How to Get Married in Canada: Marriage Licence Rules by Province
How to Get Married in Canada
In Canada, each province and territory sets its own marriage rules. Your licence, fees, witness rules, and officiant options depend on where the ceremony happens, not where you live.
A few things are the same everywhere. Under the federal Civil Marriage Act, nobody under 16 can marry, and same-sex couples marry under the same rules as everyone else.
Below is how the four provinces we cover compare, with a link to the full guide for each.
Marriage rules by province
| BC | Alberta | Saskatchewan | Ontario | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licence cost | $100 | $40 government fee plus the registry agent's service fee | $60 | Set by each city (Toronto: $180) |
| Where to get it | A marriage licence issuer | A registry agent office, and you go together | A marriage licence issuer (often a jeweller, insurance broker, or town office) | Your municipal clerk's office |
| Valid for | 3 months | 3 months | 90 days | 3 months |
| Waiting period | None | None | Starts the day after you buy it | None |
| Witnesses | 2, over 19 | 2, 18 or older | 2, 18 or older | 2 |
| Can a friend marry you? | No one-day option | Yes, as a free temporary marriage commissioner | Yes, with a $100 one-day commissioner appointment | No one-day option |
| Full guide | BC guide | See below | Saskatchewan guide | Ontario guide |
the licence has to come from the province where you're getting married
What's the same in all four provinces
- You need a licence from the province where the ceremony happens. An Alberta licence only works in Alberta, and a Saskatchewan wedding needs a Saskatchewan licence.
- You need two witnesses at the ceremony, and they sign along with you and your officiant.
- You need an authorized officiant. Registered religious officiants can marry you in all four. Civil ceremonies are done by marriage commissioners in BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and by judges, justices of the peace, or municipal clerks in Ontario.
- You need proof if you were divorced. All four ask for final divorce papers, like a certificate of divorce, before issuing a licence.
- No blood tests. BC, Alberta, and Ontario also have no residency requirement, and Saskatchewan doesn't list one.
Asking a friend to marry you
Only Alberta and Saskatchewan let a friend become a legal officiant for your wedding.
- Alberta: a friend can apply to be a temporary marriage commissioner for your wedding at no cost. They must be 18 or older and a permanent resident of Canada, they can only perform a civil ceremony, and they can't charge you. Alberta suggests applying about 3 months before the wedding.
- Saskatchewan: a friend can get a term (one day) marriage commissioner appointment for $100. They must be 18 or older, a permanent resident of Saskatchewan, and have a clean criminal record check and three references. Processing takes four to six weeks. Full details here.
- BC and Ontario: there's no one-day option. Your friend can lead the ceremony while a registered officiant or marriage commissioner handles the legal part. In Toronto, Other Half Weddings offers exactly this setup.
Getting married in Alberta
We don't have a full Alberta guide yet, so here are the basics from the Government of Alberta:
- Licence: from a registry agent office. You both go and apply together, and it's issued while you wait. The government fee is $40, and each registry agent adds its own service fee.
- Timing: valid for 3 months, with no waiting period. The ceremony has to take place in Alberta.
- Age: 18 or older, or under 18 with consent from all parents and legal guardians. Nobody under 16 can marry.
- Divorced: bring your final divorce document, such as a Certificate of Divorce or Decree Absolute. A widowed person doesn't need a death certificate.
- Banns aren't accepted in place of a licence.
- Witnesses: two, both 18 or older, physically at the ceremony.
- After the ceremony: your officiant sends the Registration of Marriage to Vital Statistics within 48 hours. You order your marriage certificate from a registry agent.
- Last name: you can keep your name, take your spouse's, or join both. You don't need a legal name change, but your birth certificate won't change.
Planning in Alberta? See what Alberta wedding photographers charge, browse Alberta wedding venues, or read our guide to Lethbridge and southern Alberta venues.
Getting married somewhere else in Canada
Every other province and territory has its own vital statistics office that issues marriage licences and sets the rules. Check that government's website for the licence cost, waiting period, and witness rules before you book anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need a Canadian marriage licence? There's no national licence. You need a licence from the province or territory where your ceremony takes place.
Can non-residents get married in Canada? Yes. BC, Alberta, and Ontario have no residency or citizenship requirement, and Saskatchewan doesn't list one.
Which province is cheapest to get married in? Of the four we cover, Alberta has the lowest government licence fee ($40, plus a registry service fee), then Saskatchewan ($60), BC ($100), and Ontario, where Toronto charges $180.
Can we get married the same day we get the licence? In BC, Alberta, and Ontario, yes. In Saskatchewan, the licence starts the day after you buy it.
How many witnesses do we need? Two in all four provinces. BC requires them to be over 19. Alberta and Saskatchewan require 18 or older.
Can a friend legally marry us? In Alberta and Saskatchewan, yes, through a temporary or one-day commissioner appointment. In BC and Ontario, a friend can lead the ceremony but a registered officiant has to perform the legal part.
Sources
Checked in September 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the province before you book:
- Marriage licences (Province of BC)
- Get a marriage licence (Government of Alberta)
- Getting married (Government of Alberta)
- Temporary marriage commissioner (Government of Alberta)
- Marriage Licences (Government of Saskatchewan)
- Becoming a Marriage Commissioner (Government of Saskatchewan)
- Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario (Office of the Registrar General)
- Applying for a marriage licence (City of Toronto)
