{"id":3550,"date":"2025-06-11T18:12:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T16:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/?p=3550"},"modified":"2025-07-08T14:09:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T12:09:18","slug":"les-formalites-du-mariage-civil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/2025\/06\/11\/les-formalites-du-mariage-civil\/","title":{"rendered":"A step-by-step guide to the formalities of a civil marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here is a practical guide to the formalities for a civil marriage.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Organizing a wedding in France requires not only meticulous planning but also a solid understanding of legal obligations. In this comprehensive article, we guide you through all the essential administrative steps to ensure your union is fully compliant with the law. This guide is intended for prospective brides and grooms\u2014whether French or foreign nationals, and whether residing in France or abroad.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Who can get married?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, the union is possible only when both individuals are of legal age and consenting:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1) Without distinction of sex <\/span><b>Law of 17 May 2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (loi Taubira), <\/span>Law of 17 May 2013<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2) <\/span><strong>Absence of a relationship by blood or marriage that is too close<\/strong> : Marriage between close relatives (siblings, uncles, nieces, etc.) is prohibited.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3)<\/span><strong>Marital status<\/strong> : Neither spouse may be currently married, whether in France or abroad. Being in the process of getting a divorce is not sufficient; the divorce must have been finalized.<\/p>\n<h4 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Special cases: PACS and marriage<\/h4>\n<p>Please note that if one or both of the future spouses are bound by a PACS (Civil Solidarity Pact), it automatically terminates on the date of the marriage. Therefore, no document dissolving the PACS is required.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-dominant-color=\"817667\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #817667;\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3557 size-large not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-683x1024.avif\" alt=\"Formalit\u00e9s du mariage civil\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-683x1024.avif 683w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-200x300.avif 200w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-768x1152.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-1024x1536.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-1365x2048.avif 1365w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-1144x1716.avif 1144w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-204-scaled.avif 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Application package for a civil marriage ceremony:<\/b><\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Submitting the marriage application file is an essential step. It allows the town hall to verify that all requirements for the wedding ceremony are met. Here are the documents generally required:<\/p>\n<h4 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Identity and civil status documents:<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1)<\/span>Photocopies of the identity documents of both future spouses (national identity card or passport).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2)<\/span>Birth certificate with parentage, less than 3 months old (or 6 months if the document is foreign).<\/p>\n<h4 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Personal supporting documents:<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3) Sworn statement of single status or non-remarriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4) Proof of address <\/span>(electricity bill, rent receipt, etc.).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5)<\/span>List of witnesses with their contact details (surname, first name, date and place of birth, profession, identity document, proof of address).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>In some cases, though<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1) A marriage contract is concluded between the future spouses; provide the certificate of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">notary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2) Divorced: copy of the divorce decree, marriage certificate, or birth certificate extract noting the divorce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3) Widower\/Widow: Death certificate of the spouse concerned, birth certificate, or family record book (*livret de famille*) in which this information is recorded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4) Born abroad, provide a birth certificate with parentage less than 6 months old.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>What are the timeframes for civil marriage formalities?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the marriage file is complete, allow at least 10 days (see <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">publication of banns) to several months. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will therefore be able to choose a date that suits you, subject to the availability of the ceremonies department at your town hall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obviously, if you wish to get married between May and July, the wedding season, it is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is preferable to start several months in advance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subsequently, an (optional) appointment will be scheduled with the civil registrar to ensure that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each spouse actually consents to the marriage. This refers to the municipal interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interview with the civil registrar:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subsequently, an (optional) appointment will be scheduled with the civil registrar to ensure that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each spouse actually consents to the marriage. This refers to the municipal interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Banns, the public announcement of an upcoming marriage:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The banns must be published by the town hall staff on their premises 10 days prior to your wedding date. These are public notices listing upcoming marriages and therefore include your names, occupations, places of residence, and the location of the ceremony. The purpose of publishing the banns is to inform the public of the marriage, thereby allowing individuals to raise an objection that could potentially lead to the marriage being declared void.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is also the reason why the doors to the wedding hall remain open during the civil ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-dominant-color=\"7a7469\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #7a7469;\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3558 size-large not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-683x1024.avif\" alt=\"Formalit\u00e9s du mariage civil\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-683x1024.avif 683w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-200x300.avif 200w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-768x1152.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-1024x1536.