Marriage Licence Ontario: How to Apply and Get Married

To marry in Ontario you need one of two things: a marriage licence from a municipal office or, in limited cases, the publication of banns at your place of worship. Section 4 of the Marriage Act, RSO 1990, c M.3 allows no other route. Almost every couple uses a licence, and getting one is mostly a matter of bringing the right documents to the right office.

This guide covers the Ontario Marriage Act and its general regulation (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 738), plus the two federal statutes that set who may marry anywhere in Canada: the Civil Marriage Act and the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act. It reflects the current Act on e-Laws, checked October 26, 2026, and ontario.ca and City of Toronto pages checked on October 26, 2026. Other provinces run their own systems, and an Ontario licence does not work outside Ontario.

How to get a marriage licence in Ontario

You apply to a municipal licence issuer. Section 11(1) of the Marriage Act says licences "may be issued by the clerk of every local municipality except a township," and section 11(2) lets the province appoint other issuers, including a township clerk, a resident of a territorial district, or a band member on the band council's recommendation. In practice, that means your city hall, town hall or municipal office.

You do not have to apply in the place where the wedding will happen. The licence has to come from an Ontario municipality, and the City of Toronto notes that a licence it issues "is valid for use anywhere within Ontario."

The process runs in four steps:

1. Choose an issuing office and check how it books appointments and whether it accepts online applications.
2. Complete the application, either online through ServiceOntario (participating municipalities only) or on the municipality's paper form.
3. Attend in person. At least one of you goes to the office with photo ID to confirm that the information is accurate and true and to pick up the licence.
4. Pay the fee, which the municipality sets.

Applying online or in person

The ServiceOntario online application is available only in select municipalities, and the province estimates it takes 25 to 30 minutes. Applying online does not replace the office visit: after you submit, "you must complete the remaining steps during your in-person marriage licence appointment."

The online service has its own timing rules. Your wedding date must fall within 3 months of the day you apply, and there must be at least 1 business day between the application and the wedding. If you need a licence in the next 24 hours, the province says to contact your local municipality directly.

Offices can add their own requirements. Toronto, for example, says only one applicant needs to attend, but it wants a printed application signed by both of you with original signatures in ink, and it does not accept digital signatures. Check your issuing office's page before your appointment.

What to bring

Each of you needs two pieces of government-issued identification, one with a photo. The province's list includes a birth certificate, passport or driver's licence (Canadian or foreign), an Ontario Photo Card, a citizenship card or certificate, a permanent resident card, a record of landing, a Nexus card, a US Green Card and a Secure Certificate of Indian Status, among others. Health cards cannot be used for the online service. The province's online application page also says documents that are not in English or French must be translated by a professional translator and include a written declaration from the translator.

Toronto is stricter on a few points: it does not accept health cards, SIN cards or Refugee Protection Claimant Documents, it refuses expired ID, and your first and last names must match on both pieces. If your identification is not in English, Toronto requires a written translation from a certified translator.

Some couples need more than ID:

How much a marriage licence costs

There is no single provincial price. Section 1(3) of Regulation 738 requires the applicant to "pay a fee of $75 on the issue of the licence," and section 5(1) has the issuer remit $48 of that to the Minister of Finance and keep $27. Each municipality then sets its own total.

As an example, Toronto's page (dated April 30, 2026) says: "The cost of a marriage licence is $180 (HST does not apply)." Toronto takes debit and credit cards only, and the fee is non-refundable. Every other municipality sets its own figure, so check your issuing office before you go.

Section 16 of the Marriage Act says no fee is charged where both parties are "Indians ordinarily resident on a reserve in Ontario or on Crown lands in Ontario," meaning people registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act. On ontario.ca, the province asks for a sworn affidavit in person and notes that municipal administrative fees may still apply.

How long the licence is valid, and whether there is a waiting period

A licence is good for three months. Section 27(3) of the Act says a marriage "shall be solemnized only within the three months immediately following the issue of the licence." Toronto phrases its advice as applying within 90 days of the wedding; the statute's measure is three months from issue.

