Overview of our refunds and cancellations
This page outlines how we manage changes, cancellations, and refunds for Notice appointments, certificate orders, and ceremony bookings.
Notice of Marriage or Civil Partnership appointments
Unsuccessful Appointments
If we are unable to complete your Notice of Marriage or Notice of Civil Partnership (e.g. due to incomplete legal documentation or failure to attend), you may not receive a full refund.
It is your responsibility to ensure you bring all required legal documents.
Refund Policy
If you cancel your appointment, you are entitled to a full refund. Email registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk to cancel your appointment.
Rescheduling Your Appointment
You may reschedule your Notice appointment, free of charge. Please contact us at least 24 hours before your appointment to reschedule.
Force Majeure
If we must cancel or postpone your Notice appointment due to circumstances beyond our control (e.g. severe weather, building closures, or other operational emergencies), you will be offered a new appointment at no additional cost, or a full refund.
Contact Information
To cancel, amend, or discuss your Notice appointment, please contact:
registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk or call 0345 60 80 198.
Certificate orders
Unsuccessful Applications
If we are unable to issue the certificate you requested, we will refund your payment using the original payment method. You will receive an email explaining why your order could not be fulfilled.
Cancellation Rights
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, customers have the right to cancel an order for non personalised goods within 14 days for a full refund.
Certificate orders are personalised documents produced based on the information you supply. For this reason, once processing of your certificate has begun, the order cannot be cancelled or refunded.
If you wish to cancel your application before processing starts, please email: Registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk
Uncollected Certificates
If your certificate is not collected, we will retain it for 2 years from the date of the order. We will make reasonable efforts to contact you during this time. After 2 years, uncollected certificates will be securely destroyed.
Ceremony bookings
This policy applies to all ceremony bookings made with East Sussex Registration Service.
If You Cancel Your Ceremony
All cancellations must be made in writing.
| When You Cancel | Refund Amount |
|---|---|
| Within 14 days of booking | Full refund |
| Day 15 after booking up to 2 months before ceremony date | 75% refund |
| Between 2 months and 1 month | 50% refund |
| Less than 1 month before ceremony date | No refund |
- Amendment fees are never refunded.
- Certificate and commemorative certificate fees will always be refunded in full, regardless of when you cancel.
- Statutory fees will always be refunded in full, regardless of when you cancel.
Amendments to Your Booking
Changes to time, date, or venue made 2 months or more before the ceremony are treated as amendments and incur the applicable amendment fee.
If changes are requested with less than 2 months' notice, the change will be treated as a cancellation, and the refund rules above will apply.
For Marriage/Civil Partnership ceremonies; if the venue or date changes, you may require new Notices to be given, you will be responsible for any additional statutory fees.
Postponing a Ceremony
You may postpone your ceremony only if:
- The postponement is requested 2 months or more before the ceremony date; and
- A new date is proposed immediately; and
- Registrars are available on the new date
A postponement is treated as an amendment and will incur the standard amendment fee. If:
- No new date is provided, or
- The postponement is requested with less than 2 months’ notice
The change will be treated as a cancellation, and the refund rules above will apply.
Late Start or Failure to Proceed
If a ceremony does not begin within 20 minutes of the scheduled time due to late arrival by the couple or guests:
- Registrars may shorten or adjust the ceremony, or
- Defer it to later the same day (if possible), or
- Cancel the ceremony if no registrar is available.
If cancellation occurs for these reasons, no refund will be given.
An additional fee may be charged if the ceremony begins more than 20 minutes late.
Force Majeure
If your ceremony cannot take place due to events outside our control (e.g. severe weather or building closures, etc.):
- We will make all reasonable efforts to conduct your ceremony as planned, but this cannot be guaranteed.
- If we cannot proceed, you will be offered a full refund or the option to amend your booking at no additional cost.
Polling Stations
If your ceremony venue becomes a polling station on your chosen date and we are notified of an election or referendum:
- You may move your ceremony to a new date at no additional cost, subject to availability; or
- You may cancel and receive a full refund.
Insurance Recommendation
For Marriage/Civil Partnership ceremonies; we strongly recommend purchasing insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances or losses not covered by this refund policy.
Contact Information
To cancel, amend, or discuss your ceremony, please contact:
ceremonieshub@eastsussex.gov.uk or call 0345 60 80 198.
Appointment bookings
Rescheduling or cancelling an appointment
If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please contact the Registration Service as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate requests to change an appointment date or time, subject to availability. Any applicable refund will be processed in line with our refunds policy.
Reschedule/cancellation code
Some appointment confirmation emails include a reschedule/cancellation code. If you have been provided with a code, you may be able to manage your booking online using our appointment management page.
Short notice
Appointments cancelled within 48 hours may not be eligible for a refund. Where a refund is due, it will normally be made using the original payment method.
Refunds for pre-paid certificates
If you have paid in advance for certificates while booking your appointment and no longer require them, you may be entitled to a refund, provided the certificates have not already been produced, issued or dispatched. Please email registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk with your transaction number so that we can arrange a refund.
Requests for refunds should be made as soon as possible. Where a refund is approved, it will be returned using the original payment method.
