Registry-style ceremonies by civil celebrants, not a government registry office. No fuss, no frills, no wedding. Just paperwork.

Notice of Intended Marriage

Prepare your NOIM, have it witnessed properly, then send it to us. We can help if you get stuck.

The Notice of Intended Marriage, usually called the NOIM, is the main form you need before getting married in Australia.

It starts the legal notice period.

The easiest way to prepare it

Use NOIM Easy.

It walks you through the form step by step, generates a completed PDF ready to print, and can email a copy directly to your celebrant if you want.

The timing rule

Your NOIM must usually be given to the celebrant:

  • at least one calendar month before the marriage
  • no earlier than 18 months before the marriage

The notice period starts when the completed and signed NOIM is received by the celebrant.

It does not start when you make an enquiry, pay a fee, or plan a date in your head.

Who can witness it in Australia

If the NOIM is signed in Australia, it must be witnessed by one of the approved people listed in the law, such as:

  • an authorised celebrant
  • a justice of the peace
  • a barrister or solicitor
  • a legally qualified medical practitioner
  • a member of the Australian Federal Police or a state or territory police force

From 12 June 2024, the Attorney-General’s Department says the NOIM may be witnessed in person or remotely by audio-visual link, but the witness rules still depend on where the person signing is located.

If one of you is overseas

One person can sometimes sign first so the notice period can start, as long as the other person signs before the marriage and the legal requirements are met.

If the NOIM is signed outside Australia, the witness must also be outside Australia and must be one of the approved overseas witness categories, such as:

  • an Australian diplomatic officer
  • an Australian consular officer
  • a notary public
  • certain authorised Commonwealth or Austrade employees

Can we email it?

Usually yes. A scanned copy is often enough to start the process, provided the original paperwork and original supporting documents are sighted before the marriage.

Best next steps

  1. Prepare the form with NOIM Easy.
  2. Have it witnessed properly.
  3. Send it to us with your supporting documents.
  4. Once we receive it, we confirm the next available date, time, and place.

Start the paperwork properly

NOIM Easy walks you through the form step by step, creates a ready-to-print PDF, and can email a copy directly to your celebrant if you want.

Use NOIM Easy
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