How to Get a Marriage Certificate in Kenya
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In this article
- Types of Marriage Recognised in Kenya
- Basic Conditions
- Documents You Will Need
- Kenyan citizens
- Foreign nationals (extra documents)
- How to Register a Civil Marriage (By Notice)
- Weddings Without 21 Days’ Notice or Outside the Registrar’s Office
- Getting a Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate
- Tips and Warnings
- Sources and useful links
Planning a wedding? Between the cake, the tent and the in-laws, don’t forget the one document that makes it official: the marriage certificate.
In Kenya, marriages are registered by the Registrar of Marriages at the Office of the Attorney General (State Law Office), under the Marriage Act, 2014. Applications and payments are now made on eCitizen.
Types of Marriage Recognised in Kenya
The Marriage Act, 2014 recognises five kinds of marriage, and all must be registered:
- Christian marriage
- Civil marriage (at the Registrar’s office)
- Customary marriage
- Hindu marriage
- Islamic marriage
For a church wedding, the minister who officiates must be licensed, and the marriage certificate is issued as part of the church ceremony. This guide mainly covers civil marriages and weddings that need a special licence.
Basic Conditions
- Both of you must be at least 18 years old.
- Both of you must consent freely.
- Neither of you can be in an existing marriage that stops you from marrying (for example a monogamous marriage that has not been dissolved).
Documents You Will Need
Kenyan citizens
- National ID card or passport (copy and original)
- Coloured passport-size photos
- Sworn affidavit confirming your marital status
- Copies of the ID cards of two witnesses
- If divorced: the Decree Absolute
- If widowed: the death certificate of your late spouse
Foreign nationals (extra documents)
- Valid passport (copy and original)
- Proof of legal stay in Kenya (visa, permit or pass)
- A Certificate of No Impediment from your home country’s authority or embassy
Any document that is not in English must be translated, and the translation certified as true.
How to Register a Civil Marriage (By Notice)
- Log in to eCitizen and open Office of the Attorney General > Registration of Marriages (the service is also reachable at oag.pesaflow.com).
- Fill in the notice of intention to marry with both partners’ details and upload the documents above.
- Pay the fees shown on your eCitizen invoice.
- Your notice is published for 21 days so that anyone with a legal objection can raise it.
- After the 21 days, book your ceremony date with the Registrar.
- Attend the ceremony with your two witnesses and your original documents. Both of you must be present.
- Sign the register. Your marriage certificate is then issued.
Weddings Without 21 Days’ Notice or Outside the Registrar’s Office
If you want to marry sooner, or the ceremony will be at a garden, hotel, beach or other venue that is not a gazetted place of worship or the Registrar’s office, you need a special licence. The Registrar can waive the normal notice period where you give good reasons and supporting documents.
- Apply on eCitizen under Registration of Marriages (Form MA1). Since January 2026, special licences are processed only through eCitizen.
- The special licence fee was reported as KES 7,200 in July 2026. Extra charges may apply depending on the venue.
- You may be asked to attend an appointment at the Registrar of Marriages, Sheria House, Nairobi.
- Once approved, you download the licence. It carries a QR code and a reference number.
Start the process three to four weeks before your wedding date, in case your documents need extra checks.
Getting a Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate
If your certificate is lost or you need a certified copy (for a visa, for example), apply on eCitizen under the Registrar of Marriages service and pay the fee shown on the invoice.
Tips and Warnings
- Fees change from time to time. Always go by the amount on your eCitizen invoice, and pay only through eCitizen.
- Beware of “fixers” who promise a certificate without the notice period or without both of you appearing.
- Already married under customary law? You can register that marriage too, through the same eCitizen service.
- This is general information, not legal advice. For complex cases (for example a foreign divorce or a polygamous situation), speak to an advocate or the Registrar.
Also see: how to apply for a birth certificate online and our list of eCitizen services.
