The ma'zoun, the official who registers Muslim marriages, is appointed by the Minister of Justice. He gets no salary from the state and earns his living from the fees of the contracts he registers. So the fees matter, and it's best to know them and agree on them before the day of the katb el-ketab, not on the day.
The official fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registering the marriage contract | EGP 600 |
| The deferred dowry fee | Based on the deferred dowry's value |
| The family insurance fund | EGP 100, as part of the contract fees |
| An electronic copy of the marriage certificate | EGP 70 |
- Registration: EGP 600, plus a fee based on the value of the deferred dowry (the mu'akhar) (Al-Ahram Gate, February 2026).
- The deferred dowry fee: a Sada El-Balad report (January 2023) described it as percentages set by the Ministry of Justice: 3% if the mu'akhar is under EGP 5,000, 4% if it is under EGP 10,000, and 5% if it is more. These rates may have changed, so ask the ma'zoun for the official calculation.
- The family insurance fund: EGP 100 paid with the contract fees, which goes to Nasser Social Bank. The item has existed since a 2004 law (Masrawy, January 2023).
- The electronic copy: once the marriage is registered, you can get a copy of the certificate online for EGP 70, issued within 7 working days.
What goes into the contract
- Your details from your IDs, and those of the bride's guardian and the two witnesses.
- The mahr: the advance and the deferred amounts. The deferred amount matters, because part of the fees depends on it, so agree on it calmly with your families before the day.
- Conditions: you have the right to agree on conditions and ask for them to be written into the contract. A Human Rights Watch report said many ma'zouns don't tell couples about their legal rights, and in 2022 an MP described cases where clauses such as the wife's right to work were changed without her noticing.
How can you check the ma'zoun?
Some people pose as ma'zouns, and prosecutors have investigated such cases. A real ma'zoun is appointed by a decision of the Minister of Justice, and in 2023 there were only about 4,000 of them in Egypt (Masrawy).
On Zaghrouta, ma'zouns appear only after we have checked their ID and their syndicate card, and there is no commission. Each ma'zoun's page says the same thing: official fees with a receipt, and the price agreed before booking.
An order that makes it easier
- Get the papers ready early: the IDs, the photos and the medical certificate. The full list is in the katb el-ketab papers guide, and the exam in the premarital exam guide.
- Agree on the advance, the deferred amount and any conditions: well before the day, not in front of the guests.
- Ask the ma'zoun for the official calculation: get a receipt for every amount, and agree on anything extra before the day.
- Read the contract before signing: check the names and figures letter by letter.
All of this is a checklist you can tick off in the katb el-ketab station.