Forms you need before you marry
Information in this section is taken from ServiceOntario - the only government-authorized source for Ontario marriage certificates.
Please check the Ontario government website Getting Married
to see if it is current at the time of your planned wedding.
Before you get married, you need either: a marriage licence, or a banns form that you get from a church when you publicly announce
your commitment during a divine service (a church publishes this declaration, called "the publication of banns").
Banns cannot be published if you or your spouse have been married before, so in that case you will need to get a marriage licence. You and your spouse, two witnesses and the person who performed the marriage will need to sign the licence or banns immediately after the ceremony.
To get a marriage licence, you will need to download the
Marriage Licence Application form (PDF)
and bring it to a Municipal office with two pieces of government-issued identification for each person getting married. One piece of identification must include your photo.
Examples of government-issued identification: government-issued birth certificate, including any change of name certificates; valid passport; record of immigrant landing; Canadian Citizenship Card; valid driver's licence or valid Ontario Photo Card.) You will pay a fee to the municipality (fees vary and depend on the municipality). Check with the municipality to ensure you have all of the information required to purchase a marriage licence.
A marriage licence is valid for 90 days from the date it was issued.
Forms you need after you marry:
a. Marriage Certificate
A Marriage Certificate is the legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married. You need this document to: show legal proof you are married; apply for certain social benefits; settle an estate; change a last name. Before you can get a marriage certificate, a marriage needs to be registered. The official who performed the marriage will do this by sending a complete and signed marriage licence to ServiceOntario. A Record of Solemnization of Marriage is not the same thing as a marriage certificate.
Order a
marriage certificate online
b. Change a name after marriage
When you get married, you don't have to legally change your last name (surname). But if you choose to legally change your last name,
you can do so through ServiceOntario.
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