To make it legal you'll need a valid Ontario marriage licence before your marriage ceremony. You can purchase your marriage licence from the City of Oshawa or from any other municipal office in Ontario.
Effective January 14, the City of Oshawa will enter a stay-at-home order in addition to the already in effect province-wide shutdown as a result:
• Civil marriage ceremony bookings and the ability to issue marriage licences are suspended until further notice.
• Visit COVID-19 Information & Updates for information about what's open, closed and changes to City services.
Please note: the Province of Ontario has extended the expiry date for most marriage licences issued between December 1, 2019 and July 24, 2020. These licences are still valid and can be used until July 24, 2022. More information from the Province of Ontario on marriage licences impacted by COVID-19.
A marriage licence is valid for 3 months from the date of issue and can be used anywhere in Ontario.
You need to be at least 16 years old to get married in Ontario. If you are between 16 and 18 years old, you will need written consent from both your parents. You can get consent forms where you get a marriage licence.
The fee for a marriage licence is $125 (non-refundable), payable by cash, debit, cheque, MasterCard, Visa or American Express.
Applying for a marriage licence |
To apply for a marriage licence you will need to:
Both parties do not have to be present to apply, if:
Interpreter:
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Identification requirements |
Each person applying for the marriage licence must provide 2 pieces of government-issued identification:
Examples of government-issued identification:
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Remarry after a divorce |
Divorced in Canada: You must submit official proof of the divorce when you apply for a marriage licence. This can be the original or a court-certified copy of a:
A certified copy of any of the above divorce documents may be obtained from the court office that granted the divorce. All documents will be returned. If you do not know where your divorce was granted you can contact the Central Registry of Divorce Proceedings at 1-613-957-4519. Divorced Outside Canada: If you were divorced outside of Canada, you will need to provide certain documents to prove that you are no longer married. The government needs to validate these documents. This process can take up to 4 weeks. You will need to send the following documents to Service Ontario:
Please mail these documents directly to: Service Ontario You can also contact their office for a sample legal opinion letter. For more information, contact Service Ontario, Marriage Office at 1-800-461-2156. |
Publication of Banns |
The publication of banns is an announcement of the details of your intent to marry in your church, mosque or synagogue.
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Assuming your married name after marriage |
After you get married you can decide if you would like to assume your married name. Legally in Ontario you do not have to assume your married name (surname). If you wish to assume your married name, the legal document you must provide is your Marriage Certificate. You would assume your married name in all aspects of your life. You have to update your identification, financial institutions, and your employer. You assume your name with everything except your birth certificate - this always stay in your maiden name. If you have any other questions about assuming your married name please contact Service Ontario. |
More marriage licence information from Service Ontario.