A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2003 to February 2003 to investigate thernmagnitude and determinants of utilization and demand for pre-marital voluntary HIV testingrnand to describe the VCT schemes preferred by newly marrying individuals.rnA total of 640 individuals (320 males and 320 females) who attended the civil marriage inrnAddis-Ababa municipality were enrolled in the study. Fifty five percent of study subjectsrnreported having had pre-marital HIV testing and among those who did not have pre-maritalrnHIV testing (284), 63.4% of them claimed to wish to have testing, but had not had it for somernreason (unmet need group). The main reason given by the unmet need group was thinking thatrnhe/she feels healthy. Most couples had sexual relations but consistent condom use wasrnreported by only 15.5% of them.rnBeing of Gurage ethnicity, having been introduced more than five years back and frankrndiscussion between couples on HIV/ VCT were seen to be predictors of pre-marital HIVrntesting in both males and females. The demand for pre-marital VCT was significantlyrn(positively) associated with age 35 and above, and free discussion between couples on HIV/rnVCT. The agreement level with in pairs for utilization as well as demand of pre-marital HIVrntesting was good, while that of future plan for testing among the non-tested ones was almostrnzero.rnConfidential testing, integrated VCT services, medical doctors as counselors and a face-to-facernmethod of hearing results were the VCT schemes preferred by most respondents.rnAdvocacy on pre-marital VCT, promotion of free discussion between couples on STD/ HIV,rnimproving peopleâ€™s awareness of self-perceived risk, consistent condom use before decidingrnfor marriage and integrated VCT sites are recommended.