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DHA-1736: SA Marriage Register Form & Application

Form DHA-1736 — Marriage Register Form

Last Updated: March 6, 2026|Reviewed By: Home Affairs Editorial Team|Fact-checked against official DHA and Other Official Sources|Not affiliated with the DHA

This form is not completed by the couple. Form DHA-1736 is the marriage register completed by the marriage officer (officiating minister, magistrate, or other authorised person) at the time the marriage is solemnised. It is not downloadable, and it is not applied for — it is part of the official registration process managed by the marriage officer.

What Is Form DHA-1736?

Form DHA-1736 — also referred to as BI-1736 — is the official marriage register form used in South Africa to record the details of a marriage at the time it is solemnised. The completed form is what the marriage officer submits to DHA to register the marriage in the National Population Register.

It records the full details of both parties, the date and place of marriage, the type of marriage (civil, customary, or civil union), the marital regime (in community of property or out of community of property), and the signatures of the couple, witnesses, and marriage officer.

Who Completes DHA-1736?

The marriage officer completes DHA-1736. This is the person legally authorised to perform and register marriages in South Africa — a magistrate, a minister of religion registered with DHA, or another person designated under the Marriage Act.

The couple and two witnesses sign the form as part of the ceremony, but the administrative completion is the responsibility of the marriage officer.

How DHA-1736 Relates to Your Marriage Certificate

Form DHA-1736 is the source document for your marriage certificate. The marriage officer submits the completed DHA-1736 to DHA, which then captures the registration in the NPR and issues an abridged marriage certificate.

The document you receive as a couple (the DHA-30 certificate from the marriage officer on the day) is a record of the ceremony. The official abridged marriage certificate is issued by DHA after DHA-1736 has been processed.

If you later need a copy of your marriage certificate — for immigration, a name change, or official purposes — you apply for it using Form DHA-130.

Frequently Asked Questions

We were married but never received a marriage certificate — what happened? The marriage officer is responsible for submitting DHA-1736 to DHA. If they did not submit it, or if DHA has not yet processed it, the marriage may not be registered. Contact your marriage officer first, then follow up with DHA if needed. You can check your marital status by SMSing the letter M followed by your ID number to 32551.

Can we get a copy of our DHA-1736? DHA-1736 is an internal registration document. The public-facing document is the marriage certificate. Apply for a copy using Form DHA-130.

What is the DHA-30 form we received on the day of the marriage? The DHA-30 is the certificate issued by the marriage officer at the ceremony as immediate proof of the marriage. It is signed by the couple, the witnesses, and the marriage officer. It is not the same as the official abridged or unabridged marriage certificate issued by DHA — but it is proof of the marriage while you wait for the formal certificate.

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