The Marriage Act sets no waiting period between the day a licence is issued and the ceremony. The only built-in delay is for banns: the marriage cannot take place before the fifth day after publication (s 27(2)). The practical lead times come from the online service's one-business-day rule and, if you were divorced abroad, the foreign divorce authorization.

Two more limits from the provincial Marriage Officiant's Guide (2023 edition): an Ontario licence "is only valid for marriages performed within the province of Ontario," and only the couple it was issued to may use it.

What the issuer can check

Section 12(1) lets an issuer require evidence of identity or status and examine an applicant, under oath if needed. Under section 12(2), an issuer who believes information is untrue must not issue the licence unless satisfied otherwise. Section 7 bars issuing a licence to, or marrying, anyone who lacks mental capacity to marry, including because of alcohol or drugs. Regulation 738 also requires the issuer to make sure every applicant is aware of the prohibited degrees of relationship described below.

Who can get married in Ontario

Age

Section 5(1) of the Marriage Act lets anyone "of the age of majority" get a licence, and the Age of Majority and Accountability Act sets that age at 18.

A 16- or 17-year-old can marry only with written consent. Section 5(2) requires "the consent in writing of both parents in the form prescribed by the regulations." The Act fills in the gaps:

• If one parent has died or the parents live apart, the parent with actual or legal custody can consent (s 5(4)).
• If both parents have died or are psychiatric patients, a lawfully appointed guardian, or an acknowledged guardian who brought up the minor or who supported the minor for the three years immediately before the marriage, can consent (s 5(5)).
• If the minor is a ward of someone other than a parent, the lawful guardian consents (s 5(6)).
• No consent is needed for a minor whose earlier marriage ended by death or divorce (s 5(3)).

If the person whose consent is needed is not available, or "unreasonably or arbitrarily withholds consent," the minor can apply to a judge for an order dispensing with it, without needing a litigation guardian, and the judge hears the application in a summary manner (s 6). On the practical side, ontario.ca says the consent form must be sworn or affirmed before a commissioner for taking affidavits, then attached online or brought to pick-up, or the parents can come along to the office.

No one under 16 can marry anywhere in Canada. Section 2.2 of the Civil Marriage Act says "No person who is under the age of 16 years may contract marriage." In line with that, the province says both applicants must be 16 or older on the date the licence is issued.

Free consent and capacity

The federal Civil Marriage Act states in section 2.1 that marriage "requires the free and enlightened consent of two persons to be the spouse of each other." The Officiant's Guide tells officiants not to marry anyone they know does not consent, or where it is unclear that both parties consent.

Relatives who cannot marry

Who is too closely related to marry is federal law. Section 2(2) of the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act says:

No person shall marry another person if they are related lineally, or as brother or sister or half-brother or half-sister, including by adoption.

A marriage in breach of that rule is void (s 3(2)). Section 2(1) says people related by consanguinity, affinity or adoption are not otherwise barred "by reason only of their relationship," and section 4 says the Act contains all the relationship-based prohibitions in Canadian law. So cousins, for example, are not barred.

Same-sex couples

The Civil Marriage Act defines marriage, for civil purposes, as "the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others" (s 2), and section 4 says a marriage is not void or voidable only because the spouses are the same sex. Ontario's statutory ceremony wording lets each person choose wife, husband, partner or spouse.

If you were married before

Neither of you can be married to anyone else. Section 2.3 of the Civil Marriage Act says no person may contract a new marriage "until every previous marriage has been dissolved by death or by divorce or declared null by a court order."

Divorced in Canada. Section 8(2) of the Marriage Act says the issuer cannot issue a licence until you produce one of three documents: the final decree or judgment dissolving or annulling the earlier marriage, a certified copy of it, or a certificate of divorce issued by the court registrar. The issuer can also ask you to leave relevant material with them (s 8(2.1)). Ontario.ca adds that a divorce order signed by a judge is not the same as a certificate of divorce.

