Urgent ceremonies
Urgent marriage and civil partnership ceremonies are possible in cases of serious illness. Either by special licence or a reduction of the waiting period. The options include.
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Registrar General's Licence
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Reduction of the statutory waiting period - Waiver
Registrar General's Licence (RGL)
A Registrar General's Licence are issued in circumstances where one party is seriously ill, and isn't expected to recover. It allows the ceremony to be held at the location of the ill party and removes the usual waiting period.
Evidence to support the request for a Registrar General's Licence will be required.
Please contact us as soon as possible.
- During business hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) 0345 60 80 198 or ceremonieshub@eastsussex.gov.uk
- For extreme emergencies outside of these hours, call 01273 337040
Please note these numbers are for ceremonies taking place within East Sussex, not including Brighton and Hove.
Reduction of the statutory waiting period - Waiver
In exceptional circumstances, the General Register Office can waive the legal waiting period. This is typically granted when one of the parties or a key person in the ceremony is seriously ill, and the standard waiting period could cause an issue.
You can apply for a waiver either when you give notice or at any time during the waiting period. You'll need to provide evidence to support your application. A fee will be payable on application. Applying for a waiver does not guarantee it will be granted.
If you believe you may need to apply for a waiver, please contact us as soon as possible.
Phone: 0345 60 80 198
