Get a marriage certificate

Overview

A marriage certificate is a document containing the details of a marriage performed in Ontario including the date and place of the marriage and names of the people who were married.

A record of solemnization of marriage is not the same as a marriage certificate.

You can order a copy or multiple copies online if the marriage is registered in Ontario. 

You can use this certificate to change your name, process a divorce, or as a record of family history.

Before you order a marriage certificate

Your marriage needs to be registered before you can get a marriage certificate. The officiant who performed the marriage will send your completed and signed marriage licence to ServiceOntario so the marriage can be registered.

You can order a marriage certificate at any time following your marriage ceremony, however your application may take up to 8 weeks after your marriage is registered to be processed. 

If you are unsure whether you need a marriage certificate or certified copy of marriage registration, check with the ministry, government agency, or person requesting the document before you order.

You may need this document to:

• show legal proof you are married
• apply for certain social benefits
• settle an estate
• change a last name
• assume a last name after marriage

Who can order a marriage certificate

You can get a marriage certificate if you are:

• one of the people who got married
• children of the married couple
• parents of either person in the marriage
• an authorized representative acting on behalf of any entitled individual (proof of authorization required)

Only the married couple can apply for a certified copy of the marriage registration unless a court order allows another person to apply.    

If you’re ordering a marriage certificate or a certified copy for a person who is deceased, you must be:

• a surviving next of kin (parents of either party, children of the married couple and siblings of either party)
• an authorized representative acting on behalf of any entitled person (proof of authorization required)

If all the next of kin are deceased, an extended next of kin may apply.

Extended next of kin relationships are:

• aunts
• uncles
• first cousins
• grandchildren
• grandparents
• nephews
• nieces

Order a marriage certificate online

To order a marriage certificate, you need:

• the marriage to be registered in Ontario
• first and last names or single names of both parties to the marriage
• dates of birth of both persons who got married
• date of marriage
• name of city, reserve or town where the marriage took place

Order a marriage certificate online

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Check your order status

Note: 

• You can check your application status 1 business day after you submit it.
• If you did not receive a payment receipt, contact ServiceOntario after 1 full business day.
• If you had trouble applying online and did not enter any payment information, it is likely that your application did not go through. You will need to start the application again.

Order a certificate in-person or by mail

Download and complete the Request for Marriage Certificate application.

In-person

Go to one of the following ServiceOntario centres:

Toronto

47 Sheppard Avenue East, unit 417, 4^th Floor                                       
Toronto, ON                                       
M2N 5N1

Ottawa

110 Laurier Avenue West, 1^st Floor                                       
Ottawa, ON                                       
K1P 1J1

Mail

Send your completed application form to:

ServiceOntario
P.O. Box 4600                          
189 Red River Road 
Thunder Bay, ON                                       
P7B 6L8

Delivery

6 to 8 weeks

Payment

Cheque, money order, Visa, Mastercard

Cost and delivery

Payment

• Online: Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard or Debit Mastercard
• In-person at 47 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto: cash, money order, Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, Debit Mastercard and Interac®

Note: personal cheque payments are no longer accepted at our retail locations for any vital events transactions.

Marriage certificate

Certified copy of marriage registration

Search letter

Replace a lost, stolen or damaged marriage certificate

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged marriage certificate you can use the online application to order a replacement marriage certificate.

Change or correct information on a marriage registration or certificate

You can send a request to the Office of the Registrar General for a registration amendment application form to change information on a marriage registration. 

The amended change will be reflected on any marriage certificate or certified copy of the marriage registration you apply for in the future. The marriage must be currently registered in Ontario to make a change.

To request the registration amendment form, you can do it online or by phone. The form will be mailed to you.

How to change your last name after marriage

After getting married, you can choose to:

• legally change your last name by completing the form and submitting to the Office of the Registrar General
• assume your spouse’s last name (surname) or single name without having to change your own name

To assume your spouse’s last name after marriage:

• costs nothing
• takes less time than a legal name change
• leaves your Ontario birth registration and certificate unchanged

You can use your marriage certificate to change all of your identification documents to reflect your new last name.

Learn more about assuming a last name after marriage

Order a marriage search letter or letter of proof

Search letter

You can request a search if you do not know the exact date of marriage.

A search will verify that the marriage took place and has been registered with the province of Ontario.

You will receive a letter in the mail giving you information that matches the criteria within the years you searched. If no registration of a marriage is found, you will still receive a letter stating that no registration was found.

Letter of proof

If you live in Ontario and are planning to get married outside Ontario or Canada, you may need to provide a document proving you are not currently married in Ontario. A letter of proof is a letter verifying whether you have ever been married in Ontario during a specific range of years as per your request. If you are divorced, this letter can be used to prove you did not marry in Ontario since the date of your divorce.

In certain cases, you may need to order a letter of proof that lists any previous marriage you had in the Province of Ontario. You should check with the province, territory, state, or country where you are getting married to determine if this is needed and what years would need to be searched.

To request a search letter or letter of proof

1. Go to the Online Certificate Application.  
2. Select the marriage search letter or letter of proof option within the marriage selection.
3. Indicate the specific year or range of years you would like to search.
4. Enter the required information and complete payment.

Order a marriage search or letter of proof

Note: The online service guarantee for a certificate is not offered for a search and there is no emergency service for a search.

Older events

Older events, such as marriages prior to 1991, may not be immediately available.

When applying for a marriage certificate prior to 1991, it can take up to an extra 6 to 8 weeks for the registration to be made available before processing can be completed.

Check your order status

You can check the status of your online application 1 business day after you submit it.

To check the status online, you need:

• to indicate the type of certificate you requested (birth, death or marriage)
• applicant’s name and telephone number
• name of the subject (the person to be listed on the certificate)
• date of the event
• order or file number, if available

If you are unsure that your online application was successfully submitted, please contact ServiceOntario on the next business day.

Emergency or expedited service

To qualify for an emergency or expedited marriage certificate or search, you must have the marriage registered in Ontario

This service is only available for urgent requests.

If your request is not urgent, you may order a marriage certificate through the online certificate application or submit your application by mail.

Submit an urgent request for a marriage certificate or search

1. Download and complete a Request for marriage certificate application.
2. Complete and submit a Request for certificate services with payment (Download as PDF).
3. Attach the following:
   • your completed Request for marriage certificate application
   • your proof of urgency documents
   • your supporting documents if applicable (for example, court documents)
4. Pay your fees
   • There’s an additional $30 per document.

Note: Do not include credit card information in your application form. Once you have completed your form, you will be directed to a payment page where you can submit your payment information and complete your request. 

Proof of urgency

It may include:

• documentation of a medical emergency
• a letter confirming new employment
• a letter from a consulate or embassy confirming an appointment
• travel reservations including airline tickets, reservations or travel itinerary
• a letter confirming an appointment for an immigration hearing
• a wedding invitation, where the applicant is a party to the marriage
• other situations subject to review

Delivery

Certificates are delivered to you within 5 business days once the marriage is registered.

Payment

Money order, Visa, Mastercard

Note: personal cheque payments are no longer accepted at our retail locations for any vital events transactions, including regular, emergency and expedited services.