How Quickly Can You Get Married in Australia?
The legal minimum notice period to get married in Australia is one month. This is called the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) and the one-month countdown begins the day your signed NOIM is submitted to your celebrant. In exceptional circumstances, this period can be shortened — and we have helped couples marry within 48 hours. I Do Drive Thru lodges your NOIM the same day you book, so your one-month countdown starts immediately.
A few years ago, a couple contacted us on a Tuesday morning. A close family member had been given days to live. They had been together for years and had always planned to marry — they just had not got around to it yet. Now, suddenly, time was running out. They wanted to be married at the bedside before it was too late.
By Wednesday afternoon, less than 48 hours later, they were legally married.
We helped them through every step of the Shortening of Time process — the application, the evidence, the paperwork. Their application was approved within 24 hours. Their celebrant was at the bedside the following day. It is one of the most meaningful ceremonies we have ever been part of.
This post explains everything you need to know about how quickly you can get married in Australia — the standard one-month notice period, what Shortening of Time means, who qualifies, and exactly how the process works.
→ When the countdown actually starts
→ What Shortening of Time means and who qualifies
→ How to apply — step by step
→ How long Shortening of Time takes
→ Can overseas couples lodge a NOIM before arriving in Australia?
→ How to book and start your countdown today
The One-Month Minimum Notice Period
Under the Marriage Act 1961, every couple who wishes to legally marry in Australia must give at least one month's notice of their intention to marry. This applies to everyone — regardless of nationality, religion, how simple your ceremony is, or how long you have been together.
This notice is given by completing a Notice of Intended Marriage — commonly called a NOIM — which is a government form completed with your celebrant. It is not a registration of marriage. It is simply a legal declaration that you intend to marry, and it starts the clock.
Australian marriage law counts one month as a calendar month. A NOIM lodged on the 7th of one month means the earliest you can marry is the 7th of the following month. Your celebrant will calculate your exact earliest date when you book.
When Does the Countdown Actually Start?
The one-month countdown begins the day your signed and witnessed NOIM is submitted to your celebrant. Not when you book. Not when you pay. The day your celebrant receives your completed, signed NOIM.
This is why timing matters when you book. At I Do Drive Thru, we lodge your NOIM the same day you book — so your one-month clock starts immediately. Some celebrants wait days or even weeks before lodging the paperwork. That delay costs you time you may not have.
✅ NOIM lodged same day you book
✅ Countdown starts immediately
✅ Available after one calendar month
✅ NOIM always included — never charged extra
⚠️ Mandatory in-person interview first
⚠️ 8–12 week wait in summer
⚠️ Countdown starts after interview
⚠️ $190 non-refundable booking fee
What Is Shortening of Time?
Shortening of Time is a formal legal application that allows couples to marry before the one-month notice period has elapsed. It is not a loophole — it is a genuine legal mechanism that exists specifically for circumstances where waiting one month is not possible or practical.
If approved, the prescribed authority signs page five of your NOIM — and you can legally marry on the same day the application is approved, or on any date you choose after that.
We have seen applications approved within 24 hours. The couple in the opening story of this post was married at a family member's bedside less than 48 hours after first contacting us.
Who Qualifies for Shortening of Time?
To qualify, your circumstances must fall into one of five legal categories under the Marriage Act:
A serious or terminal illness affecting one of the parties, or a close family member whose condition means they may not survive the standard notice period. This is the most common successful ground for urgent applications — and the one where approved fastest.
An unexpected or unavoidable work transfer, deployment, or essential travel commitment that means one or both parties will be unable to remain in Australia beyond the notice period. A sudden overseas posting or work relocation qualifies.
Significant financial loss that would result from non-completion of wedding arrangements — for example a venue, photographer, or celebration already booked and paid for that cannot be moved. Note: simply wanting to marry sooner does not qualify under this category.
Genuine religious requirements that make it necessary or appropriate for the marriage to take place before the standard notice period has elapsed. The religious basis must be documented and supported.
An administrative or official error in the giving of notice — for example, a government or celebrant error that caused a delay in lodgement through no fault of the couple. The error must be documented and the fault must not be with the applicants themselves.
How to Apply for Shortening of Time — Step by Step
Complete your NOIM with your celebrant
Your celebrant will complete the Notice of Intended Marriage with you and provide a signed letter confirming they are ready and willing to marry you on your requested date. At I Do Drive Thru, we charge $150 for this letter. Your celebrant's letter is a required part of the application.
Gather your supporting evidence
This is the most important part of the application. You need documentary evidence of your circumstances — a medical letter from a treating doctor for medical grounds, an employer letter for work transfer, financial statements for wedding arrangement grounds. The stronger and more specific your evidence, the faster the application is processed.
Submit your application and pay the fee
Submit the Notice Shortening Application Form directly to BDM (Births, Deaths and Marriages) in your state, or to a local magistrate court. The application fee in Victoria is $62.00. Fees vary by state. We will direct you to the correct form and tell you exactly where to submit it.
Get married
If approved, the prescribed authority signs page five of your NOIM. You can legally marry the same day approval is granted — or on any date you choose after that. Your celebrant comes to your chosen location. The ceremony takes two minutes. You are legally married.
Can Overseas Couples Lodge a NOIM Before Arriving in Australia?
Yes — and this is one of the most important things for international couples to know. You do not need to be physically present in Australia to lodge your NOIM.
Couples planning to fly to Australia specifically to get married can complete and sign their NOIM before they leave their home country — but the NOIM cannot simply be signed at home. If signed overseas, it must be witnessed by an authorised person such as a public notary or an authorised witness at the Australian Embassy or Consulate in your country. Once correctly witnessed and signed, it can be sent to your Australian celebrant. The moment your celebrant receives it, the one-month countdown begins — meaning you can time your arrival in Australia to coincide with the end of your notice period.
A couple in the UK books with I Do Drive Thru six weeks before their planned trip to Australia. We send them the NOIM, they have it witnessed by a public notary or at the Australian High Commission in London, and return it to us. We lodge it the same day — starting their one-month countdown immediately. By the time they land in Sydney six weeks later, their notice period has elapsed and they can marry on the day they arrive if they wish. No waiting around. No wasted time in Australia.
The Most Common Reasons Couples Come to Us in a Rush
In our experience, urgent marriage requests fall into a few consistent categories. If any of these sound familiar, we have helped couples in exactly your situation.
The most heartbreaking and the most urgent. A parent, sibling, or close family member who may not survive the notice period. We have helped couples marry in as little as 48 hours in these circumstances through the Shortening of Time process. If this is your situation — call us today.
A sudden work transfer or overseas relocation that means one partner is leaving Australia sooner than expected. We help couples in this situation navigate the Shortening of Time application and get them married before the departure date.
Couples who booked with another celebrant who cancelled, became unavailable, or failed to lodge their NOIM on time — leaving them suddenly without a celebrant and with a ceremony date approaching. We help couples in exactly this situation every month.
An overseas partner whose visa is expiring, a partner visa application that requires proof of marriage, or a visa deadline that makes marrying before a specific date essential. We supply official celebrant letters for visa applications and can advise on timing.
How to Start Your One-Month Countdown Today
The fastest way to start your notice period is to book today. The moment you book with I Do Drive Thru, we send you your NOIM paperwork. The moment you return it signed, we lodge it — and your one-month clock starts.
There is no interview. No in-person appointment before the day. No waitlist. Book online in two minutes and we handle the rest.
Start Your One-Month Countdown Today
Book online now. We lodge your NOIM the same day. Your earliest possible ceremony date starts counting down immediately. No interview. No waitlist. Available across Australia.