Special Marriage Licence in Singapore Explained

Most couples in Singapore never touch a Special Marriage Licence. The ordinary civil marriage runs on a Marriage Licence that costs S$42 for local couples, filed through the Our Marriage Journey portal. But in a few specific situations that standard route does not fit — and that is where the Special Marriage Licence (SML) comes in. It is often misunderstood, so here is exactly what it is, when you need one, and what it costs.

For the normal process and timeline, start with our complete ROM guide. This page is about the exceptions.

What a Special Marriage Licence is

An SML is a licence granted by the Minister (not issued automatically by the Registry) that authorises a marriage the ordinary rules would otherwise block or delay. Under section 21 of the Women’s Charter, the Minister may grant it “to authorise the parties to marry without giving a notice of marriage or being issued a marriage licence” or “to authorise the parties to marry even though one or both of them are below 18 years of age.” Because it needs a discretionary decision, it is slower and more involved than the ordinary licence.

When you need one — three situations

Our Marriage Journey groups three scenarios under the Special Marriage Licence fee:

1. Waiver of the 21-day notice — you need to marry sooner than the mandatory 21-day notice period allows.
2. Under 18 years old — one or both parties will be below 18 on the solemnisation date.
3. Prohibited relationship — the couple are within a prohibited degree of kindred or affinity and need the Minister’s authorisation to marry.

The three situations covered by the Special Marriage Licence fee. Source: Our Marriage Journey (Registry of Marriages), as of October 2026.

If none of these applies to you, you do not need an SML — the standard S$42 (or S$380) Marriage Licence is all you need.

The fee: S$280 or S$380

The SML fee turns only on citizenship or residency, not on which situation applies:

• S$280 if at least one of you is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• S$380 if both of you are foreigners.

The same figures apply whether you are waiving the notice period, marrying as a minor, or marrying within a prohibited relationship. For comparison, the ordinary Marriage Licence is S$42 (at least one citizen/PR) or S$380 (both foreigners), so the main cost of the special route is the higher licence fee plus the extra time it takes.

Under 18 vs 18–20: an important difference

This is the point couples most often get wrong. Being under 21 is not the same as being under 18:

• If a party is 18, 19 or 20 (and not previously married), you do not need an SML. You need your parents’ or legal guardian’s consent, and — where at least one party is a citizen or PR — both of you must complete a Marriage Preparation Programme.
• Only when a party is genuinely under 18 on the solemnisation date does the law require a Special Marriage Licence, with the Minister’s approval.

Marrying when one party is under 18

This is the most demanding use of the SML. The Registry is explicit that “this process takes at least 4 months” from the point of submitting the application, so it cannot be arranged quickly. The steps are:

1. Obtain parental consent from both parents or legal guardians, who must also attend a later interview.
2. Submit the marriage application online and pay the fee.
3. Social assessment interview — a social worker assesses whether the young couple have thought the decision through.
4. Attend the Marriage Preparation Programme — compulsory and free when a party is a minor; both bride and groom attend, and parents may attend parts of it.
5. Attend an in-person appointment at ROM for verification of documents and the declaration.
6. Receive the outcome — if assessed suitable, the application is approved and the Special Marriage Licence is issued.
7. Finalise key details — date, venue, solemniser and two witnesses.
8. Attend a final appointment to confirm details.
9. Solemnisation, after which the digital marriage certificate is issued.

After it is granted

Once the SML is issued, the clock starts: “you must solemnise your marriage within 1 month of being issued the Special Marriage Licence.” Within that month you choose the date, time and venue (a Registry site, the Ficus Room @ Gardens by the Bay, or your own external venue), book a solemniser, and line up two witnesses aged 21 or older. Changing any of those details after your final appointment costs a S$25 fee.

Waiving the 21-day notice

The ordinary process requires you to give ROM at least 21 days’ notice of your intended marriage (and you can submit no earlier than six months ahead). If you have a genuine, pressing reason to marry sooner, you can apply for an SML to waive that notice. Two things to know:

• Applications to marry without giving notice can only be submitted in person at the ROM office — not through the usual online flow.
• Approval is discretionary. ROM will want to understand why the notice period cannot be met; a simple preference for an earlier date is unlikely to qualify.

Marrying within a prohibited relationship

The third situation is narrower. Where a couple fall within a prohibited degree of kindred or affinity, the marriage needs the Minister’s authorisation. Technically this is a licence under section 10 of the Women’s Charter rather than the section 21 special licence, but ROM lists it under the same “Special Marriage Licence” fee, and it carries the same S$280 / S$380 charge. Like the other special routes, it is assessed case by case.

Muslim marriages (ROMM)

The Special Marriage Licence is part of the civil marriage framework under the Women’s Charter. If both of you are Muslim, your marriage is registered with the Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM), which has its own rules, fees and — where a party is young — its own Kadi assessment. See our ROMM guide for that pathway; the SML described here does not apply to a Muslim marriage.

FAQ

Is the Special Marriage Licence the same as the ordinary licence? No. The ordinary Marriage Licence (S$42 / S$380) covers standard marriages. The SML (S$280 / S$380) is for waiving notice, marrying under 18, or a prohibited relationship.

How long does approval take? For an under-18 marriage, at least four months. For a notice waiver, there is no published fixed time; apply in person at ROM as early as you can, as approval is discretionary.

Can approval be refused? Yes. All three routes are discretionary, and the under-18 route includes a social assessment that can find a couple unsuitable.

We’re both 20 — do we need one? No. You need parental consent and a Marriage Preparation Programme, but not a Special Marriage Licence.

What happens after it’s granted? You must solemnise within one month, with two witnesses aged 21 or older, at a venue of your choice.

Where to go next

• Check your fee and filing window with the ROM tool
• ROM Singapore: the complete registration guide
• How to change your name after marriage
• A 12-month wedding planning timeline