Who Can Get Married in Byron Bay?

Most adults can get married in Byron Bay if they meet the normal Australian legal requirements.

You can get married if you

• are 18 or older
• are free to marry
• are not closely related
• understand what marriage means
• freely agree to marry
• give the required notice

Citizenship and residency

You do not need to be:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident
• living in New South Wales

Tourists, visa holders, interstate couples, and overseas couples can all marry here if they meet the legal requirements. Same-sex couples are welcome too. See marriage equality.

You cannot get married if

• either of you is already married
• you are a prohibited close relative
• either of you cannot freely consent
• the legal paperwork is not done properly

If one of you is under 18

This is rare and more complicated.

In Australia, a person under 16 cannot marry.

A 16 or 17 year old can only marry in very limited circumstances with court approval.

If one of you has been married before

That is fine, as long as the earlier marriage has legally ended and you can show the right documents.

See Marriage After Divorce.

If one of you lives overseas

That is also fine, but it helps to start early so the notice, witnessing, and document checks are handled properly.

See International Couples.