--- title: "Getting married in NSW, in Queensland, and across the border" description: "One marriage law, two registries. What actually changes if you marry either side of the Tweed border: the fee, the certificate and the lodgement." url: "https://bestceremonies.com.au/getting-married-nsw-qld/" --- Guide # Getting married in NSW, in Queensland, and across the border How to get married in Australia is the same in every state, because marriage law is Commonwealth law: one month's notice, two witnesses, an authorised celebrant. What differs across the Tweed border is the registry that receives your paperwork and what it charges, at $70 for a New South Wales certificate against $58.10 in Queensland, and where a registry ceremony can be held. For comparison ## What the registries charge | Registry | Weekday | Saturday | Certificate | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | -------- | ----------- | | **NSW — NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages**: Sydney (Pyrmont) only for Northern Rivers couples; the fee does not include the certificate. Premium room $1,304; Saturday late slots $802\. Fees effective 2026-07-01. | $482 | $597 | $70 | | **QLD — Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages**: Legal-only is weekdays only, 15 minutes, four people (the couple and two witnesses), no guests, and includes the official certificate. Checked 6 September 2026: the legal-only service was fully booked for the rest of the year and taking dates for the year after. Fees effective 2025-11-24. | $410.60 | $534 | $58.10 | Both schedules are set by regulation and are published here as they stand at the dates shown. They are the registries' fees, not mine. ## How to get married in New South Wales or Queensland The Marriage Act 1961 is Commonwealth law, and its requirements are identical in Sydney, Brisbane and everywhere between: one calendar month's notice, two witnesses aged eighteen or over, an authorised celebrant, and the legal words said by both of you. A celebrant registered under it may solemnise a marriage anywhere in Australia, and there is no state registration to hold. What the states administer is the record. The registry in the state where the ceremony took place receives the paperwork, registers the marriage and issues the certificate, and that decides which office you deal with for the rest of your life if you ever need a replacement. ## Which side of the border For anyone marrying around Tweed Heads and Coolangatta this is a live choice rather than a curiosity. The state line runs through the suburb, and moving a hundred metres changes which registry records the marriage. Practically, the difference is the certificate fee and the office you would write to later. Nothing about the ceremony, the notice or the witnesses changes at all. The registry office ceremonies themselves are a different matter. Queensland's is in Brisbane, ninety minutes north, and its legal only service is weekdays only, fifteen minutes, four people, no guests. New South Wales holds none closer than Pyrmont, in Sydney. Questions ## Questions people ask Are the marriage laws different in NSW and Queensland? No. The Marriage Act 1961 is Commonwealth law and applies identically in every state and territory: one calendar month's notice, two witnesses aged eighteen or over, and an authorised celebrant. What differs is administrative, which is to say which state registry records the marriage, what a certificate costs, and where a registry office ceremony can be held. Which state records our marriage? The state the ceremony was held in. A ceremony at Kingscliff is recorded in New South Wales, and one at Coolangatta, half an hour up the road, is recorded in Queensland. It makes no difference to the marriage itself, but it decides which registry you order certificates from for the rest of your life. How much is a marriage certificate in NSW and Queensland? New South Wales charges $70 for a standard certificate and $105 for priority. Queensland charges $58.10, with a $75.60 commemorative pack. You order either from the state registry after the marriage is registered, and it is the document you will need for a passport or a name change. Can we get married at a registry office near the Tweed? Not nearby. New South Wales holds registry ceremonies in Sydney only, at Pyrmont, which is a nine hour drive or a flight. Queensland's nearest is Brisbane, about ninety minutes north, weekdays only for its legal only service, and that service is booked out for the rest of the year. What does a registry office ceremony cost? New South Wales charges $482 on a weekday and $597 on a Saturday, with a premium room at $1,304 and Saturday late slots at $802\. Queensland charges $410.60 and $534\. The New South Wales fee does not include the certificate. Queensland's legal only fee does, and that service runs on weekdays only for four people with no guests. Can a foreign marriage certificate be used in Australia? A marriage lawfully performed overseas is generally recognised in Australia without needing to be registered again here. What you cannot do is marry again in Australia while that marriage stands. If a previous overseas marriage has ended, your celebrant has to sight the divorce documentation before a new notice can be lodged. Do we need to be Australian citizens or residents? No. There is no citizenship, residency or visa requirement to marry in Australia. Overseas couples marry here regularly. The same one month notice applies, and you can sign it in front of an Australian consular officer, a notary or a lawyer before you travel. Get in touch ## Check my date Send the date, or the season, and where. I will tell you whether it is free and exactly what it costs. No obligation. [0400 110 959](tel:+61400110959) [felicity@bestceremonies.com.au](mailto:felicity@bestceremonies.com.au) Most days, 9am to 7pm. --- This is the Markdown copy of https://bestceremonies.com.au/getting-married-nsw-qld/. Every page on this site has one at its path with .md in place of the closing slash; the index is https://bestceremonies.com.au/llms.txt and the guide for agents is https://bestceremonies.com.au/agents/.