Individual offices can be narrower than the Act. Toronto lists only an original or court-certified Certificate of Divorce or Final Decree (Decree Absolute), and says a Decree Nisi, a Divorce Judgment or a Divorce Order is not acceptable. A certificate of divorce appears on both lists, so it is the document most likely to be accepted everywhere; if you have something else, confirm with your issuing office before the appointment. Our guide to getting a divorce certificate in Ontario explains how to order one, and the Ontario divorce guide covers the divorce itself.

Divorced or annulled outside Canada. Section 8(3) bars a licence for anyone whose earlier marriage was dissolved or annulled "elsewhere than in Canada" unless the Minister authorizes it in writing. You apply by sending these documents to the ServiceOntario Marriage Office, PO Box 4600, 189 Red River Road, Thunder Bay ON P7B 6L8:

• the completed and signed marriage licence application
• a Statement of Sole Responsibility for each divorce, signed by both of you and a witness
• a legal opinion letter from an Ontario lawyer giving reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in Ontario
• a copy of the divorce decree or annulment in English or French, or a translation with an affidavit sworn by a certified translator

The province says processing can take up to 4 weeks, and the completed authorization comes back by courier. For questions, ServiceOntario lists 1-800-461-2156 (outside Toronto, within North America) and 416-325-8305 (Greater Toronto or outside North America). Plan for this early: Toronto says that if you arrive at your appointment without a Foreign Divorce Authorization, your licence will not be issued.

Widowed. Bring the death certificate, a funeral director's Statement of Death, or a court order declaring that your spouse has died. If the court order was made under the Declarations of Death Act, 2002, section 9 of the Marriage Act has you deposit a certified copy with an affidavit; it does not work if the order was limited to purposes other than remarriage.

Couples who do not live in Ontario

You do not need to live in Ontario to marry there. The Officiant's Guide answers that question directly: "No, there is no requirement for the parties to the marriage to be residents of Ontario." You still need a licence from an Ontario municipality, and foreign passports, birth certificates and driver's licences appear on the province's accepted ID list.

Section 5(1) of the Civil Marriage Act says a marriage performed in Canada that would be valid if the spouses lived here is valid for Canadian law even if a spouse lacks capacity under the law of their home country. That section speaks only to Canadian law. Whether your home country recognizes the marriage is a question for its authorities.

Going the other way, Ontario residents marrying outside Ontario or Canada may be asked to prove they are not already married. ServiceOntario offers a letter verifying whether you have been married in Ontario during a range of years; its marriage certificate page explains how to apply.

Banns: the alternative to a licence

Banns are a public announcement of your intention to marry, made at your place of worship. Ontario.ca describes them as an option only "in some limited and specific circumstances" and tells couples to ask their officiant. The Act sets the conditions:

• The intention to marry is "proclaimed openly in an audible voice during divine service" at the church where you habitually worship, or at each of your churches if you attend different ones, following that faith's usage (s 17(1) and (2)).
• Proof of publication must be given to the person marrying you before the ceremony (s 26).
• The wedding cannot take place earlier than the fifth day after the banns are published (s 27(2)), and must happen within three months of publication (s 27(3)).
• Banns cannot be used if either of you has been married before and that marriage was dissolved or annulled (s 18). Divorced people need a licence.
• A 16- or 17-year-old can marry by banns only with the same written consent required for a licence (s 5(2)).

The ceremony

Who can marry you

Section 20(1) of the Marriage Act says no one may solemnize a marriage unless they are registered to do so or authorized under section 24. In practice there are two groups.

Registered officiants are religious officiants recognized by a permanently established religious body (s 20.1) and people recognized by a band, First Nation, Métis or Inuit organization or other permanently established Indigenous entity (s 20.2). They marry you according to their own rites, customs and traditions. Section 20.4(1) says a registered officiant is not required to perform a marriage that is contrary to their religious or spiritual beliefs. Ontario publishes a list of registered marriage officiants, linked from its "Before getting married" page.

Civil officiants can marry you under a licence. Section 24(1) lists judges, Ontario associate judges and justices of the peace, plus members of the provincial legislature who have given the Minister written notice that they want to perform marriages (that authority continues for 12 months after they leave office). Regulation 738 adds municipal clerks, and ontario.ca notes that clerks may delegate the work. Contact your city hall, town hall or municipal office to find out whether it offers civil ceremonies.

