Marriage certificate: request for full copy or extract
Verified 09 September 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You want to apply for a marriage certificate and you want to know how to proceed? The approach varies according to the wedding venue : in France or abroad. In any case, the application for a marriage certificate is free of charge.
In France
You can make your request on the internet.
You must have or create an account Service-Public.fr or use FranceConnect.
Application for marriage certificate (celebrated in France) - Free service
You will receive the document at home by post in a few days.
The delay may vary depending on the processing of your request by the services of the town hall and the delivery time of the mail.
If you can't apply online, you can apply by post or on site with the town hall of the wedding venue :
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By mail
You can send your request by free paper mail to the town hall of the wedding venue.
You must attach to your application a photocopy of your id.
If you are applying for someone else, you will need to provide your contact information.
The information to indicate on your mail depends on the type of act requested:
Type of act requested | Information to be indicated on the mail |
|---|---|
Full Copy | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses + surnames and first names of their parents |
Extract with filiation | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses + surnames and first names of their parents |
Extract without filiation | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses |
You will receive the document at home by post in a few days.
The delay may vary depending on the processing of your request by the services of the town hall and the delivery time of the mail.
On site
You must apply to the town hall of the wedding venue.
You must present a identity document to prove your identity.
The document will be issued to you immediately.
Warning
If you ask for a marriage certificate other than yours (your daughter's for example), proof of your direct relationship with this person (copy of your birth certificate, family record,...) will be asked. You will also need to present your identity card.
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Full Copy
The full copy reproduces all the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall include, in particular, the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, date and place of marriage, on each of the spouses
- Surname, first names, profession and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal terms where they exist.
Extract with filiation
The extract with parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It shall contain the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, date and place of marriage, on each of the spouses
- Surname, first names, profession and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal terms where they exist.
Extract without filiation
The extract without parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It contains information on each spouse (surname, first names, date and place of birth) and the marginal mentions where they exist.
Access to a copy of a marriage certificate depends on the nature of the document requested and the person requesting it.
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Full Copy
You can get a full copy of a marriage certificate, if you are one of the following :
- Person concerned by the act (provided that he is of legal age) or legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Professional authorized by law (example: a lawyer).
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives, at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (for example, an uncle, an aunt) will not be able to ask the submission of such documents before the following deadlines:
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record, if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Warning
If the person is a minor, the deadlines are different:
- 100 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Extract with filiation
You can obtain an extract of a marriage certificate with filiation, if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided that he is of legal age) or legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Professional authorized by law (example: a lawyer).
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives, at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (for example, an uncle, an aunt) will not be able to ask the submission of such documents before the following deadlines:
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record, if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Warning
If the person is a minor, the deadlines are different:
- 100 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Extract without filiation
You can obtain an extract of a marriage certificate without filiation without having to justify your request.
Yes, the application for a marriage certificate is free of charge.
Warning
There is no need to make your request on websites that ask you for financial compensation.
Abroad
If the marriage certificate was transcript on the consulate's civil status records, you can request a deed on the internet.
You must have or create an account Service-Public.fr or use FranceConnect.
Application for marriage certificate (celebrated abroad) - Free service
The time limit for issuing your marriage certificate is approximately 20 days.
To obtain it, you must log in to your Service-Public.fr account.
You can download the PDF document to your personal area.
The deed contains the electronic signature of a registrar.
FYI
Once your dematerialized document has been receivedYou can also request to receive the marriage certificate by mail.
If you can't apply online, you can make your request by mail, on free paper, at the Nantes Central Civil Registry.
You must attach to your application a photocopy of your id.
Who shall I contact
Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)
Attention: the Central Civil Registry Service does not welcome any public.
Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a French person abroad
Only by mail to the following address:
Central Civil Registry Service
11 White House Street
44941 Nantes Cedex 09
You can apply for a civil status certificate via a online service.
For further information, you can:
Consult the site diplomatie.gouv.fr
Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4pm.
Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Use the following online form: https://etat-civil.diplomatie.gouv.fr/rece-informationusager-ui/
If you are applying for someone else, you will need to provide your contact information.
The information to be indicated on your mail depends on the type of act requested.
Type of act requested | Information to be indicated on the mail |
|---|---|
Full Copy | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses + surnames and first names of their parents |
Extract with filiation | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses + surnames and first names of their parents |
Extract without filiation | Date of marriage, surnames, first names of spouses |
If you request a marriage certificate (full copy or extract with filiation) other than yours (your daughter's for example), the proof of your direct affiliation with this person (copy of your birth certificate, family booklet,...) will be requested. You will also need to attach a copy of your identity card.
If you are foreigner, you have to contact the authority which drew up the marriage certificate.
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Full Copy
The full copy reproduces all the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the civil registry.
It shall include, in particular, the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, date and place of marriage, on each of the spouses
- Surname, first names, profession and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal terms where they exist.
Extract with filiation
The extract with parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It shall contain the following information:
- Surname, forenames, date and place of birth, date and place of marriage, on each of the spouses
- Surname, first names, profession and domicile, on each of their parents
- Marginal terms where they exist.
Extract without filiation
The extract without parentage is a summary of the information contained in the marriage certificate entered in the register of civil status.
It contains information on each spouse (surname, first names, date and place of birth) and the marginal mentions where they exist.
Access to a copy of a marriage certificate depends on the nature of the document requested and the person requesting it.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Full Copy
You can get a full copy of a marriage certificate, if you are one of the following :
- Person concerned by the act (provided that he is of legal age) or legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Professional authorized by law (example: a lawyer).
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives, at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (for example, an uncle, an aunt) will not be able to ask the submission of such documents before the following deadlines:
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record, if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Warning
If the person is a minor, the deadlines are different:
- 100 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Extract with filiation
You can obtain an extract of a marriage certificate with filiation, if you are one of the following:
- Person concerned by the act (provided that he is of legal age) or legal representative
- Spouse, wife or partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent
- Ascendant of the person concerned (parent, grandparent...)
- Descendant of the person concerned (child, grandchild)
- Professional authorized by law (example: a lawyer).
If you are on this list, you can obtain a copy of a birth or marriage certificate from the public archives, at any time and without limitation in time.
However, any other person (for example, an uncle, an aunt) will not be able to ask the submission of such documents before the following deadlines:
- 75 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record, if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Warning
If the person is a minor, the deadlines are different:
- 100 years from the date of the most recent document or document included in the record if the person is alive
- Or 25 years from the date of the person's death, whichever is shorter.
Extract without filiation
You can obtain an extract of a marriage certificate without filiation without having to justify your request.
Yes, the application for a marriage certificate is free of charge.
Warning
there is no need to make your request on websites that ask you for financial compensation.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
If you live in France
Town HallIf you live abroad
Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)
Attention: the Central Civil Registry Service does not welcome any public.
Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a French person abroad
Only by mail to the following address:
Central Civil Registry Service
11 White House Street
44941 Nantes Cedex 09
You can apply for a civil status certificate via a online service.
For further information, you can:
Consult the site diplomatie.gouv.fr
Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and from 1pm to 4pm.
Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Use the following online form: https://etat-civil.diplomatie.gouv.fr/rece-informationusager-ui/
FAQ
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