How to Get Married at Home Affairs in South Africa [2026]

Getting legally married in South Africa is more straightforward than most couples expect, but the rules change depending on the type of marriage you choose and who conducts the ceremony. You can be married for free by a Department of Home Affairs (DHA) marriage officer at a local office, by a religious minister who holds a designation, or under customary law — and each route has its own documents, deadlines, and legal consequences. This guide explains exactly how to get married at Home Affairs in South Africa in 2026: the marriage types the law recognises, the documents you need, the step-by-step process, what it costs, and how to register the marriage so your certificate is valid everywhere. Before you complete any DHA form, you can confirm that the 13-digit ID number you and your partner will quote is structurally valid using the free South African ID validator on our homepage, which runs the Luhn checksum and decodes date of birth, gender, and citizenship in seconds.

Types of Marriage Recognised in South Africa

South African law recognises three distinct kinds of legally binding marriage, each governed by its own Act. Choosing the right one matters because it determines how your marriage is registered and what happens to your property.

Civil marriage — governed by the Marriage Act 25 of 1961. This is the standard monogamous marriage between one man and one woman, solemnised by a marriage officer. It is the most common route and the one most people mean when they say "getting married at Home Affairs."
Customary marriage — governed by the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998. This is a marriage negotiated and celebrated according to the customs and traditions of the indigenous African communities of South Africa, and it may be polygamous. It must be registered with DHA within three months of the ceremony.
Civil union — governed by the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006. A civil union may be entered into by two people of the same sex or opposite sex, and they can elect to call it a "marriage" or a "civil partnership." Both carry identical legal status to a civil marriage.

A fourth category, religious marriages performed under Islamic, Hindu, or Jewish rites, is only legally binding if the officiant is a registered marriage officer who also completes a civil registration. Otherwise the marriage is recognised socially but not by the state — which causes problems with inheritance, spouse visas, and joint property later.

Requirements to Get Married in South Africa

To enter a civil marriage or civil union, both parties must:

Be at least 18 years old. A minor (under 18) needs the written consent of both parents or a legal guardian, and in some cases the Minister of Home Affairs or a Commissioner of Child Welfare.
Be unmarried. South Africa does not permit civil bigamy — if either party was previously married, you must produce a final divorce decree or the deceased spouse's death certificate before the new marriage can be registered.
Not be closely related within the prohibited degrees of kinship (you cannot marry a parent, grandparent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew).
Both be present in person on the day. South Africa does not recognise marriage by proxy.

You will also need two witnesses over the age of 18 to sign the marriage register.

Documents You Need

For a civil marriage between two South African citizens, bring:

Both partners' valid green ID books or smart ID cards. If you are unsure your ID number is correct on the DHA system, verify it first with our free ID number checker — an ID mismatch is the single most common cause of a delayed marriage registration.
If either party is divorced: the final decree of divorce.
If either party is widowed: the late spouse's death certificate.
Two witnesses with their own IDs.

If one partner is a foreign national, the documents are more involved. The foreigner must provide a valid passport, proof of their immigration status, and a letter of no impediment (a certificate from their home country confirming they are free to marry). DHA also conducts an interview to guard against marriages of convenience. Once married, a foreign spouse can apply for a spousal visa using the marriage certificate as proof of the relationship.

How to Get Married at Home Affairs: Step by Step

The civil marriage process at a Home Affairs office runs as follows:

Book an appointment. Contact your nearest DHA office or use eHome Affairs to reserve a date — see our guide to booking Home Affairs online to avoid the walk-in queue. Popular dates (Valentine's Day, December) fill up months ahead.
Submit your documents. Both partners attend with their IDs and any divorce or death certificates. The marriage officer verifies your identities and confirms you are both free to marry.
Decide your marital property regime. By default, a civil marriage is automatically in community of property, meaning you share a single joint estate. If you want to keep your estates separate, you must sign an antenuptial contract (ANC) in front of a notary before the wedding — you cannot do it afterwards without a costly court application.
Hold the ceremony. A DHA marriage officer solemnises the marriage at the office (or at an approved venue). Two witnesses attend.
Sign the marriage register. Both spouses, the two witnesses, and the marriage officer sign the register (the BI-130). You receive a handwritten certificate (the BI-27) on the day.
Collect your printed certificate. Once DHA enters the marriage into the National Population Register, you can request the printed abridged certificate, usually within eight working days.

How to Register a Customary Marriage

A customary marriage is concluded according to tradition — typically involving lobola negotiations and a celebration recognised by both families. The marriage is legally valid from the moment those customs are observed, but the law requires you to register it with Home Affairs within three months. To register:

Both spouses visit a DHA office with their IDs.
Bring at least one witness from each family (or a representative who was present at the negotiations).
Complete the customary marriage registration form. DHA issues a customary marriage certificate once the registration is processed.

