Marriage and registered partnership

Rates for 2025

Heerlen City Hall 

• Free: Mondays at 10:00 and 10:20 a.m. Please inquire well in advance to ensure your date is available.
• €183.95: basic ceremony from Monday to Thursday, including a speech by a municipal civil registrar, but without the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €282.60: luxury ceremony Monday through Friday with the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €175.15: for the performance of a luxury ceremony by a civil registrar from the municipality.

Luxury ceremony at an outdoor location

• €321.15: Monday through Saturday with the marriage/partnership booklet. 
• €367.90: on Sundays and public holidays with the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €175.15: for the ceremony to be performed by a civil registrar from the municipality.
• You must add the costs of an outdoor location to this. These are at your own expense.

Wedding in a special house

• €83.60 for performing a marriage or registering a partnership in a special house.

Babs for a day

• €238.55: the person you have chosen has no experience as a civil registrar and still needs to be trained and sworn in. The costs of a luxury ceremony are added to this.
• €131.25: the person you have chosen is already a certified civil registrar, for example in another municipality. The costs of a luxury ceremony will be added to this.

Additional costs 

• €53.65 per witness from the municipality.
• €36.60 marriage/partnership booklet (sometimes this is already included in the amount above).

Conversion of a registered partnership into a marriage

• The conversion at the counter: €51.00.
• The transfer to another location with a ceremony: in that case, the fixed rates apply.

Canceling a reservation for a wedding or registered partnership 

• €131.25: you have not yet registered your intended marriage or partnership (online).
• €262.05: you have registered (online) and the date of the ceremony is more than one month in the future.
• The cost of all reserved items: you have registered (online) and the date of the ceremony is less than one month in the future.
• Cancel the reservation in writing by email: gemeente@heerlen.nl or by post. You will receive an invoice for the costs incurred.

Rates for 2026

Heerlen City Hall 

• Free: Mondays at 10:00 and 10:20 a.m. Please inquire well in advance to ensure your date is available.
• €76.95: for a wedding on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the City Office counter.
• €188.75: basic ceremony from Monday to Thursday, including a speech by a municipal civil registrar, but without the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €289.95: luxury ceremony Monday through Friday with the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €179.70: for the performance of a luxury ceremony by a civil registrar from the municipality.

Luxury ceremony at an outdoor location

• €329.50: Monday through Saturday with the marriage/partnership booklet. 
• €377.45: on Sundays and public holidays with the marriage/partnership booklet.
• €179.70: for the ceremony to be performed by a civil registrar from the municipality.
• You must add the costs of an outdoor location to this. These are at your own expense.

Wedding in a special house

• €85.75 for performing a marriage or registering a partnership in a special house.

Additional costs 

• €56.60 per witness from the municipality.
• €41.00 marriage/partnership booklet (sometimes this is already included in the amount above).

Conversion of a registered partnership into a marriage

• The conversion at the counter: €53.80.
• The transfer to another location with a ceremony: in that case, the fixed rates apply.

Canceling a reservation for a wedding or registered partnership 

• €138.45: you have not yet registered your intended marriage or partnership (online).
• €276.40: you have registered (online) and the date of the ceremony is more than one month in the future.
• The cost of all reserved items: you have registered (online) and the date of the ceremony is less than one month in the future.
• Cancel the reservation in writing by email: gemeente@heerlen.nl or by post. You will receive an invoice for the costs incurred.

The location

• City Hall: free, basic, or luxury ceremony.
• Location of your choice: luxury ceremony. Check with the municipality to see if you are allowed to get married at your chosen location. The location must meet certain requirements. For example, it must be safe and accessible. 

You are responsible for booking the venue yourself. The municipality will arrange the De Twee Gezusters venue for you.

How many people are allowed to attend, including the bride and groom, witnesses, and the wedding official?

• City Hall: 30 (12 people for a free ceremony) 
• Hoensbroek Castle: 35
• Auberge de Rousch: depending on the space reserved. The location will coordinate this with you.
• Terworm Castle: 50

Please note: sometimes your location will charge additional costs on top of the municipal costs. Be sure to check this in advance. These costs are at your own expense. 

The ceremony

The official title of a wedding official is: Special civil registrar (Babs).

• The municipal registrar performs the ceremony. A family member, friend, or acquaintance may also perform your marriage or registered partnership. 
• We will then appoint the person of your choice as Babs. A condition for this appointment is that the person can provide a certificate of good conduct (VOG). The appointment and swearing-in will then take place at the court.
• Even if you choose this option, a civil registrar from the municipality of Heerlen will always be present.
• When you get married, you say "I do."
• In a registered partnership, you may say "I do," but it is not legally required.
• Only in the case of a luxury ceremony will the wedding official contact you in advance. 

The witnesses

• You choose a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 witnesses to attend the ceremony.
• The witnesses are of legal age.

If you get married or enter into a registered partnership, this automatically results in limited community of property. If you opt for community of property or matrimonial Requirements, you must first arrange this with a notary.

Free wedding

Free weddings can be held on Mondays at 10:00 a.m. or 10:20 a.m. Please inquire well in advance to see if your date is available. The schedule fills up well in advance.

The Requirements getting married or entering into a registered partnership are:

• You are 18 years of age or older.
• You are not married to anyone else.
• You are not in a registered partnership with anyone else.
• You are not too closely related to your partner. This means that your partner cannot be, for example: your parent, child, grandchild, grandparent, sister, half-sister, brother, or half-brother.
• You are not under guardianship. If you are under guardianship, you need permission from the guardian or district court judge.

The municipality checks whether you are allowed to marry or enter into a registered partnership.

Are you getting married abroad as a minor? Then the municipality will only recognize your marriage once you are both 18 years old.

Information about marriage in (limited) community of property

Information about marriage and registered partnerships