Get the government documents you need if you plan to get married in Ontario and learn what you need to do if you are a marriage officiant.
You need to be at least 16 years old to get married in Ontario.
If you are under 18 years old, you will need written consent from all of your parents or legal guardians. All parents or legal guardians must complete the Consent of Parents or Guardians to Marriage Form when they go to obtain the marriage licence from the municipality.
The consent form is available where you get a marriage licence.
Before you get married, you need a valid Ontario marriage licence. A marriage licence is valid for three months from the date it was issued. Learn more about getting a marriage licence.
In some limited and specific circumstances, the publication of banns may be used as an alternative to a marriage licence. Contact your marriage officiant for more details.
Note: You and your spouse, witnesses and the person who performed the marriage will need to sign the licence or banns immediately after the ceremony.
You may be able to purchase a marriage licence from your local or surrounding municipality. Please check the municipality’s website to see if they provide this service.
To get a marriage licence, you will need to:
You can choose from one of the following participating municipalities to apply for your licence online via a ServiceOntario digital pilot service before picking it up in-person:
You can also get your marriage licence by applying directly at other municipalities across the province that may be closer to where you are located. Check a local or surrounding municipality’s website to see if they provide this service.
You must provide personal information about the individuals getting married and their parents, including their place(s) of residence.
If you are planning on remarrying in Ontario, there are a few additional documents you must provide in addition to the ones listed above.
You will need to bring official proof of the divorce with you when you apply for a marriage licence. This can be the original or a court-certified copy of one of three documents:
If you were divorced outside of Canada, you will need to provide specific documents to prove that you are no longer married. These documents must be validated by the government and may take up to 4 weeks to process.
You will need to send the following documents to ServiceOntario:
Note: Completed Foreign Divorce Authorizations are sent to applicants by courier. It is important that your full mailing address including suite/unit/apartment and buzzer number is included on the marriage licence application form, or the courier package cannot be delivered and will be returned to ServiceOntario.
Please mail these documents directly to:
ServiceOntario
Marriage Office
PO Box 4600
189 Red River Road
Thunder Bay ON P7B 6L8
You can also request to have a sample legal opinion letter sent to your lawyer using:
For more information, call:
You may be eligible to have the $75 provincial marriage licence fee waived if each of you are registered, or are entitled to be registered, under Canada’s Indian Act and both reside in Ontario on reserve or Crown lands. Municipal administrative fees may still apply.
One of you must swear or affirm that you both meet the eligibility requirements by:
The form must be sworn or affirmed in-person before a commissioner for taking affidavits (for example municipal staff).
A marriage certificate is a legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married.
You may need this document to:
Before you can get a marriage certificate, your marriage needs to be registered. The officiant who performed the marriage will send your completed and signed marriage licence to ServiceOntario so the marriage can be registered.
You can order a marriage certificate about 6-8 weeks after this happens.
Note: A Record of Solemnization of Marriage may be provided by your marriage officiant immediately following the marriage ceremony. This is a souvenir of the marriage and is not the same thing as a marriage certificate.
If you choose to change your last name (surname) when you get married, you don’t have to legally change it.
You have the option to assume your spouse’s last name after marriage. It does not change the name on your Ontario birth registration (and birth certificate). You should change all your identification documents to reflect the new last name.
If you choose to legally change your last name, you can do so through ServiceOntario.
You can only perform a marriage in Ontario if you are authorized under Ontario’s Marriage Act as a marriage officiant.
There are two categories of marriage officiants in Ontario:
The following persons registered with the Office of the Registrar General as a marriage officiant under the Marriage Act can perform a marriage in Ontario:
The following can perform civil marriages in Ontario:
Contact a local city hall, town hall or municipal office to find out if they provide civil marriage services.
It is your responsibility as a registered or civil marriage officiant to ensure marriages are performed according to the requirements under Ontario’s Marriage Act and other applicable laws.
Use the Marriage Officiant’s Guide to Performing Marriage Ceremonies in Ontario to help make sure you are prepared and aware of your responsibilities, including: