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How to Register a Marriage in Sri Lanka

Verified · 1 Nov 2026In person only

Fill in a Notice of Marriage (form B100) in duplicate, have it certified, and hand it to the Marriage Registrar of the division where you have lived for the last 10 days, with a copy of your birth certificate and your NIC. After 14 days the Registrar registers the marriage in front of two witnesses, and the bride receives a copy of the certificate. It costs Rs. 120 for the notice and Rs. 900 to register at the Registrar's office.

At a glance

Fee
Rs. 900
See all 6 fees
Time
At least 14 days after giving notice
Where
Marriage Registrar of the division where you live (notice and registration)
+ 3 more places
Online?
In person only
Form
B100

Do you need this?

When you need it

  • You are getting married in Sri Lanka and want the marriage legally registered.

Who can apply

  • Both of you must be 18 or older.
  • Neither of you can have a valid existing marriage, and you must not be within the prohibited degrees of relationship.
  • You must meet the residence rule: both of you lived in the Registrar's division for the 10 days before giving notice. If you live in different divisions, each of you gives notice in your own division. If one of you was abroad, the other must have lived in Sri Lanka for those 10 days; if both were abroad, one of you must have been in Sri Lanka for 4 days.
  • The general marriage law is for couples of any nationality or religion, unless both of you are Muslim. Muslim couples marry under the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, and Kandyan law is an option for Sinhalese living in Kandyan law areas.
  • Christian couples can have the marriage solemnized in their own place of worship. See the church marriage guide.

Documents you need

Documents to bring

0 of 5 ready

  • It can be certified by the Marriage Registrar of the division, a Justice of the Peace, a Notary Public or a minister of religion.

  • Used to check your names and dates of birth.

Only if…

  • See the guide on marrying a foreign national in Sri Lanka.

Process at a glance

  1. Step 1
    Fill in the Notice of Marriage

    Complete the Notice of Marriage (form B100) (opens in a new tab) in duplicate and have it certified.

  2. Step 2
    Give notice to the Marriage Registrar

    Hand the notice to the Marriage Registrar of the division where you have lived for the last 10 days. The fee is Rs. 120, paid in cash.

  3. Step 3
    Wait 14 days

    The marriage can be registered 14 days after the notice was handed over. To marry sooner, ask the Registrar for a special licence (Rs. 120).

  4. Step 4
    Register the marriage

    After all the above requirements are met, the Registrar registers the marriage in the presence of two witnesses, and the third copy of the marriage certificate is handed over to the bride. The fee is Rs. 900, paid in cash.

  5. Step 5
    Optional
    Marrying abroad?

    Under the Consular Functions Act, a Sri Lankan Ambassador, High Commissioner or consular officer can register a marriage abroad if at least one of you is Sri Lankan. It can be registered in Sinhala, English or Tamil, under the general law, Kandyan law or Muslim law; a Muslim Registrar must be present for a Muslim marriage. See embassy services for Sri Lankans abroad.

  6. Step 6
    Need more copies later?

    The copy given at registration is not the same as later certified copies. To get certified copies afterwards, use the marriage certificate copy guide (form B121).

  7. You're done

Step by step

  1. Step 01

    Fill in the Notice of Marriage

    Complete the Notice of Marriage (form B100) (opens in a new tab) in duplicate and have it certified.

    • The Marriage Registrar of the division
    • A Justice of the Peace
    • A Notary Public
    • A minister of religion

  2. Step 02

    Give notice to the Marriage Registrar

    Hand the notice to the Marriage Registrar of the division where you have lived for the last 10 days. The fee is Rs. 120, paid in cash. Hand in the following documents.

    • The Notice of Marriage, written in duplicate and certified
    • A copy of each person's birth certificate, to check names and dates of birth
    • Each person's NIC
    • If either of you is divorced, a copy of the decree absolute
    • If one of you is a foreign national, the Registrar General's licence and the other documents in the guide on marrying a foreign national

  3. Step 03

    Wait 14 days

    The marriage can be registered 14 days after the notice was handed over. To marry sooner, ask the Registrar for a special licence (Rs. 120).

