Marriage
- (in Ontario)
Marriages
Getting
Married in Ontario Marriage is an important event in a person's
life. If you are getting married in Ontario, you can have
a civil marriage or a religious marriage.
A
civil marriage can be performed by a judge or a justice
of the peace under the authority of a marriage license.
A
religious marriage can be performed by a person who
is recognized by a religious body to perform marriages and
is registered in Ontario to perform marriages under the
Marriage Act. The marriage can be solemnized under the authority
of a marriage license or the publication of banns, depending
on the denomination.
The
Marriage License
Entitlement
You
must be at least 18 years old to be married in Ontario by
license or under the authority of the publication of banns
without authorization or parental consent.
If
you are 16 or 17 years old, you may marry if you have the
consent in writing of both parents. Other restrictions may
apply.
If
you were previously married and/or divorced, please contact
our office for instructions on additional required documents.
The
Registration of the Marriage
After
the marriage the bride and groom may receive a "Record of
Solemnization of Marriage" giving their names, the date
of the marriage, the names of the witnesses and whether
the marriage was performed under the authority of a license
or the publication of banns. This is a souvenir document
and not a legal record.
The
person who performed the marriage must forward documentation
to the Office of the Registrar General for registration.
The
Certificate of Marriage
Allow
approximately 12 weeks from the date of marriage before
applying for your marriage certificate.
Important
Information
The
Office of the Registrar General will not rule on the validity
of a marriage. Please contact a lawyer if you need to determine
if your marriage is legal.
For
more information, please contact:
Office
of the Registrar General
Ministry of Consumer and Business
Services
P.O. Box 4600
3rd Floor
189 Red River Road
Thunder
Bay, Ontario
P7B 6L8
Business
Hours are:
Monday
to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fax
1-807-343-7459
Toll Free: 1-800-461-2156 (If calling within
Ontario)
Or
1-416-325-8305
(From the 416 area code and outside of Ontario)