On cost, Regulation 738 sets a $75 fee for a marriage performed by a judge or a justice of the peace. The Act sets no fee for registered religious officiants, and the Officiant's Guide notes that municipalities may charge for civil ceremonies; ask the office for its price.

Who must be there

Section 25 requires every marriage to take place "in the presence of the parties and at least two witnesses who shall affix their names as witnesses." The Officiant's Guide spells out what that means: the two of you, the officiant and two witnesses, "a total of five individuals that must be physically present." Proxy and virtual marriages are not permitted in Ontario, though other guests can attend virtually.

The Guide says the witnesses "must understand what they are witnessing and sign the marriage licence and the marriage register." Neither the Act, Regulation 738 nor the Guide sets a minimum age for witnesses. If you are planning a civil ceremony, ask your officiant or municipal office whether it has requirements of its own.

What you have to say

A religious or Indigenous ceremony follows its own form. For a civil ceremony under section 24, no particular form is required, but section 24(3) says that at some point, in front of the officiant and witnesses, each of you must declare:

I do solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, AB, may not be joined in matrimony to CD

Each of you then says, "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, AB, do take you, CD, to be my lawful wedded wife," with husband, partner or spouse as the alternatives the section offers, and the officiant pronounces you married "by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Marriage Act." Section 24(4) says it is enough to use only English or only French.

After the ceremony: registering the marriage and getting your certificate

You, your spouse, the two witnesses and the officiant sign the licence (or the banns) immediately after the ceremony. Section 28(1) requires the officiant to enter the marriage in the register right away, signed by the officiant, the two of you and the witnesses. Under section 2(3) of Regulation 738, the officiant must forward the completed statement of marriage to the Registrar General "within two days following the day of the marriage." The Officiant's Guide adds that an officiant may never backdate a marriage.

If either of you asks, the officiant must give you a Record of Solemnization of Marriage at the ceremony (s 28(2)). Keep it, but know what it is not. Ontario.ca says plainly that it "is not the same as a marriage certificate," and you will need the actual certificate for things like changing your name on government ID.

Your marriage has to be registered before you can order a certificate, and ServiceOntario says applications can take up to 8 weeks after registration to process. Only the married couple can order a certified copy of the marriage registration unless a court order allows someone else. You will need both full names, both dates of birth, the date of the marriage and the city, town or reserve where it took place.

ServiceOntario's fees, as listed on its page updated January 14, 2026:

Emergency service at 47 Sheppard Avenue East in Toronto needs proof of urgency. ServiceOntario's urgent-request instructions also mention an additional $30 per document, and the page does not say whether that is included in the emergency prices above or added to them, so confirm the total when you apply. Paper applications by mail take 6 to 8 weeks. Our guide to Ontario birth, death and marriage certificates covers who else can apply and how to correct a registration.

Changing your last name after marriage

Marriage does not change your name automatically, and you do not have to change it at all. Ontario gives you two different routes.

Assuming your spouse's last name. According to ontario.ca, you can use your spouse's last name on your health card, driver's licence and Ontario Photo Card, and "there is no cost to assume your spouse's last name" on those documents. Bring your marriage certificate (not the Record of Solemnization), your current photo health card, and your driver's licence or Photo Card to a ServiceOntario centre; updated cards arrive by mail in 6 to 8 weeks. This does not change the name on your Ontario birth registration or birth certificate. If your spouse has a hyphenated name and you want only part of it, you need a legal name change instead.

A legal name change. If you want your name changed legally, including on your birth registration, you apply to the Office of the Registrar General. The change of name page says you must be 16 or older and have lived in Ontario for at least 12 months before applying. The application costs $137, and if you are married you must notify your spouse of the name change by giving them a notice form. The old Election to Change Surname service has been discontinued; the province still offers an Election to Resume Former Surname only to people who used that old service.

Banks, employers, passports and other accounts are separate: you contact each organization yourself. Our Ontario name change guide walks through the legal application and the special rules for reverting to a former name.

