Marrying legally in KL

Getting married in KL: which office, and what it asks

Your hotel doesn’t decide where you register. Where you live and your faith do. Non-Muslim couples go through the National Registration Department (JPN). Muslim couples go through JAWI if they live in the Federal Territories, or their own state’s religious office if not.

Checked against each source on 4 October 2026

Find your office

Answer two or three questions. Each step that follows is from the authority’s own page.

You register with JPN, and you need JPN's licence for the registrar to solemnise your marriage at the hotel.

1You apply at the JPN office that covers the address on your MyKad, or online. A KL hotel doesn't change that: a couple living in Selangor applies in Selangor. (JPN source)
2JPN takes marriage applications online, and you can check the status online too. (JPN source)
3Each of you must be 21 or over and single, widowed or divorced. (JPN source)
4If either of you is 18 to under 21, JPN has a separate consent process. (JPN source)
5Your application is displayed for 21 + 1 days. The ceremony can only happen after that. (JPN source)
6The application is valid for 6 months from the day you submit it. Past that, you apply again. (JPN source)
7JPN's fees: RM10 for the marriage notice and RM20 for the marriage certificate on the day. (JPN source)
8To have the registrar solemnise your marriage at a hotel instead of a JPN office, you need JPN's licence for a ceremony outside the registrar's office: RM500 if approved, valid one month. (JPN source)
9Applications under that licence go to JPN's Putrajaya headquarters or the state JPN office, depending on the venue. (JPN source)
10The time is set by the registrar's schedule, and the registrar stays up to 2 hours for one ceremony. (JPN source)

Non-Muslim couples: JPN

Civil marriage for non-Muslims is registered by JPN under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976. The steps, from JPN’s own service pages:

1. You apply

Your notice is displayed for 21 + 1 days.

2. You can marry

On a date the registrar has free, until 6 months after you applied. After that, you apply again.

The JPN timeline for non-Muslim couples, from JPN’s own service page.

You apply at the JPN office that covers the address on your MyKad, or online. A KL hotel doesn't change that: a couple living in Selangor applies in Selangor.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“The marriage application must be submitted at the NRD according to the address on the MyKAD.”
Open the JPN page
JPN takes marriage applications online, and you can check the status online too.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Online marriage applications are available at https://oskc.jpn.gov.my/”
Open the JPN page
Each of you must be 21 or over and single, widowed or divorced.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“A man or woman aged 21 or above may apply to register a marriage. The applicant must be single, widowed or divorced.”
Open the JPN page
If either of you is 18 to under 21, JPN has a separate consent process.
JPN’s own words (Last updated: 2 October 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Consent to Marriage for a Person Aged 18 to Below 21”
Open the JPN page
Your application is displayed for 21 + 1 days. The ceremony can only happen after that.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“The marriage application will be displayed for 21+1 days and the solemnization ceremony will be held after completed the displaying period”
Open the JPN page
The application is valid for 6 months from the day you submit it. Past that, you apply again.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“6 months from the date the application is submitted.”
Open the JPN page
The government portal says the same: the ceremony is after the 21 days and within 6 months, or you apply again.
MyGOV’s own words (Tarikh dikemaskini: 16/3/2026), read 4 October 2026
“Upacara perkahwinan akan dilaksanakan selepas tamat 21 hari dan tidak lebih daripada tempoh 6 bulan daripada tarikh permohonan diterima.”
Open the MyGOV page
JPN's fees: RM10 for the marriage notice and RM20 for the marriage certificate on the day.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“RM10.00 – Marriage Notice RM20.00 – Marriage Certificate (on the day of the ceremony)”
Open the JPN page

Having the registrar marry you at the hotel

A KL hotel can host your solemnisation, but it needs JPN’s licence for a ceremony outside the registrar’s office.

To have the registrar solemnise your marriage at a hotel instead of a JPN office, you need JPN's licence for a ceremony outside the registrar's office: RM500 if approved, valid one month.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Form JPN.KC01E – Application form for a license to solemnize a marriage in a place other than the registrar's office ... Fee RM500.00 if the application approved. Validity One (1) month from the date of approval”
Open the JPN page
Applications under that licence go to JPN's Putrajaya headquarters or the state JPN office, depending on the venue.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Marriage applications under this license can only be accepted at the Putrajaya NRD Headquarters or the NRD State offices depending on the venue chosen.”
Open the JPN page
The time is set by the registrar's schedule, and the registrar stays up to 2 hours for one ceremony.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“The time of the wedding ceremony is subject to the schedule of the registrar on duty. The registrar will solemnize the marriage within 2 hours only for one ceremony.”
Open the JPN page

