To get married in Ontario, you will need to get a Marriage Licence and arrange for two witnesses to be present during the ceremony.
You can obtain a Marriage Licence at your local city hall, town hall or municipal office. Click here in order to find your local municipal office. The operator will direct you to the Licencing Office.
Municipal offices are usually open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The license fee charged by the Licencing Office is approximately $165.00. The Marriage Licence is valid for 3 months from the date of issue.
You must be at least 16 years old to get married in Ontario. If you are at least 18 years of age, you can apply for the Marriage Licence by filling out the Marriage Licence Application form. Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age (other than a widowed or divorced person), additionally need to fill out a questionnaire (Consent of Parent or Guardian to Marriage), in which the parent or legal guardian must give their consent to a minor to marry.
Each applicant must provide two pieces of government-issued identification that confirm the applicant’s name, date of birth and signature. The following documents can be used:
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Landed Immigrant document
- Permanent Resident
- Canadian Citizenship Card
- Driver’s License
- Refugee Document
- Identification Card (Province, State or Country)
If the identification is from another country in a language other than one of the official languages of Canada, it must be supported by an official translation certified by a licensed translator.
Previous Marriages
1. Divorce in Canada
If you were previously married and the divorce was granted by a Canadian court, the original or a court-certified copy of one of the following three documents must be submitted: Certificate of Divorce, Final Decree or Final Judgement. A copy of the listed documents can be obtained from the court house where the divorce was granted.
2. Divorce from outside Canada
If your divorce was granted outside of Canada, you will need to provide certain documents to prove that you are no longer married. These documents need to be validated by the Office of Governor General
. The following documents must be sent:
- Marriage Licence Application form
- Statement Of Sole Responsibility
- Letter of Legal Opinion from an Ontario lawyer explaining why the divorce should be recognized in Ontario
- The original or court-certified Certificate of Divorce or Annulment (if the document is not in English or French, a translated copy and affidavit by a certified translator must be provided)
Widowers
If you are a widower or a widow, you do not need to provide a death certificate of your departed spouse.
