Civil marriage

The municipality is responsible for conducting civil marriages in Norway. This means that if you choose a civil wedding, the ceremony can be officiated by the mayor, deputy mayor, or another municipal employee or elected representative.

Contact us to find out which venues and dates are available.

Certain conditions in the Marriage Act must be met before you can get married. See Chapter 1 of the Marriage Act.

This service is free for residents of the municipality where the wedding takes place, even if you are currently living abroad.

If you wish to hold the ceremony at a time or location that requires additional time from the officiant, you may be responsible for covering additional costs.

If you do not live in the municipality where the wedding takes place, and the officiant is not from your municipality, additional costs may apply. You will be informed about this when you contact us.

Getting married in Norway

See in particular Chapter 1 and Sections 11, 12, 12a, 13 and 14 of the Marriage Act.

Forskrift om kommunale vigsler
Ekteskapsloven
Forskrift om registrering og melding av vigsel

Before getting married, the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) must verify that you meet the legal requirements for marriage, a process known as marriage eligibility verification. You can apply for this verification online. Processing time may take several weeks, so apply well in advance of your wedding date.

The following forms must be completed:

1. Declaration of marital status
2. Declaration by witnesses (forlovererklæring)
3. Declaration of division of assets, if you have been previously married
4. Notification of name change, if you plan to change your name

Forms and guidelines can be found at skatteetaten.no.

The Tax Administration will issue a marriage certificate (prøvingsattest) confirming that you meet the legal requirements to marry.

Once you receive the marriage certificate, you can contact the municipality to schedule your wedding.

You must present valid identification to book a wedding with the municipality.

You need two witnesses who must be present during the ceremony. These are typically your designated wedding witnesses.

The municipality will provide a suitable venue and inform you about available time slots for the ceremony.

The ceremony follows the official civil marriage script, which the officiant will read during the ceremony. Additional elements such as readings or music can be included, but the municipality decides what extra content is allowed.

The municipality will send a marriage notification to the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret) within three days after the wedding. You will receive a copy, which serves as a temporary marriage certificate until the official certificate is sent by mail from the National Population Register.