Getting married or entering into a civil partnership

A marriage or civil partnership is an important moment in your life. With this step, you make your relationship official according to the law. Also the rights and obligations in your relationship, such as pension and inheritance. You can decide step by step what your wedding day will look like.

Conditions

• Everyone 18 years and older can get married or enter into a civil partnership. People of the same gender may also do the same.
• Under Dutch law you cannot be married and enter into a civil partnership at the same time.
• You apply for a marriage or civil partnership by Begin link: registering your intent, end link. . You do this at least 12 weeks before the planned date.
• You can Begin link: register your intended marriage or civil partnership, end link. in any municipality in the Netherlands. It is most practical to do this in the municipality where you are going to marry or enter into a partnership.
• The marriage/partnership will be registered by a Begin link: trouwambtenaar, end link. (civil registrar).
• The official part of the ceremony (the mandatory wording) is always in Dutch. The rest of the ceremony can be done in another language.

Fees

• The fees for the wedding locations can be found on the page Begin link: Municipal wedding locations in The Hague, end link. and Begin link: Free-choice wedding venues in The Hague, end link. .
• You can request a Begin link: Marriage booklet or partnership booklet, end link. . Look at the Begin link: fees, end link. .

You can pay in cash or use a bank card at City Hall Spui. You can only use a bank card at the Leyweg City Office. Unfortunately it is not possible to pay with a credit card.

Good to know

• Would you prefer a civil registrar from a different municipality? Or would you like to have sombody designated as a civil registrar for 1 day? Read more on the page Begin link: Trouwambtenaren, end link. .
• You can have a Begin link: simplified or free wedding or civil partnership, end link. at City Hall Spui.
• Married couples and civil partners automatically have limited community of property. More information can be found on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
• A civil partnership is not always recognised and accepted in foreign countries. More information can be found on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
• Did you recently get married or enter into a civil partnership in a different municipality? The municipality where you live will automatically be notified. You do not need to register your marriage or civil partnership yourself. This can take approximately 2 weeks.

Also see: Trouwambtenaren (civil registrars)