Marriage certificate and registration: civil, customary and religious marriages

A marriage certificate is a document people need at a few specific, usually stressful moments: a name change, a bond application, a spouse’s benefits claim, and a deceased estate. The registration that produces it is largely automatic - but only if the officiant is properly registered.

Who registers a marriage

The marriage officer who solemnises it. That person completes the marriage register and lodges it with the Department of Home Affairs, which then holds the record and issues the certificate.

That is why the answer to “how do I register my marriage” is usually “you already did, indirectly”. The exception is where the officiant is not registered as a marriage officer - in which case a valid ceremony may still have taken place in religious terms, but there is nothing on the national register to issue a certificate from.

The types of marriage

Type	Who solemnises	Registered by
Civil	A Home Affairs marriage officer or designated officer	Home Affairs
Religious	A religious official who is a registered marriage officer	The officiant, via Home Affairs
Customary	Under customary law, per the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act	The officiant, where registered
Civil union	A marriage officer, under the Civil Union Act	The officiant, via Home Affairs

The Marriage Act, the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act and the Civil Union Act each set their own requirements. All three produce a registered marriage for legal purposes.

Documents before the ceremony

Both parties need identity documents. Where either party has been married before:

• Divorce - the divorce order. A decree that is not yet final is not enough.
• Death of a spouse - the death certificate.

There is no blood test and no waiting period in South African law. Where a minor is involved, the requirements are stricter and involve parental consent and the court - Home Affairs should be consulted directly because the rules are specific.

Getting a copy later

A copy of the marriage certificate is obtained from Home Affairs on application, with the identity documents of the parties and the date of the marriage. Two things commonly go wrong:

1. No record is found. The marriage was never lodged. The remedy is the original register and the officiant, not a second application.
2. A name mismatch. If a party’s surname changed after the marriage, the application must use the details as they appear on the register, not the current name.

Why the certificate matters more later than sooner

The certificate is needed for a spouse’s medical aid membership, for a pension or insurance claim, for a home loan, for a visa application, and - most acutely - when a spouse dies and the estate must establish the relationship. That last use is why the certificate belongs with your other important documents rather than in a drawer that only the couple knows about.

The deceased estate guide picks up that thread, and the birth certificate guide covers the registration that children’s documents depend on.

Last reviewed 13 October 2026. Requirements are set by the Marriage Act, the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act and the Civil Union Act; confirm current practice with Home Affairs.