Applying for a Marriage Certificate in the ACT

Find out how to apply for your marriage certificate in the ACT. Get clear details on the process, certificate types, and how to obtain your official document through Access Canberra.

If you got married in Canberra or elsewhere in the ACT, the official marriage certificate is issued by Access Canberra after the marriage has been registered.

Two Different Certificates People Commonly Mean

Ceremonial Certificate

  • Given on the day of the marriage
  • Signed by the couple, celebrant, and witnesses
  • A keepsake document
  • Usually not enough for formal identity or name-change processes

Official Marriage Certificate

  • Issued by Access Canberra
  • The standard legal record of the marriage
  • Commonly needed for changing your name and proving the marriage

Who Can Apply?

According to Access Canberra, you can request a marriage certificate if you:

  • are one of the people named on the certificate
  • are authorised by a person named on the certificate
  • otherwise meet the ACT Births, Deaths and Marriages access criteria

How the Process Works

  1. The celebrant solemnises the marriage.
  2. The celebrant lodges the registration paperwork with Access Canberra.
  3. Once the marriage is registered, the official certificate can be requested.

Access Canberra states that the person who performs the marriage ceremony is responsible for lodging the registration documents.

Certificate Types Available in the ACT

Access Canberra offers:

  • a standard certificate: the legal document generally used for identity and official purposes
  • a commemorative certificate: decorative and not typically accepted as proof of identity
  • a package that includes both

Turnaround Time

Access Canberra says it will process certificate requests within 15 business days of receiving all required documents, not including Australia Post delivery times.