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-1365x2048.avif 1365w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-1144x1716.avif 1144w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-187-scaled.avif 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>At which town hall must the civil marriage formalities take place?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Article 165 of the Civil Code, a marriage must take place in the municipality where one of the two spouses has resided for at least two months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, since 2013, Article 74 has stipulated that couples can now celebrate their union in another municipality, subject to certain conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How can a union be celebrated in another municipality?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get married at a town hall other than the one in your own municipality, you must first obtain a special dispensation. Issued by the mayor of the town where you wish to hold the ceremony, this authorization is granted when the prospective spouses have valid reasons. To secure this permission, you must therefore convince the authorities and the mayor of the merits of your request.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Under what conditions can I obtain an exemption?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may wish to get married in a municipality other than the one where you reside, for various reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most frequent grounds\u2014and those most likely to result in a waiver granted by the mayor\u2014are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You wish to get married in the city where your parents live.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you wish to celebrate your union in the town where you grew up and at least one of your parents still lives there, there is a good chance the mayor will approve your request. In your application, you can point out that your parents have difficulty traveling and that it makes more sense to get married close to their home!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What should I do if I want to get married in a municipality where I have no ties?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If no one close to you can vouch for your presence in the municipality where you wish to marry, and if no relatives live in that town, you will need to prepare a strong case before meeting the mayor. In a small town, you might succeed in persuading him by praising the beauty of the landscape. However, if the village is a popular location, your request could be denied.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-dominant-color=\"887966\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #887966;\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3556 size-large not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-683x1024.avif\" alt=\"Formalit\u00e9s du mariage civil\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-683x1024.avif 683w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-200x300.avif 200w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-768x1152.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-1024x1536.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-1365x2048.avif 1365w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-1144x1716.avif 1144w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-206-scaled.avif 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>What steps do I need to take to get married at a different town hall?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To obtain the all-important authorization that will allow you to celebrate your union at the town hall of your choice, you must send a letter to the mayor of the relevant municipality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set out your arguments in a letter and attach proof of your parents' address as well as statements from friends confirming your accommodation, in an attempt to have your application accepted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who can grant me this exemption?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To have your request accepted, you must convince the mayor of the municipality where you wish to hold your wedding. If the mayor is slow to meet with you, you can also go through the municipal registry office. Regardless of whom you speak to, you must wait for an official response before beginning wedding preparations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What civil documents are given to the couple on the day of the civil wedding?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the day of the civil wedding in France, several official documents can be given to the spouses, but the main one is:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b> The family record book<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">It is the only document systematically given to the newlyweds at the end of the ceremony.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">It is issued free of charge by the registrar of civil status.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">It contains:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">The marriage certificate extract<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">A page for recording the children's births<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 12pt;\">The sections for deaths, potential divorces, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If one of the spouses already holds a family record book (from a previous union involving children together), it will be updated rather than a new one being created.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong> Marriage certificate (not issued automatically)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The marriage certificate <\/span>It is drawn up and signed during the ceremony, but it is not handed to the couple on the same day.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You must apply for it later (online, in person, or by mail) at the town hall where the wedding takes place.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-dominant-color=\"9a9490\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #9a9490;\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3560 size-large not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-683x1024.avif\" alt=\"Formalit\u00e9s du mariage civil\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-683x1024.avif 683w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-200x300.avif 200w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-768x1152.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-1024x1536.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-1365x2048.avif 1365w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-1144x1716.avif 1144w, https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/MaudampMaxime-250-scaled.avif 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Do you dream of a bespoke wedding? Contact Smart Mariage, your partner for a stress-free, emotion-filled big day.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Voici un guide pratique pour les formalit\u00e9s du mariage civil Organiser un mariage en France demande non seulement une planification rigoureuse mais \u00e9galement une bonne compr\u00e9hension des obligations l\u00e9gales. Dans [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smart-tips","cat-44-id","has_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3550"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3980,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550\/revisions\/3980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartmariage.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}