Civil Marriages

Celebration of Civil marriages is governed by the Marriage Act, Cap 251. The Registrar General is gazetted as the Registrar of Marriages for Kampala whereas the Chief Administrative Officers are gazetted as the Registrars of Marriages for districts outside Kampala. Civil Marriages take place at the offices of these Registrars.

Who is eligible to contract a Civil Marriage?

Every person who is single, widowed or divorced, aged 18 years and above and is not party to a subsisting marriage is eligible to contract a civil Marriage

Contracting a Civil Marriage

    The intending couple should come with the following;
    • Proof of citizenship for example a passport or national identification card
    • An LC 1 letter clearly stating duration of residence in the district in which the marriage is intended to be solemnized (this should not be less than 15 days).
    • One passport size photograph each for the groom and the bride.
    • A Photocopy of a VALID ID for each of the two Adult witnesses
    • Registered marriage affidavits that conform to Section 10 of the Marriage Act;
    • In case of foreign citizens, a letter from the Civil Registration or Vital Statistics Office of their country confirming that the party is not married.
    • For the case of Foreign Citizens, Copies of Valid Visas upon entry into Uganda shall be required on the Marriage Date
    • For the case of Divorced/Widowed intendants to the marriage, certified copies of Divorce Decree Absolutes or death certificates shall be required
    • For the case of Documents authored in any Language other-than English, Translations of the same shall be required
    • For the case of refugees, a letter from the Office of the Prime Minister on the marital status of the intendant shall be required
  • • One of the intending parties to the marriage should fill a Notice of Marriage Form (Form A according to the Marriage Act) (indicating their names, marital status, age, occupation and place of abode)
  • The client should attach evidence of payments of the prescribed fees. The fees must have be paid in any bank of choice after generation of a payment registration number (PRN) from the URA portal Alternatively, a client can exercise the self-assessment option by logging on to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) website at www.ura.go.ug
  • The Notice form, accompanying documents and receipts should be submitted to the Registrar of marriages of the district of Residence of one of the parties to the marriage (For Kampala Residents, this may be done by scanning the documents as a single PDF file and sending via email to marriages@ursb.go.ug ) The intending couples are encouraged to indicate Valid Phone Contacts on the Notice Form
  • The Notice of Marriage is published on the Notice board of the District Registrar of Marriages for 21 calendar days.
  • If there are no objections to the notice of marriage, the ceremony takes place after 21 calendar days but not before the lapse of 90 calendar days. Marriages are celebrated from Monday to Friday, between 10 am and 4 pm
  • On the day of the marriage solemnization, the parties appear with the two adult witnesses before the Registrar who performs the ceremony and thereafter issues a Marriage Certificate (Form E according to the marriage Act)
  • If there is an objection, a caveat is placed and the matter is referred to Court for settlement.
  • Fees Payable:
    A total of UGX 260,000/- (Where one of the parties to the marriage is Ugandan or a Refugee) and USD210 (Where none of the parties to the marriage is Ugandan)

Please email marriages@ursb.go.ug for further inquiries.

Service Details National Applications (Ugx) Foreign Applications (Usd)
Civil Marriages File notice of marriage 10,000/= $10
Display of notice on notice board FREE FREE
Celebration of marriage 200,000/= $150
Issuing of marriage certificate 25,000/= $25
Registration of marriages a) Marriages conducted at URSB. b) Marriages conducted at the Districts 25,000/= $25

       Registration of Affidavits
30,000/=30,000/=
Customary Marriages Issuance of customary Marriage Certificate 20,000/= N/A
Registration of a customary marriage within six (6) months 20,000/= N/A
Registration of a customary marriage after six (6) months 40,000/= $200
Special Licenses Process applications for special licenses 300,000/= $200
Issuance of Special license FREE N/A
Licensing Places of Worship to Celebrate Marriages Process applications from clients 200,000/= N/A
Inspection of place of worship of the applicant, report and recommendations FREE N/A
Granting of license to celebrate marriage FREE N/A
Searches And Certifications Searches on the Marriage register/ Muslim and Hindu divorce Register 25,000/= $25
Certification of marriage certificates/ returns AND Muslim and Hindu Divorce Certificates 35,000/= $35
Marital Status Issuing of single status letters 25,000/= N/A
Church, Hindu And Muslim Marriages Compliance Check N/A N/A
Approval of marriage return N/A N/A
Filing of marriage returns and registration of marriages 35,000/= $35
Muslim & Hindu Divorces Compliance Check FREE N/A
Filing of divorce returns and registration of divorce. 35,000/= $35
Verification of Marriages and Muslim & Hindu Divorces E-searches for Government& Foreign Missions FREE FREE
Verification for the general public of Muslim and Hindu divorces. 35,000/= $35