A marriage certificate is the document banks, passport offices, visa officers, insurers and courts ask for as proof of marriage. In Mumbai, most marriages are registered with the Registrar of Marriages at the BMC ward office under the Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriages Act, 1998. Couples who are not marrying under personal law, including many inter-faith couples, marry and register under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. This page explains which route applies, what to bring and how the process runs.
Which law applies
| Your situation | Law and office |
|---|---|
| Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist marriage already solemnised by religious ceremony or nikah | Maharashtra Regulation of Marriage Bureaus and Registration of Marriages Act, 1998: Registrar of Marriages at the BMC ward office where you live |
| Inter-faith couple, or a couple who wants a civil marriage without a religious ceremony | Special Marriage Act, 1954: Marriage Officer of the district, through the IGR Maharashtra system |
| Marriage already performed in another form, to be registered as a civil marriage | Section 15 of the Special Marriage Act, 1954 |
| Christian, Parsi or Jewish marriage solemnised under the community’s own law | Registered under that community’s marriage law; the certificate is issued through the state’s marriage registration system |
Route 1: registering a marriage already solemnised (1998 Act)
Time limit
The memorandum of marriage should be filed within 90 days of the wedding. A marriage can still be registered after 90 days and after one year, but a higher fee applies and the Registrar may ask for an explanation of the delay. Fees are revised from time to time, so check the current schedule at the ward office or on the BMC portal before paying.
Steps
- Fill the application online on the BMC (MCGM) portal, or at the ward office. The system generates the memorandum of marriage, known as Form D.
- Sign Form D. The husband, the wife, the three witnesses and the priest or kazi who solemnised the marriage sign in the boxes provided.
- Visit the ward office on the appointed day with the originals and copies of all documents. The husband, wife and witnesses attend in person.
- Verification and registration. The Registrar checks the documents and enters the marriage in the register.
- Collect the certificate once it is issued.
Documents usually needed
- Form D, signed by everyone named above
- Proof of age of husband and wife: birth certificate, school leaving certificate or passport
- Identity and address proof of husband, wife and each of the three witnesses
- Passport-size photographs of husband and wife, and a photograph of the wedding
- The wedding invitation card, if there was one
- For a Muslim marriage, the nikahnama, with an English translation if it is in Urdu
- Where either party was married before, the divorce decree or the death certificate of the former spouse
- Particulars of the priest or kazi who solemnised the marriage
Route 2: marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954
The Special Marriage Act allows any two persons to marry regardless of religion, by a civil procedure before a Marriage Officer. The man must have completed 21 years and the woman 18 years, neither may have a living spouse, and they must not be within the prohibited degrees of relationship set out in the Act.
- Notice of intended marriage (Section 5). The couple gives written notice to the Marriage Officer of the district where at least one of them has lived for at least 30 days immediately before the notice.
- Publication (Section 6). The Marriage Officer enters the notice in the Marriage Notice Book and displays it at the office.
- Objection period (Section 7). For 30 days, anyone may object, but only on the ground that the marriage would break one of the conditions in Section 4, such as an existing spouse, under-age, or a prohibited relationship. The officer inquires into any objection.
- Declaration and solemnisation (Sections 11 and 12). After the 30 days, the couple and three witnesses sign declarations before the Marriage Officer and the marriage is solemnised.
- Certificate (Section 13). The Marriage Officer enters the marriage in the Marriage Certificate Book, which is conclusive evidence of the marriage.
If the marriage is not solemnised within three calendar months of the notice, a fresh notice is needed (Section 14).
Common reasons for delay or rejection
- Names or dates of birth spelled differently across Aadhaar, the school certificate and the passport
- A witness without proper identity and address proof
- An Urdu nikahnama without an English translation
- A previous marriage with no divorce decree or death certificate on file
- Applying at the wrong ward office for the couple’s address
When a lawyer helps
Most straightforward registrations need only careful paperwork. Advice is worth having where there is a previous marriage, a foreign national, a name mismatch that needs an affidavit or gazette change, a late registration, family opposition to an inter-faith marriage, or a marriage that will be relied on in a maintenance, divorce, succession or immigration matter.
Frequently asked questions
Is marriage registration compulsory in Maharashtra?
The 1998 Act requires a marriage solemnised in Maharashtra to be registered by filing the memorandum within the prescribed time. Registration does not create the marriage, which is valid by its ceremony, but the certificate is the proof most authorities require.
How many witnesses are needed?
Three, under both the 1998 Act route used at BMC ward offices and the Special Marriage Act.
Can we register a marriage that took place years ago?
Yes. A late registration is possible on payment of the higher fee and an explanation for the delay.
We married in another state but live in Mumbai. Where do we register?
Ordinarily with the Registrar where the marriage was solemnised. Where that is not practical, take advice on the Special Marriage Act, Section 15 route, which allows registration by the Marriage Officer of the district where you live.
Do both of us have to be present?
Yes. Husband, wife and witnesses attend in person for verification, and biometric checks may be done.
See also: Court marriage in Mumbai: the Special Marriage Act step by step.
See also: Nikah registration in Mumbai.
Consultations are by appointment. To fix a time, telephone +91 99301 50560 or send a message on WhatsApp.
This page describes general procedure as understood in October 2026. Forms, portals and fees change, so confirm current requirements with the Registrar of Marriages or Marriage Officer before applying. It is not legal advice.
Related
Related guides
- Correcting a Mistake in Your Marriage Certificate
- Duplicate or Certified Copy of a BMC Marriage Certificate
- Marrying a Foreign National or NRI in Mumbai
- Apostille of a Marriage Certificate from Maharashtra
- Late Marriage Registration in Mumbai
- Name Change After Marriage: Is a Gazette Needed?
This page describes general procedure and is published for information only, in keeping with Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules. It is not legal advice and does not solicit work. What applies to a particular matter depends on its own facts.