27 rules
I'm getting married / Wedding
Rules about the civil wedding ceremony, the wedding convoy, fireworks and marriage.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I honk and block the road in a wedding convoy? — No. Driving in a convoy is allowed. But stopping traffic, honking for no reason, dangerous manoeuvres and firing shots in the air are forbidden.
- ☐ Not allowed: Is it a crime to shout at, humiliate or hit my partner or child at home? — Yes, it is a crime. The new Criminal Code (Strafwetboek / Code pénal) punishes physical violence in the family, and also psychological violence such as constant humiliation.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I force my daughter or son to marry someone they do not want? — No. Forced marriage is a crime (level 3). Arranged introductions are allowed, but the final decision is the young person's free choice.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can we have a religious (imam) marriage before the civil marriage? — No. In Belgium, the civil marriage at the municipality comes first. Holding a religious marriage before the civil marriage is a crime, and the person who performs it is responsible.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I secretly go through my partner's phone or Instagram account if I know the password? — No. Getting into someone else's phone or account without permission is a crime (level 2). It makes no difference that they are your spouse.
- ☐ Not allowed: Is it a crime to keep calling or messaging my ex after we split up, or to wait outside their home? — Yes. Stalking (harassment) is a level 2 crime; in aggravated cases it is level 3.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I give my 15-year-old child a beer or a cigarette at home, with the family? — For cigarettes, no: giving tobacco products to anyone under 18 is banned, even at home. For alcohol, the law bans selling, serving and offering any alcohol to anyone under 16, and spirits to anyone under 18. Even so, do not give your child alcohol.
- ☐ Not allowed: What happens if I don't pay the maintenance set by the court? — Knowingly not paying maintenance set by a court decision for more than 2 months is a crime (level 1). If your ability to pay has changed, do not stop paying; go to the family court.
- ☐ Not allowed: Is it a problem to talk loudly or play music at night when I have guests at home? — Yes, it is a problem. Municipal police regulations usually forbid noise that disturbs your neighbours' peace. Since 1 September 2026, night-time noise is no longer a crime under the Criminal Code. If the municipality has included it in its police regulation, it can impose an administrative fine (GAS).
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I accept more than 3.000 € in cash from a customer? — No. A business may accept at most 3.000 € in cash for goods or services. Anything above that must be paid by bank transfer or card.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I marry someone, or register a legal cohabitation with them, just on paper so that they can get a residence permit? — No. If the aim is not to share a life but only to obtain a right of residence, it is a sham marriage and a criminal offence. A judge can annul the marriage, and residence rights and citizenship can be lost.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I take a second wife through a religious (imam) marriage while I am still married? — No. In Belgium, entering into a second civil marriage while you are already married is a criminal offence (level 1). A religious (imam) marriage is not a marriage in law: the 'second wife' does not get the rights of the legal spouse. A religious official who conducts a religious marriage before the civil marriage is also punished.
- ☐ Not allowed: Can I enter someone else's home without permission? If I have a key, is it an offence to enter my ex-partner's home? — No. Entering a home where someone else lives without the permission of the people living there is an offence (level 2). Having a key does not mean you have permission.
- ☐ Not allowed: What is the penalty for killing a spouse, child or other relative? Does 'honour' or tradition reduce the penalty? — Deliberately killing a close family member (such as a parent, child, brother or sister, spouse or partner) is murder within the family, for which the law prescribes life imprisonment (level 8). The law treats killing in the name of 'honour', tradition or religion as an aggravating factor, not a mitigating one.
- ☐ Depends: I had one or two beers. Can I drive? — Not if the alcohol in your blood is above 0,5 per mille (0,22 mg/l in your breath). For professional drivers the limit is 0,2 per mille. The safest choice: if you have been drinking, do not drive at all.
- ☐ Depends: Can I set off fireworks at a wedding or during Eid (Bayram)? — Usually not. In many municipalities, fireworks need a permit or are completely forbidden. Always ask the municipality before you set any off.
- ☐ Depends: Can someone under 18 get married in Belgium? — As a rule, no. The minimum age for marriage is 18. The family court can only make an exception if there are serious reasons.
- ☐ Depends: Can I share a photo of my child or of someone else on social media? At what age can my child open an account? — It depends. To share a photo of a recognisable person outside your private circle, you need their permission. A child under 13 needs parental consent to use social media.
