Duplicate Marriage Certificate in Delhi: Fee and Process

Marriage certificates get lost in moves, damaged by water, misplaced in files, or left behind in another country. Sooner or later, many couples need a fresh copy, often urgently for a passport, visa or property transaction. The good news is that the registration itself is a permanent government record. You never need to register again; you only need a copy. This guide explains how to get one in Delhi, what it costs and what to bring.

First, which kind of registration do you have?

The route depends on how and when your marriage was registered.

Your registration	How to get a copy
Registered through e-District (online application)	Re-download from the portal
Registered at an SDM office before online systems, or offline	Apply to that SDM office for a certified copy
Registered under the Special Marriage Act	Apply to the marriage officer of that district for a certified extract
Registered in another state	Apply to that state’s registrar

Route 1: Re-download from e-District

If you applied on edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in, your certificate is stored digitally. You can usually:

1. Log in to the account used for the application, or use the portal’s certificate download or verification option.
2. Enter the application or certificate number as asked.
3. Download and print the certificate.

This is generally free and immediate. Keep a PDF copy on your phone and in cloud storage so that you never need to repeat this step. See how to download your marriage certificate.

Route 2: Certified copy from the SDM office

For older or offline registrations, you need a certified copy from the office where the marriage was registered.

What to bring

• A written application asking for a certified copy, stating names, date of marriage and the registration number if known.
• Identity proof of the applicant spouse.
• Any copy of the old certificate, even a photo on a phone.
• If the original was lost: a loss report or affidavit, if the office asks.
• The prescribed fee, if any.

What happens next

The office locates the entry in its register, prepares a certified copy and issues it. For recent records, this may be quick. For older records stored in archives, it can take longer.

If the certificate was lost: the loss report

Some offices ask for proof that you reported the loss. In Delhi, you can file a lost-document report online through the Delhi Police e-Lost report service and download a copy of the report immediately. Attach it to your application. An affidavit stating the circumstances of the loss is sometimes also requested.

What it costs

Item	Typical cost
Re-download from e-District	Generally free
Certified copy from the SDM office	Small fee, if any; confirm with the office
Affidavit of loss (if asked)	E-stamp and notarisation, a few hundred rupees
Delhi Police e-Lost report	Free
Attestation or apostille (for use abroad)	Additional; see the apostille guide

When a downloaded copy is not enough

A downloaded certificate is fine for most uses in India. You may need more if:

• a foreign embassy or authority wants an apostilled copy (see apostille of a marriage certificate);
• a court or a specific institution asks for a certified copy issued by the office;
• the older certificate has errors that need correcting first (see correcting a mistake on a marriage certificate).

Step by step for an urgent copy

1. Search your email for the e-District acknowledgement or approval message. It often contains the application number.
2. Try the portal first. If the download works, you are done.
3. If not, call or visit the SDM office with names, date of marriage and approximate date of registration.
4. File an e-Lost report if the original was lost.
5. Submit the application for a certified copy with identity proof.
6. Collect the copy and scan it immediately.

Common problems and fixes

• Forgotten login: use the portal’s password reset or the verification option with the certificate number.
• No registration number: the office can search by names and date.
• Different district now: apply to the district that registered the marriage, not where you now live.
• Name since changed: the copy reflects the original record; carry proof linking your old and new names.

Sample application for a certified copy

To, The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Marriage Officer), [Sub-division, District], Delhi

Subject: Request for a certified copy of marriage certificate

Sir/Madam,

Our marriage was registered at your office on or about [date of registration]. The details are: husband [name], wife [name], date of marriage [date], registration number [number, if known].

Our original certificate has been [lost / damaged]. A copy of the Delhi Police e-Lost report [number] is enclosed. We request that a certified copy of the certificate be issued to us.

[Signature, name, phone number, date] Enclosures: identity proof; e-Lost report; copy or photo of old certificate, if any.

Protect your certificate from now on

Once you have a fresh copy, make sure you never have to do this again:

• Scan it in colour at good resolution and save it as a PDF.
• Store copies in two places, such as your email and a cloud drive, and on DigiLocker if your certificate is available there.
• Keep the original flat and dry in a document folder, not folded in a wallet.
• Record the registration number and the application number in a safe note.
• Get a few attested copies if you expect to submit copies to banks, insurers or employers, so the original stays at home.

When to choose correction instead of a copy

If the old certificate has a mistake, such as a misspelt name or a wrong date, a duplicate will simply reproduce the mistake. Apply for correction first, then obtain the corrected certificate. This is especially important before an apostille or a visa application, because foreign authorities compare names across every document.

Worked example: lost in a move

Ankit and Divya registered on e-District in 2021 and lost the printout when they moved to Noida. Ankit finds the approval email, logs in to e-District and downloads the certificate in ten minutes.

Worked example: an old offline registration

Harjeet and Simran registered their marriage at an SDM office in 2006. Their certificate was damaged in a flood. They file an e-Lost report, write an application to the same SDM office with their names, date of marriage and a photo of the damaged certificate, and collect a certified copy after the office retrieves the old register.

Key terms explained

• Certified copy: a copy of the official record issued and certified by the office that holds it.
• e-District: Delhi’s online portal for government services, including marriage registration.
• e-Lost report: an online report of a lost document filed with Delhi Police.
• Register: the official book or database in which registered marriages are recorded.

One-line takeaway

Try re-downloading from e-District first; for older records, apply to the registering SDM office with identity proof and, if lost, a loss report.

Need a copy fast?

WedProof traces your registration, prepares the application and loss report, and gets you a usable copy, with apostille if you need it abroad.