How to Get Married in Ontario: Marriage Licence, Requirements and Officiants
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How to Get Married in Ontario
To get legally married in Ontario, you need a marriage licence, two pieces of ID each, two witnesses, and an authorized officiant. This guide covers each step, using Toronto's fees and rules as the example.
What you legally need
- A marriage licence from a municipal office, or banns published by your place of worship
- Two pieces of government ID for each of you
- Two witnesses at the ceremony
- An authorized officiant
- Signatures from the two of you, both witnesses, and the officiant right after the ceremony
pick up the licence within 3 months of your date
Step 1: Get your marriage licence
You need the marriage licence before the wedding. The marriage certificate is a separate document you order afterward as legal proof of your marriage.
- Your city or town issues it, and sets the fee. Toronto charges $180. Other municipalities charge their own rate, so check your local clerk's office.
- It's good for 3 months from the day it's issued, anywhere in Ontario. Toronto recommends applying within 90 days of your date.
- You don't need to live in Ontario. There are no residency, citizenship, blood test, or medical requirements.
Most offices have you fill in the application online first, print it, and sign it in ink. Then you book an in-person appointment to pick up the licence. In Toronto, only one of you has to go to that appointment, as long as you bring the application signed by both of you and ID for both of you.
tip: Getting married in cottage country or a smaller town? Some township offices only issue licences on certain days or by appointment. Call ahead, or sort your licence in the city before you head up.
Step 2: Bring the right ID
Toronto asks for two pieces of original, government-issued ID for each of you, so four pieces in total. Common ones are a birth certificate, passport, driver's licence, or permanent resident card. Other municipalities follow similar rules, so check before your appointment.
- Your first and last names need to match on both pieces.
- Photocopies, photos on your phone, and expired ID aren't accepted.
- Health cards and SIN cards don't count.
If either of you has been married before, bring proof the marriage legally ended:
- Divorced in Canada: the original or a court-certified copy of your certificate of divorce or final decree. Toronto won't accept a divorce order or judgment on its own, so get the certificate from the court that granted the divorce.
- Divorced outside Canada: you need approval from the province before any office can issue your licence. That means sending ServiceOntario your signed application, a statement of sole responsibility, a certified copy of the divorce, and a legal opinion letter from an Ontario lawyer. Start months ahead, since no office can issue your licence until the approval comes back.
Step 3: Check the legal requirements
- Age. You can marry at 18 or older. At 16 or 17 you need written consent from your parents or guardians. Nobody under 16 can marry in Ontario.
- Witnesses. You need two witnesses physically there at the ceremony. They sign the licence with you and your officiant straight after. Toronto requires civil wedding witnesses to be at least 16, and other officiants may have their own rules, so ask yours.
note: Eloping? You still need two witnesses. Your photographer and planner can sign, and some city halls will provide a witness for a small fee.
Step 4: Choose who marries you
Only these people can legally marry you in Ontario:
- A person registered under the Marriage Act to perform religious marriages
- A person registered to perform marriages in the traditions of a First Nation, Métis or Inuit community or organization
- A judge or justice of the peace
- A municipal clerk or their delegate, for civil ceremonies
- An authorized Member of Provincial Parliament
Plenty of independent officiants in Ontario are registered through a religious or non-denominational organization, which is how they can legally perform your ceremony. The province keeps a public list of registered officiants, so check your officiant's name before you book.
Want a friend to lead the ceremony? Ontario doesn't issue one-day licences. The usual workaround is for your friend to lead the ceremony while a registered officiant handles the legal part.
Independent officiants
Most couples getting married at a venue book an independent officiant. Kelsey Dann of Other Half Weddings is an inclusive Toronto officiant who writes custom ceremonies instead of using a script. Her packages range from a straightforward legal signing to a full ceremony with readings and rituals. She'll also handle the legal side and coach a friend or family member who leads the ceremony, which is the friend-officiant setup described above.
Browse all Ontario wedding officiants, or look closer to home with officiants in Toronto and officiants in Ottawa.
