Getting married in New Zealand

Births, Deaths and Marriages (Department of Internal Affairs)Verified 16 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

To get married in New Zealand, you first apply for a marriage licence, then a registered celebrant runs your ceremony. The licence costs NZ$158. Get it at least 3 working days before the wedding; it expires after 3 months. The cheapest option is a registry ceremony with a set ceremony fee of NZ$175. If you want to choose your own time, place and vows, have a personalised ceremony, where the celebrant sets the fee. You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen — visitors can marry here too.

Key facts

Marriage licence fee: NZ$158¹
When to get it: At least 3 working days before you get married; the licence expires after 3 months¹
How long the licence takes: After you sign the declaration in front of a Registrar of Marriages and post it to Births, Deaths and Marriages, it takes 3 days to get the licence. If you are using a celebrant, the licence can be sent straight to them by email or courier¹
Registry ceremony cost: Marriage licence NZ$158, plus a set ceremony fee of NZ$175 (paid to the celebrant in advance)²
Personalised ceremony cost: Marriage licence NZ$158, plus whatever the celebrant charges for the ceremony³
Registry ceremony rules: Only during business hours on a weekday (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), not on public holidays; no more than 10 guests; standard vows; choose a celebrant based within 10 kilometres of the ceremony location; registry offices are no longer available for ceremonies²
Who can marry in New Zealand: You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen — visitors to New Zealand can marry here. Same-sex marriage is legal¹
Who cannot marry: People who are already married or in a civil union (unless changing the relationship with the same person); people closely related by birth, marriage or adoption; people under 16. If you are 16 or 17, you need consent from a Family Court Judge first¹
Witnesses: You need 2 witnesses. They must understand what is happening, be able to identify both of you, and be satisfied you both consent. They do not need to have known you for any length of time, and they can be children of any age if they understand the ceremony²
No online weddings: You cannot marry by video call (for example, Zoom). The couple, celebrant and witnesses must be physically present in the same place²
Marriage certificate: NZ$35 each (posted); standard post to a New Zealand address is free, courier NZ$7; most people get it within 2 weeks. A printout for family history research costs NZ$26 and is not an official document⁴
The paper you get on the day: Your celebrant gives you a Copy of particulars of marriage. It is not a marriage certificate. The celebrant uses another copy to register your marriage. Some places also accept the Copy of particulars of marriage⁴
Changing your surname: You usually do not need forms or a process. You can keep your surname, take your partner's, or combine both with a hyphen or a space. The name on your passport and tickets must match. You do not have to update your driver licence because you changed your name when you married⁵
Pretending to be a celebrant: Knowingly pretending to be a registered celebrant and performing a wedding is an offence; on conviction, the penalty can be up to 5 years in prison²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

A registered celebrant must perform your wedding. Only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand.
Only one of you needs to complete the licence application, but you need information about both of you.
If you are getting married overseas, you usually do not need to do anything in New Zealand first — check with the officials of that country.
Instead of marriage, two people of any gender can have a civil union, also performed by a celebrant. Some countries may not recognise New Zealand civil unions, so you may want independent legal advice first.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Choose your ceremony and contact a celebrant first
Registry ceremony: standard vows, weekdays 9am to 5pm, up to 10 guests, set ceremony fee of NZ$175. Personalised ceremony: your own vows, any day, time and place (including weekends and public holidays), and the celebrant sets the fee. Either way, contact the celebrant before you apply for the licence to check they are available and confirm the fee.
Choose a venue (and a back-up)
You need your venue when you apply for the licence, and you can only marry at a place listed in your application — so add a back-up venue. Registry ceremonies can be held at home, in a garden or in a public park; for a park, you may need permission from the council or park administrators.
Apply for the marriage licence (NZ$158)
Anyone can apply online, whether you are in New Zealand or not. On paper: if you are in New Zealand, use the Notice of intended marriage form (BDM 60); if you normally live overseas, use BDM 58. In New Zealand, one of you takes the form to your local Registrar of Marriages to sign the declaration in person (in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch you can book online). Signing the declaration is not your wedding. The licence then takes 3 days. Get it at least 3 working days before the wedding; it expires after 3 months.
Arrange 2 witnesses
Witnesses must understand what is happening and be able to identify both of you. If your witnesses speak a different language from you, you need an interpreter, who signs a declaration (BDM35) before the ceremony.
Have the ceremony
After the ceremony, your celebrant gives you a Copy of particulars of marriage and uses another copy to register your marriage. The couple, celebrant and witnesses must all be there in person — no online ceremonies.
Order your marriage certificate (NZ$35)
Order online (for marriages in the last 75 years), by post with the paper form (BDM93M), by phone, or in person in Auckland, Manukau, Wellington or Christchurch after booking online. Most people get it within 2 weeks.

