2. Get a marriage licence
Question & Answer
How do we get married in Ontario?To get , you usually must apply for a marriage licence from the Ontario government.
Sometimes you can use a banns form or publication of banns instead of a marriage licence. A banns is a publication some Christian churches use to announce the names of couples who plan to marry. You can ask your priest or minister about this. You can't use a banns if you or your partner have been married before.
A marriage licence is not the same thing as a marriage certificate. You can apply for a marriage certificate after you are married. See Step 5 on how to get a marriage certificate.
How to apply for a marriage licence
To apply for a marriage licence, you need to fill out a Marriage Licence Application form with your partner. You must include information about both of you and say when and where you plan to get married. Both of you must sign this form.
Take your completed Marriage Licence Application Form to any city hall, town hall, or municipal office in Ontario. You can apply at your local office, even if you plan to get married in a different city in Ontario.
Also bring 2 pieces of government-issued identification for each of you. One piece of identification must include your photo. For example, you can bring a passport, record of immigrant landing, or driver's licence.
Ask the city, town, or municipality what type of identification they accept. You should also check if you need to make an appointment or if you can go at any time when their office is open. Only one of you needs to go in person but you need to bring original identification for both partners. You must pay a fee. The amount depends on the city, town, or municipality. The fee is about $150. Once you have a marriage licence, you must have the ceremony within 90 days of the date you got the licence.
Applying to remarry after a divorce
If you apply to remarry after a , you need to bring proof of your divorce when you apply for your marriage licence. The proof you need to bring depends on whether you were divorced in Canada or in another country.
If you got divorced in another country, the Ontario government:
- asks for more documents,
- usually needs more time to check if your divorce documents are valid. It can take up to 4 weeks.
