Ghana has just made it easier to check whether a marriage certificate is genuine—and whether the person you are about to marry is actually free to marry. A new digital platform called Marrify, launched in August 2026, allows members of the public to search marriage and divorce records across all three marriage types. But the platform itself warns that an empty search is not proof of anything. Here is how verification works, what it can confirm, and where the gaps remain.
The New Tool: Marrify
On 28 August 2026, Marry Right Ghana Limited, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, launched Marrify—a searchable digital registry of marriage and divorce records .
The platform is designed to do three things:
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Verify marriage records. Users can search using names of spouses, towns, churches, denominations, marriage certificate numbers, and Gazette numbers. The records cover ordinance, customary, and Islamic marriages.
Verify divorce records. Marrify contains divorce records derived from court rulings and judgments, with some entries linked to the corresponding marriage records .
Verify the people and places involved. The platform includes a database of marriage officers authorised to conduct civil or ordinance marriages, licensed marriage venues, and licensed Imams .
The data is drawn from the Registrar-General’s Department, the courts, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and the Ghana Gazette .
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, framed the platform as a tool for informed decision-making. “You would not have to take a person’s word for it, even in the most trusted relationship,” she said. You can verify with this app” .
The Critical Warning: Empty Search Is Not Proof
Marrify’s operators have been explicit about the platform’s limitations. The database is still being populated, meaning some existing records may not yet have been uploaded. An unsuccessful search should not be treated as conclusive evidence that an individual has never been married .
This is a crucial caveat. The absence of a record in Marrify does not mean the person is single. It may mean the marriage was registered in a district whose records have not yet been digitised, or that a customary marriage was never formally registered at all.
The platform also allows individuals and institutions to submit marriage and divorce records, along with supporting documents, for verification and inclusion . This is a recognition that the database will only be as complete as the records that feed into it.
The Official Route: The Registrar-General’s Department
For formal verification—particularly for legal, immigration, or administrative purposes—the authoritative source remains the Registrar-General’s Department and the District Assembly where the marriage was registered.
The Principal Registrar of Marriages has the authority to issue a Certified True Copy of any marriage certificate . This is the document that confirms a marriage is on record. For a customary marriage, a verification letter must be obtained from the local registry where the marriage was registered.
If you need to verify a certificate for use abroad, the process is more involved. The certificate must be notarized by a Notary Public in Ghana, certified by the Judicial Service, and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For use in the UK, the Ghana High Commission in London must further attest it.
What Verification Can and Cannot Confirm
What it can confirm: That a marriage certificate was issued by the Registry and that the details match the record in the register. For Marrify, it can confirm that a record exists in its database and that a marriage officer or venue is licensed.
What it cannot confirm: That the facts recorded at registration were accurate. A certificate issued on the basis of an affidavit may be genuine in the sense that the Registry issued it, but the underlying information may not be independently verified. Marrify’s empty search is not proof of singleness.
This distinction matters for anyone relying on a marriage certificate for immigration, inheritance, or legal proceedings. The certificate is prima facie evidence—it is evidence, but it can be challenged.
The Practical Steps
If you want to check a marriage record: Search Marrify using the names, certificate number, or Gazette number. Treat an empty result as inconclusive.
If you need formal proof of a marriage: Apply for a Certified True Copy at the District Assembly where the marriage was registered. For the AMA, this costs GH¢108 as of May 2026.
If you need the certificate for use abroad: Complete the notarization, Judicial Service certification, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation. For the UK, add the Ghana High Commission attestation.
If you suspect a marriage is fraudulent: The Registrar-General’s Department and the relevant District Assembly are the authoritative sources. Marrify is a supplementary tool, not a replacement for the official register.
Quick Facts
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | Marrify (launched August 2026) |
| Partners | Marry Right Ghana Ltd + Ministry of Gender |
| Records Covered | Ordinance, customary, Islamic marriages |
| Search Fields | Names, certificate numbers, Gazette numbers, venues |
| Data Sources | RGD, courts, MMDAs, Ghana Gazette |
| Key Limitation | Database incomplete; empty search not proof |
| Official Verification | Certified True Copy from District Assembly |
| International Use | Notary + Judicial Service + Foreign Affairs |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I verify a marriage certificate in Ghana?
You can use Marrify, the new digital platform launched in August 2026, to search marriage records by name, certificate number, or Gazette number. For formal verification, apply for a Certified True Copy at the District Assembly where the marriage was registered .
2. What is Marrify?
Marrify is a searchable digital registry of marriage and divorce records, launched by Marry Right Ghana Ltd in partnership with the Ministry of Gender. It covers ordinance, customary, and Islamic marriages and also lists licensed marriage officers, venues, and Imams .
3. Can I use Marrify to check if someone is already married?
Yes, but with caution. Marrify’s database is still being populated. An empty search result does not prove that a person has never been married. It may mean the record has not yet been uploaded .
4. What is a Certified True Copy of a marriage certificate?
It is an official copy of the original entry in the marriage register, certified by the Registrar. The Principal Registrar of Marriages has the authority to issue it .
5. How do I verify a customary marriage in Ghana?
For a customary marriage, a verification letter must be obtained from the local registry where the marriage was registered. If the marriage was not registered, there is no official record to verify.
6. Can I verify a marriage certificate online?
Marrify allows online searches of its database. However, for legal or formal purposes, the Certified True Copy from the District Assembly remains the authoritative document.
7. What if I need the certificate for use in another country?
The certificate must be notarized, certified by the Judicial Service, and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For use in the UK, the Ghana High Commission in London must further attest it.
8. Why does Marrify say an empty search is not proof?
Because the platform’s database is incomplete. Records are being uploaded from various sources, and some marriages—particularly unregistered customary marriages—may never appear in the system
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on October 24, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
