How to get a marriage licence in Ontario (and what happens to it after the ceremony)

Getting legally married in Ontario is simpler than most couples expect. There are three pieces: the licence you obtain before the day, the ceremony performed by a registered officiant, and the registration your officiant files afterwards. Here is how each works.

1. Apply for the marriage licence

You apply at any Ontario municipal office (city hall or a service centre), not necessarily the city where you will marry. In Hamilton, that is the City Hall Citizen Service Centre on Main Street West. Most municipalities let you start the application online and finish it in person.

Bring for each partner:

• Two pieces of government-issued identification, at least one with a photo (passport, driver's licence, birth certificate, permanent resident card).
• Proof that any previous marriage has ended: a Certificate of Divorce or Decree Absolute, or a death certificate. Divorces granted outside Canada need an extra authorization from the Registrar General, which can take several weeks, so start early.

Both partners usually attend, though many municipalities allow one partner to apply with the other's signed application and ID.

Cost: fees are set by each municipality and are typically in the range of $150 to $180. Hamilton's current fee is listed on the City's website.

Timing: the licence is issued the same day and is valid for 90 days. There is no waiting period, so you can apply the week of your wedding if you need to, but leave yourself margin for missing documents.

2. Who can perform the ceremony

Your ceremony must be performed by someone registered with the Province to solemnize marriages: a judge, a justice of the peace, a municipal clerk, or a religious or civil officiant on the provincial registry. I am registered with the Office of the Registrar General, which is what lets me sign your licence and make the marriage legal.

You also need two witnesses, each old enough to understand what they are witnessing. They do not need to be Canadian residents.

3. What happens on the day

Bring the licence with you. After the vows, the two of you, both witnesses, and I sign the licence and the Record of Solemnization of Marriage. You keep the Record, a keepsake document that confirms the ceremony took place. It is not the legal certificate.

4. Registration and your marriage certificate

Within two days I mail the signed licence to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay. They register the marriage, which typically takes six to twelve weeks.

Once registered, you can order your marriage certificate online through ServiceOntario. This is the document you will need for name changes, immigration, insurance, and government benefits. Order the long form if you may need it for immigration.

Common questions

We are eloping. Do we still need a licence? Yes. The process is identical whether there are two guests or two hundred.

Can we get married the same day we get the licence? Yes, as long as your officiant is available and you have two witnesses.

One of us is not a Canadian citizen. Does that matter? No. Ontario does not require residency or citizenship to marry here. Bring a passport as ID.

What if the licence expires? You apply again and pay the fee again. Set a reminder for the 90-day mark.

If any of this raises a question about your own situation, mention it during our consultation and I will walk you through it.