Offences and penalties

Section 35(1) of the Marriage Act makes it an offence to knowingly make "any false statement in any document required under this Act," with a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. That covers the licence application and the declarations that go with it.

Section 20(1) prohibits solemnizing a marriage without being registered or authorized, and the Act sets no penalty specific to that section. Section 35(2) is a general offence for contravening any provision "for which no other penalty is provided," with a fine of up to $500. An officiant is not liable for marrying a couple unless, at the time, the officiant was aware of an impediment (s 30).

Federal criminal law applies on top of the Marriage Act. Under section 294 of the Criminal Code, anyone who solemnizes or pretends to solemnize a marriage without lawful authority, or who procures a person to solemnize a marriage knowing that person is not authorized, commits an offence punishable by up to two years in prison on indictment, or on summary conviction. Section 293.1 and section 293.2 make it an offence to celebrate, aid or participate in a marriage ceremony knowing that one of the people being married is marrying against their will or is under 16; each carries up to five years on indictment.

If the officiant turns out not to have been authorized, the marriage may still stand. Section 31 deems a marriage valid where it was solemnized in good faith, neither of you was under a legal disqualification, and you have since lived together as a married couple, despite a lack of authority or an irregularity with the licence or banns.

Marriage and your other legal rights

Ontario family law treats married and common-law couples differently. Our guide to common-law relationships in Ontario explains how the two differ, and the Canada family law hub links every related guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a marriage licence cost in Ontario?

Each municipality sets its own total, and every licence includes a $75 provincial fee under Regulation 738 of the Marriage Act. The City of Toronto charged $180 (no HST, debit or credit only, non-refundable) as of its page dated April 30, 2026. For any other city or town, check the clerk's office or website before you go.

Can we get a marriage licence and get married on the same day?

The Marriage Act sets no waiting period between the day a licence is issued and the ceremony; the five-day delay in section 27(2) applies only to banns. The online ServiceOntario application, however, needs at least 1 business day between your application and your wedding date. If you need a licence within 24 hours, ontario.ca says to contact your local municipality.

How long is an Ontario marriage licence good for?

Three months from the date it was issued. Section 27(3) of the Marriage Act says a marriage may be solemnized only within the three months immediately following the issue of the licence. If that window passes, you apply and pay for a new licence.

Do we both have to go to pick up the marriage licence?

Ontario requires at least one of you to attend in person with photo ID to confirm the information and pick up the licence. Individual offices can add their own steps: Toronto, for example, wants a printed application signed by both of you in ink and does not accept digital signatures.

Can we get married in Ontario if neither of us lives in Ontario or Canada?

Yes. The provincial Officiant's Guide says there is no residency requirement for the couple. You still need a licence from an Ontario municipality, and foreign passports, birth certificates and driver's licences are on the province's accepted ID list. The Civil Marriage Act speaks to validity under Canadian law, so ask your home country's authorities how they will treat the marriage.

Can we use an Ontario marriage licence to get married in another province?

No. The Officiant's Guide states that an Ontario marriage licence is valid only for marriages performed within Ontario. If you are marrying elsewhere in Canada, you need a licence from that province or territory.

Is the paper our officiant gave us our marriage certificate?

No. The officiant can give you a Record of Solemnization of Marriage at the ceremony, but ontario.ca is clear that it is not a marriage certificate. You apply to ServiceOntario for the certificate once the marriage is registered; it is not issued automatically.

Can first cousins get married in Ontario?

Yes. The federal Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act bars marriage only between people related lineally (such as parent and child or grandparent and grandchild) or as brother or sister or half-brother or half-sister, including by adoption. Section 4 says it contains all the relationship-based prohibitions in Canadian law, so cousins are not barred.

Can we have a virtual or proxy wedding in Ontario?

No. The Officiant's Guide says proxy and virtual marriages are not permitted. The two of you, the officiant and two witnesses, five people in all, must be physically present. Other guests can join virtually.

Do I have to change my last name when I get married in Ontario?

No. Taking your spouse's last name is a choice. You can assume it on your health card, driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card at no cost by showing your marriage certificate at ServiceOntario. That does not change the name on your Ontario birth registration; for that you would apply for a legal name change.