"Court marriage" in Delhi is a phrase that covers a few different legal journeys to the same destination: a government marriage certificate that the whole world accepts. This guide is the map. It explains the two laws involved, who can marry under each, the documents you will gather, the steps from start to certificate, realistic timelines and honest costs. Read it once and the process stops feeling mysterious.
The two laws behind court marriage in Delhi
Almost every court marriage runs on one of two central laws. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 applies to Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist couples and is used to register a ceremony that has taken place — commonly an Arya Samaj wedding. The Special Marriage Act, 1954 is a civil law open to any two adults, including inter-faith couples, requiring no ceremony and no conversion but carrying a 30-day notice. Your situation decides which Act fits; the certificate at the end is equally valid either way.
Who is eligible
- The groom has completed 21 years; the bride has completed 18 years.
- Both are mentally capable of giving free consent.
- Neither has a living spouse from an undivorced earlier marriage.
- The couple is not within a prohibited degree of relationship (unless a recognised custom allows it).
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Documents you will need
The core set is the same across routes: a government photo ID and a separate date-of-birth proof for each partner, an address proof, passport-size photographs, and witnesses with their own ID. A previous marriage adds a divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate, and NRI cases add passport, visa and single-status proof. The golden rule is consistency — your name and date of birth must read identically on every document. Our court marriage page has the full document table.
The registration journey
Timelines and fees at a glance
| Route | Typical time | From |
|---|---|---|
| Arya Samaj + HMA registration | Ceremony same day; certificate in days | ₹3,100 |
| Registering an existing marriage | A few working days | ₹5,100 |
| Court marriage (standard) | Route-dependent | ₹6,500 |
| Special Marriage Act (civil) | 30 days + appointment | ₹6,500 |
| Same-day / tatkal | Where the law allows | ₹12,000 |
Service charges shown; government fees are separate and modest. See the full fee list.
Mistakes to avoid
The delays we untangle are almost always paperwork, not law: a date of birth that differs between documents, an address proof for the wrong district, a name spelled two ways, or witnesses without original ID. The other common error is assuming the 30-day notice can be bought away on the Special Marriage Act route — it cannot. Catch these early and your registration is smooth.
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