Arranging a Marriage

Information regarding marriage on the Isle of Man

Church of England Marriages
In the case of marriage in a church of the Church of England, no reference to the Civil Registry is necessary in the Isle of Man. Enquiries should be made to the vicar of the church where the ceremony is to take place. For further information, you may wish to contact the Diocesan Registrar.
Marriages other than Church of England
Marriages may be solemnized by a Certificate with Licence of a Registrar or by Certificate of a Registrar in the office of a Registrar of Marriages or in certain non-conformist churches on the Isle of Man.

Residency and notice of marriage

To marry on the Isle of Man, you must give notice of your intention to marry to a Registrar and have resided at your place of residence for at least 7 clear days immediately before giving notice. You may attend the Douglas Civil Registry or use the registration service operated by Peel Town Commissioners at Peel Town Hall or Ramsey Town Commissioners at Ramsey Town Hall where you will each be required to complete and sign a Notice of Marriage form. This is a legal document stating your intention to marry.

The Notice of Marriage form is placed in the Notice Book which can be inspected by the public at any time during office hours. If no objections to the notice are made within 7 full consecutive days, a Certificate for Marriage is issued. The marriage ceremony can now take place.

Please note: Isle of Man Certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of giving notice. Certificates for Marriage must still be valid for the date of your ceremony.

Documents to be produced to the Registrar

If either of you have previously been married and the marriage has ended either in the death of your former spouse or civil partner or in the dissolution of the marriage or civil partnership, documentary evidence of the freedom to marry (e.g. certified copy of a death certificate with marriage/civl partnership certificate or a certified copy of a Decree Absolute/Dissolution Order) must be produced.

You should also produce valid photographic ID (e.g. passport, driving licence, etc.), proof of residence (e.g. utility bill, bank statement, Government letter, etc.) (dated within the last 3 months)), certified copies of your birth certificate and change of name documentation (if applicable). The Registrar will take copies and return the documents to you immediately. Please note that photocopies of these documents cannot be accepted. Failure to produce these documents could delay arrangements for your ceremony.

The minimum age for marriage on the Isle of Man is 16 years, and between the ages of 16 and 18 years parental consent is required. There are special provisions which the Registrar will explain to you if either or both parents are dead, divorced or legally separated. A form must be obtained from the Registrar for parents to sign in front of witnesses, giving their consent to the marriage.

Please note: There are some prohibited degrees of relationships that are not allowed to marry on the Isle of Man.

Douglas Civil Registry

The ceremony room at Douglas Civil Registry was planned by Government architects to make the most of the light and modern look of the building. A CD of Celtic music will be played whilst your guests enter the room and during the signing of the register. The room opens out onto the courtyard frontage of the Courts of Justice. The ceremony room is on the ground floor with a ramp leading out onto the courtyard. There is seating for 50 guests. The room is accessible for wheelchairs and there are toilet and baby changing facilities available. There is no reserved parking available but the nearest pay and display car parks are at Chester Street or Shaws Brow. Confetti is a traditional part of any wedding but we would request that guests throw biodegradable confetti only outside.

Ramsey Registry Office (operated by Ramsey Town Commissioners)

The registry office is situated at Ramsey Town Hall in Parliament Square. An impressive ceremony room with large windows looking up to Snaefell. The ceremony room is on the 1st floor with lift access. There is seating for 40 guests. The nearest public parking is in Parliament Street. Contact the staff at Ramsey Town Commissioners for further details.

Peel Registry Office (operated by Peel Town Commissioners)

The registry office is in Peel Town Hall, Derby Road. The ceremony takes place in the boardroom of the Commissioners, which boasts an impressive stained glass window. The room is on the 1st floor. There is a stairlift and the room is accessible for wheelchairs. There is seating for 30 guests. The nearest public parking is at the rear of Peel Police Station.

Marriage in the UK

There is the facility to marry by Registrar’s Certificate in the UK as long as both the parties have been resident for 7 days immediately preceding the giving of notice of marriage to the Registrar in the UK. You should obtain details of the regulations and laws of the UK from the Registrar where you are to be married.

Where one of the parties resides in the UK and the other party on the Isle of Man, and the marriage is to take place in the UK, both parties may each give the requisite notice to the Registrars of their respective districts after the necessary residence (7 days in the UK and 7 days in the Isle of Man). 21 working days must elapse before the two certificates would be issued. The certificates must be delivered to the Registrar conducting the marriage ceremony before the ceremony can take place. Please ensure that licenses or certificates are valid for the date of your ceremony.

Any person who wilfully gives false information to the Registrar relating to the particulars required to be entered in any register is liable to prosecution, and on conviction, to the punishment prescribed by law.

Downloadable Documents