The Notice of Intended Marriage

Legal Paperwork to Get Married in Australia

updated 15/10/2025

In amongst all the really fun and exciting preparations for your wedding, the legal paperwork looms. It looks overwhelming and tedious. It doesn’t have to be! The first thing to do is get the Notice of Intended Marriage lodged. Part of your celebrant’s job is to ensure that you are guided through this process stress-free.

In this post, I want to explain the Notice of Intended Marriage. What it is, why it’s needed, and how to fill it out.

In Australia, couples getting married need to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage  with their chosen marriage celebrant. This needs to be done at least one calendar month prior to their ceremony. (But not more than 18 months prior.)

 

FAQS

What is a Notice of Intended Marriage?

A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) is the first step of the legal process of getting married in Australia. It is a form that tells the government of your intention to get married. It is filled out and lodged with your chosen celebrant at least one calendar month (but no more than 18 months) prior to the marriage.

Why do we have to fill out a NOIM?

Several reasons!

Think of the NOIM as kind of a ‘cooling off period’. This is to ensure both parties to the marriage are entering into it with fully informed consent.

The NOIM is sent off by your celebrant to Births Deaths and Marriages in the state/territory you are married in. This is done after the ceremony along with other marriage paperwork. BDM then  registers your marriage.

The NOIM is also a legal document that the Australian Bureau of Statistics- uses to collate non-identifying statistics on marriage in general. As the ABS states: “Annual data is provided on the ages, marital status, country of birth and previous marriage details. (Number of marriages, how last marriage terminated; children) for the bridegroom and bride of each marriage registered in the reference year.”

And finally, the NOIM is how celebrants authorised by the Attorney General’s Department, confirm your identity and your place and date of birth. This is important, as it is a legal union that is taking place.

Where can I find the Notice of Intended Marriage?

Your celebrant will provide you with one, OR you can download one from the Attorney General’s website HERE.

What if we really need to be married before the one- month Notice period?

Read more about that here

What do we need in order to fill out the NOIM?

• Each of you will need to provide to the celebrant EITHER an original birth certificate (or an official extract of an entry in an official register showing place/date of birth) AND photo ID;
• OR a certificate of Australian Citizenship and photo ID;
• OR a passport, which serves the purpose of both identifying you through a photo as well as proving your date and place of birth.
• OR a statutory declaration relating to place and date of birth, only if it is practically impossible to obtain either of the above.
•   If one of the parties has been married previously, they need to provide evidence of the end of the previous marriage (divorce certificate, death certificate, or evidence of annulment).

When can’t I marry?

• You need to both be over the age of 18, OR if one of you is not yet 18, you need an approval by a court. (In Australia you must be at least 16 years of age to marry, and under no circumstances can 2 people under the age of 18 marry each other).
•   In Australia, you cannot marry a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild or sibling.
•   If you are already married to someone else.
•   You must understand what marriage means and be freely consenting to the marriage.

What if I am still waiting on a divorce?

You can still have the NOIM lodged if a divorce is pending. BUT the new marriage cannot be solemnised until evidence of divorce has been presented to the celebrant.

How do we fill out the NOIM?

Your celebrant can help you if needed, either in person or via phone/email/ video call.

Personally, if a couple is local to me, I will meet up with them in person to fill out the NOIM and witness their signatures on it. If a couple is interstate in Australia, celebrants are now permitted to remotely witness the couples’ signatures on the NOIM by means of a facility that enables audio and visual communication (Zoom meeting, for example). In order to do this, both the celebrant AND the couple need to be in Australia at the time of signing and witnessing.

Who Do I lodge my NOIM with?

You lodge your NOIM with your chosen celebrant after your signatures have been witnessed on it by an authorised person (see below). You may scan and email the NOIM to your celebrant or give it to them in person.

What if my partner is away and can’t get his/her signature witnessed within the one-month period?

That’s OK, IF there is a genuine reason why it is impractical. For example, I have had couples where one party is in the armed forces and unable to have the NOIM witnessed as they are overseas in a remote location. The NOIM can be lodged with just one party to the marriage having signed it. The other party can sign it at some point in the presence of the celebrant, prior to the marriage being solemnised. The celebrant needs to ensure, however, that the other party has full knowledge and consent to the marriage.

Who can witness our signatures on the NOIM?

The NOIM must be signed in the presence of an authorised witness. Persons who are authorised to witness your signatures are as follows.

• if the party signs the Notice in Australia.  An authorised celebrant, a Justice of the Peace, a barrister or solicitor, a medical practitioner, or a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a state or territory.
• if the party signs the Notice outside of Australia.  An Australian Consular Officer, an Australian Diplomatic Officer, a notary public, an employee of the Commonwealth authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955, or an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955.Note: For the definitions of Australian Consular Officer and Australian Diplomatic Officer, see section 2 of the Consular Fees Act 1955.

The remainder of the NOIM is filled out by your celebrant.

I hope this has helped!

Get in touch via email or give me a call today on 0404047313 to see how I can assist you!

You can find the latest version of the NOIM here.