Marriage Licence

The Legal Stuff
What you need to know about getting the marriage licence in Ontario.

Applying for the Marriage Licence.

One of the most important details to remember when wedding planning is the application for the marriage licence. You may be wondering what is a licence, where do I get it and what do I do with it? Here is what you need to know when you are getting married in the Province of Ontario.

First thing to know is that the Marriage Licence and Certificate are different documents. The licence is what you give The Ceremony Maven on the day of your wedding or at the rehearsal, which shows that you have been registered to be married . The Marriage Certificate is the document that you apply for after you have been married.

Couples are responsible for getting their Marriage Licence from a City Hall in Ontario, which is then given to The Ceremony Maven to complete (including signatures by you, your spouse and your two witnesses) and register with the Government. The licence is only valid for 90 days. You can apply for your Marriage Licence without your partner being present. You will need to print the document and have your partner sign it, and each provide two pieces of ID with one including a photo (original cards like a driver’s licence, passport, birth certificate, immigrant landing document, Canadian Citizenship card, certificate of divorce, etc. Note health cards and SIN cards are not acceptable.). When the licence is ready to be picked up make sure that before you leave City Hall everything is correct. There will be a fee to pay which varies depending on the municipality.

Please consult the municipality website to check requirements and see if there is an online option for submitting your application.