How to Get Married in Alberta: Marriage Licence, Requirements and Officiants
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How to Get Married in Alberta
To get legally married in Alberta, you need a marriage licence from a registry agent, ID for both of you, two adult witnesses, and an authorized officiant. This guide covers each step, plus the free temporary commissioner appointment that lets a friend perform your ceremony.
What you legally need
- An Alberta marriage licence from a registry agent office ($40 government fee plus the office's service fee)
- Acceptable ID for both of you
- Two witnesses who are at least 18
- An authorized officiant: clergy or a marriage commissioner
- A ceremony in Alberta where you, your witnesses, and the officiant all sign the Registration of Marriage
you both go to the registry agent together
Step 1: Get your marriage licence
- Where: any Alberta registry agent office. You both go together, and the licence is issued while you wait.
- Cost: a $40 government fee, plus a service fee that each registry agent sets for itself.
- Valid for 3 months from the day it's issued.
- No waiting period. You can get married the same day.
- It only works in Alberta. The ceremony has to take place in the province.
- No residency, citizenship, or blood test requirements.
At the office, you'll swear or affirm an affidavit and give your personal details, including your parents' full names and birthplaces (with a parent's maiden name). The registry agent gives you a two-part document: the Registration of Marriage on top and the marriage licence underneath. Keep it flat and in good condition, because it's the legal record that gets archived.
tip: Check every name and date on the licence before you leave the office. A registry agent can fix errors before the wedding. After the ceremony, a mistake needs a formal amendment.
Step 2: Bring the right ID
Both of you need acceptable ID under Alberta's registry rules. If one of you doesn't have it, that person may be able to use a birth certificate or immigration document instead, as long as the other person has acceptable ID. Ask the registry agent what they'll take before you go.
If either of you has been married before:
- Divorced: bring the final divorce document, such as a Certificate of Divorce or Decree Absolute. A document saying the marriage will be dissolved after a set time isn't accepted. Divorce papers that aren't in English need a translation.
- Widowed: you don't need a death certificate.
- Annulled: bring the court-ordered annulment. Religious or tribunal annulments aren't accepted.
Step 3: Check the legal requirements
- Age. Both of you must be 18 or older. Under 18, you need consent from all your parents and legal guardians. Nobody under 16 can marry in Alberta.
- Witnesses. You need two witnesses, both 18 or older, physically at the ceremony with you and the officiant. Nobody can take part by video.
- Language. You and your witnesses need to understand the language of the ceremony and the English forms you sign. If not, you need to bring an interpreter.
- No alcohol or drugs. Nobody in the wedding party can be under the influence, including when you pick up the licence.
- Banns from a church aren't accepted in place of a licence.
note: Symbolic ceremonies without a licence aren't legal marriages in Alberta and can't be registered.
Step 4: Choose who marries you
Alberta has two kinds of officiants, and both are equally legal:
- Clergy registered with Vital Statistics perform religious ceremonies. To find one, contact your church or religious organization.
- Marriage commissioners perform civil ceremonies. The province publishes a list of commissioners, and registry agents can give you names too. Ask each commissioner about their fee, since costs vary.
In a civil ceremony, each of you has to say two legal statements in front of your partner, both witnesses, and the commissioner. One declares that you know of no lawful reason you can't marry. The other asks the people present to witness that you take your partner as your lawful spouse.
Browse Calgary officiants, Edmonton officiants, or Banff officiants.
Want a friend to marry you?
In Alberta, a friend or family member can apply to be a temporary marriage commissioner for your wedding, and it's free. They must:
- Be 18 or older and a permanent resident of Canada
- Have a relationship or connection with the two of you
- Perform a civil ceremony only, with no religious elements
- Not charge you anything
A temporary commissioner can perform up to 3 civil ceremonies a year. Apply once your date is confirmed, ideally 3 months before the wedding. Applications are processed in order of wedding date, and the appointment certificate is emailed about 2 weeks before the ceremony. The appointment only covers that one date, so if your wedding moves, your friend has to apply again.
Photos: Megan Posein Photography, wedding and elopement photographers based in Jasper National Park.
tip: Getting married inside Banff or Jasper National Park? Ask Parks Canada whether your ceremony spot needs a permit before you book it.
What the legal side costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage licence | $40 plus service fee | Each registry agent sets its own service fee |
| Marriage commissioner | Set by the commissioner | Ask about travel too |
| Temporary commissioner (a friend) | Free | Apply about 3 months ahead |
| Marriage certificate | Registry agent fee | Ordered after the wedding |
tip: For the rest of your budget, see what Alberta wedding photographers charge and our Canadian wedding budget breakdown.
Step 5: After the ceremony
At the end of the ceremony, your officiant gives you a Civil or Religious Marriage Ceremony Statement. Within 48 hours, they send the Registration of Marriage to Vital Statistics, and that becomes the permanent record of your marriage.
You then order your marriage certificate from a registry agent office, or through Registry Connect depending on where you live. You'll need it to update your ID.
Changing your last name
In Alberta you don't need a legal name change to use a married name. You can keep your name, take your spouse's, or join both, with or without a hyphen. Update your ID and accounts using your marriage certificate. Your birth certificate won't change.
Alberta tips from the planning side
- Asking a friend to officiate? Have them apply about 3 months out. It's free, but it's processed by wedding date.
- Mountain wedding? Banff, Canmore, and Jasper photographers book up early for summer and larch season. Browse Banff, Canmore, and Jasper photographers.
- Near Calgary? The Prairie Shanty at Four Sisters Farm sits on 80 acres of prairie about 30 minutes east of Calgary, with ceremonies on a deck over the Fountain Pond or at their Tree Church.
Still looking? Browse Calgary venues, Edmonton venues, the Alberta venues guide, or our round-up of Lethbridge and southern Alberta venues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a marriage licence in Alberta? The government fee is $40, and each registry agent adds its own service fee.
Where do I get a marriage licence in Alberta? At any Alberta registry agent office. You both need to go together, and it's issued while you wait.
How long is an Alberta marriage licence valid? Three months from the day it's issued, and there's no waiting period.
Can a friend marry us in Alberta? Yes. They can apply for a free temporary marriage commissioner appointment if they're 18 or older, a permanent resident of Canada, and know you. It's for a civil ceremony only, and they should apply about 3 months ahead.
How many witnesses do we need? Two, both at least 18, and they have to be at the ceremony in person.
Do we need to live in Alberta to get married here? No. There are no residency or citizenship requirements, but the ceremony has to take place in Alberta.
Getting married in another province? Compare every province in how to get married in Canada, or see the full guides for BC, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
Sources
This guide is based on the Government of Alberta's marriage pages, checked in September 2026. Fees and processing times change, so check before you book:
- Get a marriage licence (Government of Alberta)
- Getting married (Government of Alberta)
- Temporary marriage commissioner (Government of Alberta)
- Order a marriage certificate (Government of Alberta)
