Guide
How fast can you get married in Ontario?
In short
Very fast. Ontario's Marriage Act sets no waiting period after the marriage licence is issued: you can marry the same day, as long as it is within the 3 months that follow. What sets the pace is getting the licence (an in-person visit to a municipal office, sometimes weeks away in busy months), a divorce outside Canada (ServiceOntario's review can take up to 4 weeks), an authorized officiant free on your date, and your 2 witnesses.
Written by Sofiane B. · Founder, Celebrance
- Waiting period after the licence
- None
- Licence valid
- 3 months from the day it is issued
- Divorce outside Canada
- Review can take up to 4 weeks
- Who must be there
- You two, 2 witnesses and the officiant
On this page
Is there a waiting period in Ontario?
No. Ontario's Marriage Act says that a marriage under a licence must take place within the three months immediately following the day the licence is issued. It sets no minimum delay, so you can marry the day you get your licence.
The only waiting period is for the publication of banns, an old alternative to the licence: the marriage can't take place before the fifth day after the banns are published, and banns are only for couples who regularly attend a place of worship, when neither of you has a previous marriage that was dissolved or annulled. For most couples, the licence is the faster way.
What sets the pace
1. Getting the licence. You apply online, through ServiceOntario or your municipality, then pick up the licence at a municipal office. At least one of you must go in person, to confirm that the information is true and to pick it up. Some offices take walk-ins, others work by appointment only, and appointments can take weeks in busy months: Guelph, for example, says up to four weeks in spring and summer. Our guide on marriage licence fees by city says, for 18 areas, where to apply and how.
2. Your documents. Each of you brings government ID, such as a birth certificate or a passport. If one of you was divorced in Canada, bring the divorce document. If one of you was divorced outside Canada, the application goes to ServiceOntario first, with a legal opinion letter from an Ontario lawyer, and the province says the review may take up to 4 weeks. That is usually the longest step: start with it.
3. An authorized officiant. Only an authorized officiant can marry you, and they must have your valid licence in hand before the ceremony.
4. Two witnesses. Two people, present at the ceremony, who understand what they are witnessing and sign the licence with you.
A wedding within a week or two: a simple plan
- Day 1. Choose your date and time, and book your officiant. Fill in the licence application online and book your appointment, or check whether your office takes walk-ins. Ask your 2 witnesses.
- Within a few days. Go to the municipal office with your ID and pay the fee: the provincial $75, plus any municipal fee. Our licence planner gives the dates that work for your wedding.
- Before the day. Agree with your officiant on how they get the licence: you hand it over before the ceremony, or bring it with you.
- The day. The ceremony, then the signing: the two of you, your witnesses and your officiant. Your officiant sends the licence for registration within 2 days.
A short ceremony can take only a few minutes: see eloping in Ontario and what must be said at an Ontario wedding.
Booking an officiant at short notice
With Celebrance, the booking calendar shows the days when one of our registered officiants is free, from our minimum notice. The price is all-in and shown before you book, including any short-notice supplement, and an officiant confirms your booking. If they can't make it, we send a replacement at no cost. See our wedding officiants in Ontario.
Sources: ontario.ca: 90m03 · ontario.ca: getting married · forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca: on00459e.pdf · guelph.ca: marriage licences
Frequently asked questions
Can we get married the day we get our licence?
Yes. The Marriage Act sets no waiting period: a marriage under a licence must take place within the three months after it is issued, and nothing stops it from being the same day. You still need an authorized officiant and 2 witnesses.
How long does it take to get a marriage licence?
It depends on the municipality. Some offices take walk-ins once you have filled in the online form, others work by appointment only, and appointments can be weeks away in spring and summer. At least one of you must go in person to pick up the licence.
Are the banns faster than a licence?
No. A marriage under the publication of banns can't take place before the fifth day after the banns are published, and banns are only for couples who regularly attend a place of worship, when neither of you has a previous marriage that was dissolved or annulled.
What if one of us was divorced outside Canada?
Start there. ServiceOntario must review the divorce before a licence is issued, and the province says this may take up to 4 weeks. You will need a legal opinion letter from an Ontario lawyer.
Can we book an officiant at short notice?
Often, yes. With Celebrance, the booking calendar shows the days with an officiant free, from our minimum notice. A short-notice supplement can apply, and you see it in the price before you book.