- ☐ Depends: Can I secretly record someone? Is it forbidden to record a phone call I take part in? — It depends. Recording a conversation you take part in is not an offence under the Criminal Code. Secretly recording other people's conversations is an offence (level 2). Secretly watching or recording someone who is naked and thinks they are in private is also an offence (level 3).
- ☐ Depends: How can I get divorced in Belgium? Can I divorce even if my spouse does not want to? — Yes, there are two routes: by mutual consent, or by showing that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Even if your spouse does not want a divorce, you can apply on your own if you have lived apart for more than 1 year.
- ☐ Depends: I got married or divorced abroad. Is this valid in Belgium, and do I have to report it to the municipality? — Usually yes, and no separate court case is needed. However, you must take the document, with an apostille and a sworn translation, to the municipality and have it entered in the Belgian records.
- ☐ Depends: Can I leave my estate to whoever I want? What share do my children and my spouse get? — Partly. If you have children, half of your estate is always reserved for them; you can leave the other half by will to whoever you want. Your spouse also has rights protected by law.
- ☐ Depends: How do you get married in Belgium? What documents do you need, and do you have to report the marriage in your country of origin? — First you make a declaration of marriage at the municipality; the wedding can take place 14 days later at the earliest. If you are a citizen of another country, you may also need to report the marriage to that country's consulate.
- ☐ Depends: I married abroad: what conditions must I meet to bring my spouse to Belgium? — Marriage alone does not give a right of residence. Family reunification is subject to conditions on age, stable income, suitable housing and health insurance. These became stricter on 18 August 2025; for some applications the old rules still apply until 17 August 2027.
- ☐ Allowed: If we do not make a marriage contract when we marry, what happens to our property? — A contract is not compulsory. Without one, the legal regime applies: what you earn during the marriage is joint property, while what you owned before the marriage and any inheritances remain personal.
- ☐ Allowed: Can we live together legally without marrying? How is legal cohabitation different from marriage? — Yes. You can register a legal cohabitation by making a written declaration at the municipality. It protects the home and covers shared costs, but inheritance and maintenance rights are much more limited than in a marriage.
- ☐ Allowed: Does my surname change when I marry? Which surname will our child get? — Under Belgian law, marriage does not change anyone's surname. The parents choose the child's surname together: the father's, the mother's or both. Your country's records may show something different.
Do not do this (14)
TrafficNot allowed
Can I honk and block the road in a wedding convoy?
No. Driving in a convoy is allowed. But stopping traffic, honking for no reason, dangerous manoeuvres and firing shots in the air are forbidden.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 2Is it a crime to shout at, humiliate or hit my partner or child at home?
Yes, it is a crime. The new Criminal Code (Strafwetboek / Code pénal) punishes physical violence in the family, and also psychological violence such as constant humiliation.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 3Can I force my daughter or son to marry someone they do not want?
No. Forced marriage is a crime (level 3). Arranged introductions are allowed, but the final decision is the young person's free choice.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 1Can we have a religious (imam) marriage before the civil marriage?
No. In Belgium, the civil marriage at the municipality comes first. Holding a religious marriage before the civil marriage is a crime, and the person who performs it is responsible.Open the rule Digital lifeNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 2Can I secretly go through my partner's phone or Instagram account if I know the password?
No. Getting into someone else's phone or account without permission is a crime (level 2). It makes no difference that they are your spouse.Open the rule Digital lifeNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 2Is it a crime to keep calling or messaging my ex after we split up, or to wait outside their home?
Yes. Stalking (harassment) is a level 2 crime; in aggravated cases it is level 3.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowedCan I give my 15-year-old child a beer or a cigarette at home, with the family?
For cigarettes, no: giving tobacco products to anyone under 18 is banned, even at home. For alcohol, the law bans selling, serving and offering any alcohol to anyone under 16, and spirits to anyone under 18. Even so, do not give your child alcohol.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 1What happens if I don't pay the maintenance set by the court?
Knowingly not paying maintenance set by a court decision for more than 2 months is a crime (level 1). If your ability to pay has changed, do not stop paying; go to the family court.Open the rule Neighbours and municipalityNot allowedIs it a problem to talk loudly or play music at night when I have guests at home?
