How to Obtain a Marriage Licence in Ontario

Felicia Zipete

In order to obtain a marriage licence in Ontario, you must:

  • Fill out a marriage licence application;
  • Bring with you a valid form of identification, and one piece of photo identification for both parties
    • Valid forms of identification include:
      • a birth certificate (and any change of name certificates); or
      • a current passport; or
      • a Record of Immigrant Landing or Canadian Citizenship care
    • Valid forms of photo identification include:
      • a driver’s license; or
      • a health card

Once you have all of the above documents, one party of the marrying couple must apply in person to your local Marriage Licence Issuer.

Getting Remarried in Ontario after a Divorce

  • If previously divorced in Canada, in addition to the documents above, you will need to bring an original or court-certified copy of the final divorce decree when applying for your licence
  • If previously divorced outside of Canada, you need to obtain authorization from the minister of Government Services before you can be issued a marriage licence. For authorization, you will need to send the following:
      • an original or court-certified copy of your divorce decree;
      • a completed marriage licence application;
      • a statement of sole responsibility for each divorce, that must be signed by both parties of the marriage; and
      • a legal opinion from an Ontario lawyer, addressed to both applicants, giving reasons as to why the divorce (or annulment) should be recognized in the Province of Ontario

to: The Office of the Registrar General
Marriage Office
P.O. Box 4600
189 Red River Rd.
Thunder Bay, ON
P7B 6L8

Legal Opinion Letter

Lawyers must opine upon the validity of a foreign divorce in Ontario, so that you may remarry in the province.

In order to be of the opinion that your foreign divorce would be recognized as a valid divorce by the courts of Ontario, you must provide your lawyer with evidence of the following:

  • that either former spouse was ordinarily resident in the jurisdiction that granted the divorce for at least one year immediately preceding the commencement of the proceedings for the divorce;
  • if the divorce was granted after July 1, 1968, that the wife was domiciled in the jurisdiction of the granting court; or,
  • that there existed a “real and substantial connection” between both or either of the former spouses, and the granting jurisdiction at the time of commencement of the divorce proceedings.

If you are considering remarriage, and require a legal opinion drafted, please contact:

Felicia Zipete
(416) 972-9001, Ext. 207
fzipete@heydary.com

Fees

Legal Opinion Letter ($500.00 + GST and Disbursements)