Fee

The fee for a marriage licence is $145.00 payable by Cash, Debit, VISA and/or MasterCard.

Once issued, a marriage licence is non-refundable and only valid in Ontario for 90 days.

Age

Applicants must be 18 years of age or over to obtain a Licence. Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age must have both parents’ consent (or parent with custody of minor). No person under the age of 16 years may be married.

Identification Required

Two pieces of ORIGINAL identification are required. One piece MUST be (birth certificate, any change of name certificate, current passport, record of Immigrant Landing, Canadian Citizenship Card or Adoption Papers). Second piece of identification MUST be photo identification e.g. Driver’s Licence or Health Card for both parties. Both parties must complete and sign an Application Form. However, if both parties are not able to apply in person for the Marriage Licence, one person may apply for the Licence but must bring in the completed Application form signed by both parties along with two pieces of identification as specified above.

Divorce or Annulment

If an Applicant has been granted a Divorce or an Annulment in Canada, the Applicant is to file with the Issuer the original or a Court Certified Copy of their final divorce papers (Certificate of Divorce or Decree Absolute). If an Applicant has been granted a Divorce or an Annulment in a jurisdiction other than Canada, the Applicant should speak to an Issuer of Marriage Licences to receive additional requirements.

Period during which licence is valid

A Marriage Licence is valid anywhere in ONTARIO for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance.

*Please note

The Province of Ontario recognizes that, due to the pandemic, couples may not have used their marriage licence within the 90-day permitted validity date. If you haven’t used your licence and it was purchased between the following dates, you may qualify for a new licence at no cost. Please visit the Province’s website for more information or call 1-800-461-2156.

• Licences issued between December 1, 2019 and July 24, 2020 can be used until July 24, 2022

• Licences issued between October 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 can be used until February 10, 2023

• Licences issued between January 1, 2021 and June 4, 2021 can be used until June 4, 2023

• Licences issued between November 1, 2021 and February 24, 2022 be used until February 24, 2024

Additional Information

If any person whose consent is required is unavailable or refuses to consent, an application may be made to a judge, in Canada, to dispense with consent.A person whose previous marriage has been dissolved or annulled will require: If the marriage was dissolved or annulled in Canada, the original or court-certified copy of the final decree dissolving or annulling the marriage; or If the marriage was dissolved or annulled in a jurisdiction other than Canada, the applicants must obtain authorization from the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations before a marriage licence may be issued. To obtain this authorization, the applicants or a lawyer representing them, must submit the following to:

The Office of the Registrar General

P.O. Box 4600, 189 Red River Road Thunder Bay, Ontario P7b 6l8

A completed marriage licence application signed by both applicants. A copy of the decree of divorce or annulment (certified by the proper court officer in the jurisdiction the divorce/annulment was granted) or sealed by the court. If the decree is in a language other than English or French, include a certified translation. A Statement of Sole Responsibility (PDF) for each divorce signed by both applicants. Blank affidavits are available from the issuer of Marriage Licences. A legal opinion of an Ontario lawyer, addressed to both applicants, giving reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in the Province of Ontario. Where a spouse has died, proof of death of the spouse must be provided if death occurred outside Ontario.

Contact Information

Who may perform a marriage ceremony

A marriage ceremony in Ontario may be performed by:
A minister or member of the clergy registered under the Marriage Act
A judge or justice of the peace

Find out if your officiant is registered to perform a marriage in Ontario.

Marriage licences are also available in these cities

Ajax/Barrie/Bracebridge/Brantford/Bruce Peninsula/Buffalo/Burlington/Cambridge/Collingwood/Fort Erie/Guelph/Haliburton/Hamilton/Huntsville/Kingston/Kitchener/London/Markham/Mississauga/Niagara Falls/Norfolk County/Oakville/Oshawa/Ottawa/Owen Sound/Peterborough/Pickering/Port Colborne/Richmond Hill/Sarnia/Sault Ste Marie/Simcoe/St. Catharines/Sudbury/Thorold/Thunder Bay/Toronto/Vaughan/Waterloo/Welland/Whitby/Windsor/Woodstock