible for this (§§ 34, 41 PStG). The subsequent recording is voluntary, but it considerably eases every later need for a certificate before German authorities, because you can then request a German marriage certificate instead of having the foreign certificate translated and authenticated every time.

Plan with a buffer, not around your preferred dates. There is no statutory processing deadline between registration and the ceremony; how quickly the examination and scheduling happen depends on the competent authority. If foreign documents, recognition of a divorce granted abroad or an exemption procedure at the Higher Regional Court are involved, you should allow for a lead time of several months. Start obtaining documents at least six months before your preferred date – and make sure that documents which are only recognised for a limited period are still current at the time of registration.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Calculating the six-month period from the date of filing. Anyone who sets the deadline incorrectly plans the ceremony too late and loses the benefit of the examination: under § 13(4) PStG, the registration and examination must be repeated in full if more than six months have passed since the notification. The consequence is a new registration fee, documents that have to be obtained again and, in the worst case, a cancelled appointment together with a celebration that has already been paid for.

Applying for documents too late. Certificates of no impediment to marriage, apostilles, sworn translations and recognition of a divorce granted abroad regularly take months, not days. Anyone who only starts on this after reserving the date has to postpone the ceremony or let it lapse – surcharges for reserved preferred dates and external wedding venues are not refunded in every case.

Only one partner attends the registration – without a written declaration. Registration generally requires that both partners attend together. For cases where one partner is unable to attend, the Civil Status Act provides for a written registration or authorisation; if this is not available in the form required by the Standesamt, the appointment ends without result and has to be rearranged – in fully booked big-city offices this can quickly cost several weeks.

Bringing the old birth certificate instead of the register extract. § 12(2) PStG requires a certified extract from the register of births, which contains more information than the birth certificate from the family record book. If the wrong document, or one the authority considers too old, is submitted, the registration cannot be completed; you pay to obtain the document a second time and need a new appointment.

Submitting a divorce decree without the certificate of finality. Without the family court's certificate, the dissolution of the previous marriage is deemed unproven, and the Standesamt must refuse to officiate because of the prohibition on bigamy under § 1306 BGB. The registration is refused until you obtain an execution copy with the certificate of finality from the court – this costs additional time and, in many cases, a further fee.

Bringing translations done abroad. Documents in a foreign language generally have to be translated by a person publicly appointed and sworn in Germany; translations produced abroad are rejected by many Standesämter. The result is a double expense: you pay for the translation a second time and lose the time until the next available appointment.

Planning according to outdated naming rules. Anyone who believes that a genuine compound surname made up of both family names is still impermissible gives up, without reason, an option that has existed since 1 May 2025 (§ 1355(2) no. 3 BGB). If the choice of name is made only after the ceremony, a separate declaration at the Standesamt is necessary, which triggers additional fees – €25.00 in Berlin – and requires changing all identity and contractual documents.

Booking the celebration and surcharges without thinking it through. It is not the ceremony itself that drives up the official costs, but the extras: a Saturday date, an external wedding venue or a ceremony at a Standesamt other than your own can amount to several times the registration fee. Anyone who does not check these items in advance in their own local authority's fee by-law (Gebührensatzung) will be surprised at the counter – reserved special dates often also have to be paid for even if you later change your plans.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Which documents do I need as a German national?

You need a valid identity card or passport, a current certified extract from the register of births and an extended registration certificate showing your marital status. If you were previously married or in a registered civil partnership, the marriage certificate of the previous marriage and the final divorce decree bearing the certificate of finality, or the death certificate, are also required. Which documents your Standesamt requires in the individual case depends on the competent authority.

Is the ceremony at the registry office free of charge?

In many local authorities, yes: the ceremony in the wedding room of the competent Standesamt during normal opening hours is, for example, not even listed in Berlin's fee schedule and is therefore free of charge, and Münster, too, only charges surcharges for special dates. Other local authorities, by contrast, charge a ceremony fee – Munich, for instance, around €80 for a ceremony in the wedding room from Monday to Friday. The fee by-law of your own local authority is always decisive.

What does a registry office wedding cost in total?

The basic costs are lower than many people expect: in Berlin, €45 for registration, €0 for the ceremony during opening hours and €12 for the marriage certificate together come to around €57. It only becomes expensive through surcharges for appointments outside opening hours, for ceremonies outside the official premises, and through the examination under foreign law. A flat minimum amount of €120 cannot be derived from any official fee ordinance.

How long is the registration of the marriage valid?

Six months, but the period does not start on the day of registration. Under § 13(4) PStG, the marriage again requires registration and examination if more than six months have passed since the notification to the couple without the marriage having taken place. The deadline therefore starts with the notification of the examination result, which noticeably pushes back the usable period where a foreign element is involved.

How long does it take from registration to the ceremony?

There is no statutory deadline for this; the duration depends solely on how busy the competent authority is and on how complete your documents are. The only legally relevant point is the upper limit of six months under § 13(4) PStG, within which the marriage must take place after the notification. If foreign documents or an exemption procedure at the Higher Regional Court are involved, preparation can take several months.

May we use a genuine compound surname since the reform of naming law?

Yes. Since 1 May 2025, spouses can choose a compound surname made up of both family names as their married name under § 1355(2) no. 3 BGB, with or without a hyphen as they prefer. Older guides that describe the genuine compound surname as impermissible reflect the legal position before 1 May 2025. You can make the declaration on the married name at the marriage ceremony or later (§ 1355(4) BGB); a later declaration costs €25 in Berlin.

Do we need witnesses?

No. Since the Marriage Law Reform Act of 1 July 1998, witnesses have no longer been a legal requirement. Under § 1312 sentence 2 BGB, however, up to two witnesses may be involved at the couple's request; they must be adults and bring a valid identity document.

What happens if no certificate of no impediment to marriage is available?

If the home country does not issue certificates of no impediment to marriage, the president of the Higher Regional Court can grant an exemption from this requirement under § 1309(2) BGB. The application is usually accepted by the Standesamt and forwarded by it; the exemption is valid for six months. The procedure involves an additional fee and can take several months, which is why you should start it as early as possible.

Can we marry abroad and have the marriage recognised in Germany?

Yes, marriages concluded abroad are generally recognised in Germany, provided they were validly concluded under the law of the country where the marriage took place. On application, the marriage can additionally be recorded subsequently in the German marriage register; for persons without a place of residence in Germany, the Standesamt I in Berlin is responsible for this (§§ 34, 41 PStG). The subsequent recording is voluntary but later eases every need for a certificate.

Related official procedures

Apply for a birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde)
At the Standesamt of the place of birth
€10–€15 depending on the local authority
Applying for a marriage certificate (Eheurkunde)
Proof of marriage
€10–€15 depending on the local authority
Changing your name after marriage
Married name and compound surname since 1 May 2025
Standesamt from €25
Stammbuch (family record book)
Collection of civil status documents
€20–50 (purchase price)

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