Yes, it is a problem. Municipal police regulations usually forbid noise that disturbs your neighbours' peace. Since 1 September 2026, night-time noise is no longer a crime under the Criminal Code. If the municipality has included it in its police regulation, it can impose an administrative fine (GAS).Open the rule Work and moneyNot allowedCan I accept more than 3.000 € in cash from a customer?
No. A business may accept at most 3.000 € in cash for goods or services. Anything above that must be paid by bank transfer or card.Open the rule Criminal lawNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 2Can I marry someone, or register a legal cohabitation with them, just on paper so that they can get a residence permit?
No. If the aim is not to share a life but only to obtain a right of residence, it is a sham marriage and a criminal offence. A judge can annul the marriage, and residence rights and citizenship can be lost.Open the rule Family and childrenNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 1Can I take a second wife through a religious (imam) marriage while I am still married?
No. In Belgium, entering into a second civil marriage while you are already married is a criminal offence (level 1). A religious (imam) marriage is not a marriage in law: the 'second wife' does not get the rights of the legal spouse. A religious official who conducts a religious marriage before the civil marriage is also punished.Open the rule Criminal lawNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 2Can I enter someone else's home without permission? If I have a key, is it an offence to enter my ex-partner's home?
No. Entering a home where someone else lives without the permission of the people living there is an offence (level 2). Having a key does not mean you have permission.Open the rule Criminal lawNot allowed· Criminal Code, level 8What is the penalty for killing a spouse, child or other relative? Does 'honour' or tradition reduce the penalty?
Deliberately killing a close family member (such as a parent, child, brother or sister, spouse or partner) is murder within the family, for which the law prescribes life imprisonment (level 8). The law treats killing in the name of 'honour', tradition or religion as an aggravating factor, not a mitigating one.Open the ruleIt depends (10)
TrafficDepends
I had one or two beers. Can I drive?
Not if the alcohol in your blood is above 0,5 per mille (0,22 mg/l in your breath). For professional drivers the limit is 0,2 per mille. The safest choice: if you have been drinking, do not drive at all.Open the rule Neighbours and municipalityDependsCan I set off fireworks at a wedding or during Eid (Bayram)?
Usually not. In many municipalities, fireworks need a permit or are completely forbidden. Always ask the municipality before you set any off.Open the rule Family and childrenDependsCan someone under 18 get married in Belgium?
As a rule, no. The minimum age for marriage is 18. The family court can only make an exception if there are serious reasons.Open the rule Family and childrenDependsCan I share a photo of my child or of someone else on social media? At what age can my child open an account?
It depends. To share a photo of a recognisable person outside your private circle, you need their permission. A child under 13 needs parental consent to use social media.Open the rule Digital lifeDepends· Criminal Code, level 3Can I secretly record someone? Is it forbidden to record a phone call I take part in?
It depends. Recording a conversation you take part in is not an offence under the Criminal Code. Secretly recording other people's conversations is an offence (level 2). Secretly watching or recording someone who is naked and thinks they are in private is also an offence (level 3).Open the rule Family and childrenDependsHow can I get divorced in Belgium? Can I divorce even if my spouse does not want to?
Yes, there are two routes: by mutual consent, or by showing that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. Even if your spouse does not want a divorce, you can apply on your own if you have lived apart for more than 1 year.Open the rule Identity and addressDependsI got married or divorced abroad. Is this valid in Belgium, and do I have to report it to the municipality?
Usually yes, and no separate court case is needed. However, you must take the document, with an apostille and a sworn translation, to the municipality and have it entered in the Belgian records.Open the rule Family and childrenDependsCan I leave my estate to whoever I want? What share do my children and my spouse get?
Partly. If you have children, half of your estate is always reserved for them; you can leave the other half by will to whoever you want. Your spouse also has rights protected by law.Open the rule Family and childrenDependsHow do you get married in Belgium? What documents do you need, and do you have to report the marriage in your country of origin?
First you make a declaration of marriage at the municipality; the wedding can take place 14 days later at the earliest. If you are a citizen of another country, you may also need to report the marriage to that country's consulate.Open the rule Identity and addressDependsI married abroad: what conditions must I meet to bring my spouse to Belgium?
Marriage alone does not give a right of residence. Family reunification is subject to conditions on age, stable income, suitable housing and health insurance. These became stricter on 18 August 2025; for some applications the old rules still apply until 17 August 2027.Open the ruleAllowed (3)
Family and childrenAllowed