City civil ceremonies
Some cities perform civil weddings themselves. Toronto runs a civil wedding program with 30-minute ceremonies and a City officiant:
- North York Civic Centre, Thursdays and Fridays: $441.95 including HST
- North York Civic Centre, select Saturdays: $481.50 including HST
- Old City Hall, select Thursdays: $441.95 including HST, up to 25 people. Old City Hall dates book out months ahead, so reserve early.
Toronto can also provide a witness for $30.40 each if you need one. Other cities run their own programs, so check with your local clerk's office.
Marrying in your place of worship: banns
If you both regularly attend a place of worship, you may be able to marry by publication of banns instead of buying a licence. Your intention to marry is announced at services before the wedding. Banns aren't an option if either of you has been married before. Your religious officiant can tell you whether it works for you.
What the legal side costs
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage licence | $180 in Toronto | Each municipality sets its own fee |
| Toronto civil wedding | $441.95 to $481.50 | Includes HST and a City officiant |
| Independent officiant | Varies | Ask whether travel is included |
| Marriage certificate | ServiceOntario fee | Ordered after your marriage is registered |
tip: For the rest of your budget, our Canadian wedding budget breakdown shows where the rest of the money usually goes.
Step 5: After the ceremony
Right after the vows, your officiant fills in their part of the licence, and you and your witnesses sign it. They'll give you a Record of Solemnization of Marriage for your records, then send the licence to the province to be registered.
You order your marriage certificate from ServiceOntario. It isn't mailed to you automatically, and ordering online is fastest. Toronto suggests ordering about 10 to 12 weeks after the wedding, once the marriage has been registered.
Changing your last name
You don't have to change anything. If you do want your spouse's last name, you can simply start using it and update your ID and accounts with your marriage certificate. That doesn't change the name on your Ontario birth certificate. If you want that changed too, you'll need a legal name change through ServiceOntario.
Ontario tips from the planning side
- Divorced outside Canada? Apply for the provincial approval before you pay a venue deposit. It's the slowest step.
- Book your officiant once the venue is set. Summer and fall Saturdays in Niagara, Muskoka, and Prince Edward County fill up. Our guide on what order to book your wedding vendors shows where it fits.
- Cottage or backyard wedding? Someone needs to keep the licence, witnesses, and timeline in one place, and a coordinator can do it. See how to choose a wedding coordinator in Ontario.
With the paperwork sorted, browse Ontario wedding venues and photographers, check what photography costs in our Ontario photographer pricing guide, or try the vendor matchmaker to find vendors for your date and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a marriage licence cost in Ontario? Each municipality sets its own fee. Toronto charges $180. Check with your local clerk's office for your city's price.
How long is an Ontario marriage licence valid? Three months from the day it's issued, and you can use it anywhere in Ontario.
Do we need to live in Ontario to get married here? No. There's no residency or citizenship requirement, so visitors can marry in Ontario too.
How many witnesses do we need? Two, and they need to be at the ceremony in person. They sign the licence right after.
What ID do we need for an Ontario marriage licence? Toronto asks for two pieces of original government-issued ID each, like a birth certificate, passport, or driver's licence. Health cards and SIN cards aren't accepted.
Can a friend marry us in Ontario? Not on their own. Ontario has no one-day licence. Your friend can lead the ceremony while a registered officiant, judge, justice of the peace, or municipal clerk handles the legal part.
When can we order our marriage certificate? After your officiant sends in the licence and the marriage is registered. Toronto suggests ordering from ServiceOntario about 10 to 12 weeks after the wedding.
Getting married in BC instead? The rules are different there. See how to get married in BC. Saskatchewan has its own rules too, including one-day appointments that let a friend marry you: see how to get married in Saskatchewan.
Sources
This guide is based on the Office of the Registrar General's Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario (June 2026) and the City of Toronto's marriage pages, checked in September 2026. Fees change, so confirm with your municipality and ServiceOntario before you book:
- Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario (Office of the Registrar General)
- Getting married (Government of Ontario)
- Preparing to get married (City of Toronto)
- Applying for a marriage licence (City of Toronto)
- Civil weddings (City of Toronto)
- Obtaining a marriage certificate (City of Toronto)