At a temple, church or association

Malaysian couples can also register at a temple, church or association that has a JPN-appointed Assistant Registrar of Marriages. The fee is RM20, and JPN lists the premises online.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Only Malaysian citizens may apply for civil marriage at the Assistant Registrar of Marriages office. ... Fee RM20.00”
Open the JPN page
At a temple, church or association, one of you must follow its religion, customs and traditions. JPN keeps a searchable list of the premises and their registrars.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“One of the spouses must adhere to the religion, customs and traditions practiced by the Religious Institution/Association. The list of premises and appointed assistant registrars can be reviewed through the following link: https://semakanppp.jpn.gov.my/carianppp/index.php”
Open the JPN page

If one or both of you aren’t Malaysian

If one of you isn't a Malaysian citizen, that partner must have been in Malaysia for 7 days in a row, and can apply on the 8th day.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Non-citizen applicants must reside in Malaysia for seven (7) consecutive days and may submit the application on the eighth (8th) day.”
Open the JPN page
If neither of you is a citizen, JPN's marital-status confirmation letter comes from its Putrajaya office only.
JPN’s own words (Information updated from the NRD service schedules dated September 2026), read 4 October 2026
“Both Non-Citizens NRD Putrajaya only”
Open the JPN page

Muslim couples: JAWI, or your own state

Muslim marriage in the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan) is handled by JAWI, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department. Whether JAWI is your office depends on where you live, not where your reception is.

JAWI handles marriage applications for Muslims who have lived in the Federal Territories for at least 90 days.
JAWI’s own words, read 10 October 2026
“Masyarakat Islam yang bermastautin/tinggal di Wilayah Persekutuan sekurang-kurangnya tempoh 90 hari.”
Open the JAWI page
The application is made online through SPPIM, the Malaysian Islamic marriage management system.
JAWI’s own words, read 10 October 2026
“Permohonan perkahwinan boleh dibuat melalui permohonan berkahwin secara online dengan melayari www.sppim.gov.my”
Open the JAWI page
If the groom lives outside the Federal Territories, he first gets permission to marry from the religious department of the state where he lives.
JAWI’s own words (Published on 20 Mac 2013), read 10 October 2026
“Kebenaran berkahwin daripada Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri tempat pemohon lelaki bermastautin.”
Open the JAWI page
Outside the Federal Territories, permission to marry comes through the district religious office in your own state.
JAKIM’s own words (Diterbitkan: 01 Disember 2020), read 10 October 2026
“Pasangan yang ingin melangsungkan pernikahan mestilah melakukan permohonan dan mendapatkan kebenaran berkahwin melalui Pejabat Agama Islam Daerah (PAID) di negeri masing-masing.”
Open the JAKIM page

Before the akad nikah

The pre-marriage course is compulsory for Muslim couples marrying in Malaysia. You register through SPPIM; the fee depends on the state, RM80 to RM120.
MyGOV’s own words (Terakhir dikemas kini pada 10/10/2026), read 10 October 2026
“Kursus ini adalah wajib bagi pasangan beragama Islam yang ingin melangsungkan perkahwinan di Malaysia. ... Caj & Bayaran Berbeza mengikut negeri, antara RM80 - RM120”
Open the MyGOV page
JAWI exempts from the course anyone married before, people with disabilities, men aged 45 or over and women aged 40 or over.
JAWI’s own words, read 10 October 2026
“Pengecualian menghadiri Kursus Praperkahwinan Islam diberikan kepada lelaki dan perempuan yang pernah berkahwin, Orang kurang upaya, lelaki yang berusia 45 tahun ke atas dan perempuan yang berusia 40 tahun ke atas.”
Open the JAWI page
The HIV screening JAWI asks for must be done at a Malaysian government clinic or hospital, not a private one.
JAWI’s own words, read 10 October 2026
“Tidak boleh. Ujian saringan HIV hanya boleh dilakukan di klinik/hospital kerajaan Malaysia sahaja.”
Open the JAWI page
Your marriage certificate is ready at JAWI 14 working days after the akad nikah.
JAWI’s own words, read 10 October 2026
“Surat Perakuan Nikah boleh diperolehi di JAWI selepas 14 hari (bekerja) dari tarikh akad nikah dijalankan.”
Open the JAWI page

Planning the reception too? See Malay and Muslim weddings at KL hotels.

In Malay: Kursus kahwin dan nikah di KL: langkah JAWI, with the residence rules and the documents JAWI lists.