  4. Step 04

    Register the marriage

    After all the above requirements are met, the Registrar registers the marriage in the presence of two witnesses, and the third copy of the marriage certificate is handed over to the bride. The fee is Rs. 900, paid in cash.

  5. Step 05 · optional

    Marrying abroad?

    Under the Consular Functions Act, a Sri Lankan Ambassador, High Commissioner or consular officer can register a marriage abroad if at least one of you is Sri Lankan. It can be registered in Sinhala, English or Tamil, under the general law, Kandyan law or Muslim law; a Muslim Registrar must be present for a Muslim marriage. See embassy services for Sri Lankans abroad.

  6. Step 06

    Need more copies later?

    The copy given at registration is not the same as later certified copies. To get certified copies afterwards, use the marriage certificate copy guide (form B121).

Fees

Fees

Registering the marriage at the Registrar's office
Rs. 900

Paid in cash. The same fee applies at the Additional District Registrar's office, outside the office, or at a registered place of worship.

Notice of Marriage
Rs. 120

Paid in cash.

Registrar's certificate on a Notice of Marriage
Rs. 120

Needed when you gave notice in two divisions, and for church marriages.

Special licence to marry before 14 days (section 27(3))
Rs. 120

Paid in cash.

Home licence to register the marriage outside the Registrar's office (sections 38(1) and (2))
Rs. 60

Paid in cash, on top of the Rs. 900 registration fee.

Registrar General's licence (if one of you is a foreign national)
Free

Where to go

Forms

More detail

Contact the Registrar General's Department

  • Hotline: 1930
  • General lines: +94 11 2889488 / +94 11 2889489 / +94 11 2072017 / +94 11 2072018
  • Marriage Registrars: 10 am to 2 pm on weekdays and Saturdays

Common problems

We want to marry in less than 14 days.
Ask the Registrar for a special licence. The fee is Rs. 120.
One of us is a foreign national.
Before giving notice, get the Registrar General's licence from the Civil Registration Division of the Registrar General's Department. It is free, takes about 14 working days and is valid for 3 months. See the guide on marrying a foreign national.
One of us was divorced abroad.
If the earlier marriage was registered under Sri Lankan general law, RGD says you must also get a decree absolute from a Sri Lankan court before marrying again.
There is a mistake in the marriage certificate.
Use the guide on correcting a marriage certificate. For a general marriage, an error is corrected through a District Court; Kandyan and Muslim certificates are corrected at the Divisional Secretariat.
We want to marry under Kandyan law.
Only Sinhalese living in a Kandyan law area can. The notice is form C3 and only the Marriage Registrar of your division can certify it - see the Kandyan marriage guide.
We are marrying abroad.
A Sri Lankan embassy or high commission can register the marriage if at least one of you is Sri Lankan.
We are both Muslim.
After the Nikah ceremony, the officiating priest, the bride's Wali, the groom and two male witnesses meet the Muslim Marriage Registrar to register the marriage - see the Muslim marriage guide.

FAQ

How much does it cost to register a marriage in Sri Lanka?
Rs. 120 for the Notice of Marriage and Rs. 900 to register the marriage. A special licence to marry sooner is Rs. 120 more.
How long does it take to register a marriage?
The marriage can be registered 14 days after you hand in the Notice of Marriage, unless you get a special licence.
Can we register our marriage at home or at a hotel?
Yes, with special permission. You apply and pay a fee for registering outside the Registrar's office, and the Rs. 900 registration fee still applies.
How many witnesses do we need?
Two witnesses for a general marriage. A Muslim marriage needs two male witnesses along with the bride's Wali.
Can we get married in a church?
Yes. Give notice in the usual way, get the Registrar's certificate (form B103) and give it to the minister. After the ceremony, take the minister's certificate (form B112) to the Additional District Registrar where the church is. See the church marriage guide.

Official sources

Checked against these official pages1 Nov 2026

Independent, not official

HowToSriLanka.lk is an independent information platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Sri Lanka.

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