Failing to register does not automatically invalidate the marriage, but it makes it far harder to prove the marriage exists when you need to claim a pension, inherit an estate, or register your children. If you later need the marriage certificate itself, the process is covered in our South African marriage certificate guide.

Civil Unions and Same-Sex Marriage

South Africa was the first African country to legalise same-sex marriage, and the Civil Union Act gives same-sex and opposite-sex couples the same rights as a civil marriage. You can be married by a designated civil union officer at Home Affairs or by an authorised religious officer. As of 2022, DHA officials may no longer refuse to solemnise a same-sex union on personal grounds — every office must have an officer available to conduct one. The documents and process are otherwise identical to a civil marriage.

Marriage Officers: Who Can Legally Marry You

Only a designated marriage officer can solemnise a legally binding marriage. There are two categories:

Ex officio officers — DHA officials and magistrates, who marry couples at Home Affairs offices and courts.
Designated religious officers — ministers, pastors, priests, and imams who have applied to DHA and been formally designated. A religious leader without this designation can perform a spiritual ceremony, but it has no legal standing until the marriage is civilly registered.

Always confirm your officiant's designation before the wedding. If a minister has lost or never held a designation, your marriage will not appear in the National Population Register, and you will have to register it separately afterwards.

What It Costs to Get Married in 2026

Getting married at a Home Affairs office is one of the cheapest legal processes the department offers. The core fees for 2026 are:

Service	Cost (2026)
Civil marriage ceremony at a DHA office	R 0
Customary marriage registration	R 0
Marriage register entry (BI-130)	R 0
Abridged marriage certificate (first issue)	R 0 – R 75
Replacement / unabridged marriage certificate	R 75
Antenuptial contract (private notary fee)	R 1,000 – R 3,000+

The marriage itself is free at Home Affairs. Your costs come from optional extras: an antenuptial contract drawn up by a notary if you want to marry out of community of property, a venue if you marry away from the DHA office, and the fee charged by an independent religious or private marriage officer, which is set by them and not by DHA.

After the Wedding: Getting Your Marriage Certificate

The handwritten BI-27 you receive on the day confirms the marriage took place, but most banks, embassies, and SARS will not accept it as final proof. Once your marriage is registered in the National Population Register, request the printed abridged certificate — and the unabridged version if you will ever need it abroad. Our marriage certificate guide walks through the three certificate types, the costs, and how to fix records that do not appear in the system. If you go on to have children, you will use the same family of DHA forms to obtain their unabridged birth certificate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the antenuptial contract. If you do nothing, you are married in community of property and share all debts. Decide your property regime before the wedding — changing it later needs a High Court order.
Using an undesignated officiant. A church ceremony alone does not create a legal marriage. Confirm the officer's DHA designation.
Missing the three-month customary deadline. Register a customary marriage promptly to avoid proving it from scratch years later.
An ID-number mismatch. If your ID is recorded incorrectly on the DHA system, the registration stalls. Check both numbers with our free SA ID validator before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to get married at Home Affairs in South Africa?

The civil marriage ceremony at a Home Affairs office is free, and so is registering a customary marriage. The first abridged marriage certificate is usually free or R75. Your only real costs are optional: an antenuptial contract (R1,000–R3,000+ from a notary) and any fee charged by an independent or religious marriage officer.

What documents do I need to get married in South Africa?

Both partners need a valid green ID book or smart ID card and two witnesses with their own IDs. If you were previously married, bring the final divorce decree or your late spouse's death certificate. Foreign nationals need a valid passport, proof of immigration status, and a letter of no impediment from their home country.

Can I get married at Home Affairs the same day?

It is possible at some offices if a marriage officer is available and your documents are in order, but most branches require you to book an appointment in advance because marriage officers are not always on duty. Booking ahead through eHome Affairs is strongly recommended, especially for popular dates.

Is a customary marriage legally recognised in South Africa?

Yes. A customary marriage concluded according to tradition is legally valid under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, but you must register it with Home Affairs within three months. Once registered, it carries the same legal weight as a civil marriage.

Do I have to change my surname when I get married?

No. Changing your surname is optional. If you choose to, you apply to Home Affairs to amend your ID after the marriage is registered — it is a separate process, not automatic, and you will need your marriage certificate to do it.

Can two foreigners get married in South Africa?

Yes. Two foreign nationals can marry in South Africa provided each produces a valid passport, proof of lawful status in the country, and a letter of no impediment from their respective home countries. DHA may interview the couple to confirm the marriage is genuine.

Where to Go Next

Once your marriage is registered, request your marriage certificate and, if a foreign spouse is involved, begin the spousal visa application. To plan your DHA visit, check the Home Affairs online services hub for booking, branches, and contact details. And before you submit any form, confirm both ID numbers are structurally valid with the free Luhn-checked validator on our homepage.

Sources: Department of Home Affairs (dha.gov.za), Government of South Africa marriage services (gov.za), Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998, Civil Union Act 17 of 2006.