What documents do I need?

Marriage licence application: online, or the paper Notice of intended marriage form (BDM 60; BDM 58 if you normally live overseas)
Details for both of you (only one of you needs to apply)
Your ceremony venue and a back-up venue
If you are 16 or 17: the Family Court order giving consent, attached to your application
If you need an interpreter: the interpreter's declaration (BDM35)

What should I watch out for?

The most common mistake: you can only marry at a place listed in your licence application. If bad weather could force a move, list a back-up venue in advance.
Signing the declaration in front of the Registrar is not the wedding. After you get the licence, a celebrant still has to perform the ceremony.
The Copy of particulars of marriage you get on the day is not a marriage certificate. The marriage certificate is the official evidence of your marriage, although some places also accept the Copy of particulars — check which one they need before you use it.
To use your marriage certificate in another country (for example, back home), you may need an apostille or authentication certificate first, and a translation into the local language. Ask the country or organisation that will use the document what they require.
You can start using your new surname straight away without a formal name change. If you do legally change your name, update your passport and book tickets in your new name; if not, book tickets in the name on your passport.
Pretending to be a registered celebrant is an offence. If you hold a separate celebration after your wedding, you cannot present it as your legal wedding.
This page is a plain-language summary of public information, not legal advice. Check govt.nz and Births, Deaths and Marriages for the official details.

What has changed recently?

2026-06-18
Most Births, Deaths and Marriages fees rose by about 5.6%: marriage and civil union licences went from NZ$150 to NZ$158, and standard birth, death and marriage certificates went from NZ$33 to NZ$35. Registering a birth or death is still free.Source: dia.govt.nz ↗

Common questions

How do I get married in New Zealand, and how much does it cost?

First apply for a marriage licence, which costs NZ$158, then have a registered celebrant perform your ceremony. A registry ceremony adds a set fee of NZ$175; for a personalised ceremony, the celebrant sets the fee. Afterwards, you can order a marriage certificate for NZ$35.

How far ahead do I need a marriage licence, and how long is it valid?

Get it at least 3 working days before the wedding; it expires after 3 months. On the paper route, after you sign the declaration in front of a Registrar of Marriages and post it to Births, Deaths and Marriages, the licence takes 3 days and can be sent straight to your celebrant.

What is the cheapest way to get married? How much is a registry ceremony in total?

A registry ceremony costs the least: the NZ$158 licence plus a set ceremony fee of NZ$175, paid to the celebrant in advance. It must be on a weekday between 9am and 5pm, not on a public holiday, with no more than 10 guests and standard vows.

We are not New Zealand citizens — we're visitors or on work visas. Can we get married here?

Yes. You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen, and visitors to New Zealand can marry here. Same-sex marriage is also legal. You can apply for the marriage licence online whether you are in New Zealand or not.

How many witnesses do we need, and who can be a witness?

You need 2 witnesses. They must understand what is happening, be able to identify both of you and be satisfied you both consent. They do not need to have known you for any length of time and can even be children who understand the ceremony. If they speak a different language, you need an interpreter who signs a declaration (BDM35).

How do I get a marriage certificate? How much is it and how long does it take?

Order it online, by post with form BDM93M, by phone, or in person in Auckland, Manukau, Wellington or Christchurch after booking. It costs NZ$35; standard post to a New Zealand address is free and courier is NZ$7. Most people get it within 2 weeks.

Do I have to change my surname after marriage? Is there any paperwork?

No. You can keep your surname, take your partner's or combine both, and you usually just start using it without forms. The name on your passport and tickets must match, and you do not have to update your driver licence because you changed your name when you married.

I need to use my New Zealand marriage certificate back home or in another country. What do I need to do?

You may need an apostille or authentication certificate first, and a translation into the local language. Ask the country or organisation that will use the document what they require. The marriage certificate is the official evidence, not the Copy of particulars of marriage from the ceremony.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Get a marriage licenceDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz
Registry ceremoniesDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz
Personalised ceremoniesDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz
Order a marriage certificateDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz
Changing your name when you get marriedDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz
Getting marriedDepartment of Internal Affairs (Govt.nz) · govt.nz

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