Correct a marriage or civil partnership registration
Apply to correct a mistake
Either of the 2 people who married each other or formed a civil partnership can apply for a correction.
If neither spouse or partner is alive, a correction will not be authorised.
If the mistake is only on the marriage or civil partnership certificate
If the details in the register are correct, and the mistake was made when copying the details from the register onto the certificate, you can order a new copy of the certificate.
If the mistake is in the original registration
You’ll need to apply to the register office in the area where the marriage or civil partnership was registered, even if the ceremony was held in another venue.
It costs £90 to apply.
Contact the register office to find out how to send your application and how to pay.
Fill in the application form to correct details on a marriage or civil partnership registration and send it to the register office.
The original information will always be shown in the register. After the correction has been authorised, a note will be added to the margin of the register. This will explain what the correct information is and when the correction was made.
Any correction to a marriage or civil partnership entry needs to be authorised by the General Register Office (GRO) before it goes ahead.
Proving the record is wrong
You’ll need to provide original documents or certified documents to show what the correct information should have been at the time of the marriage or civil partnership.
Send them to the register office in the area where the marriage or civil partnership was registered. They will then forward copies to GRO. This prevents your original documents from getting lost in the post.
The documents should have been valid at the time of the marriage or civil partnership, or just before. You cannot use documents from after the date of the marriage or civil partnership to make a correction to an entry.
Documents you can send in include a:
- passport
- photocard driving licence
- bank, building society or credit card statement dated within 3 months before the marriage or civil partnership
- letter from a hospital or doctor
- letter from a government department
If you cannot send in proof, corrections cannot usually be made.
All certified copies sent with the application will be destroyed if you do not ask for them to be returned.
How long applications take
There is not a set time for how long applications will take. It can take up to 25 days for you to get a reply.
After the correction has been approved
You’ll be told when the GRO has approved the correction.
After that, you can buy a new marriage or civil partnership certificate that shows the original information along with a note of the corrected details.
Advice
If you want further advice on applying to make a correction, contact the register office where your marriage or civil partnership took place.