A marriage certificate is a legal document showing proof of marriage in Ontario. You can use this certificate to change your name, process a divorce or as a record of family history.
Apply for a marriage certificate
Visit ServiceOntario to learn:
- How to apply for a marriage certificate
- Cost and delivery
- How to replace a lost, stolen or damaged certificate
- How to check your order status
Before you can get a marriage certificate, your marriage needs to be registered. 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 about six to eight weeks after this happens.
Record of Marriage
A Record of Marriage is given to a couple after their ceremony and is the only proof of marriage until the union is officially registered by the Province of Ontario. This takes place after the officiant sends the completed marriage licence to the Office of the Registrar General. The marriage is registered once the licence is received and processed.
Name change
Following a marriage, either spouse can choose to:
- Keep their current last name
- Assume the use of their spouse's last name
- Legally change their last name
Keeping your current last name |
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You do not have to take any action if you choose to keep your last name. Ontario law does not require a spouse to change their last name upon marriage. |
Assume the use of your spouse's last name |
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Either spouse may choose to take the other's last name and use it alone, or hyphenate their name. Most government organizations, credit card firms and other agencies will accept a copy of your Record of Marriage or marriage certificate as proof of marriage. If accepted, they will then issue revised ID. It is not against the law to simply use another name, provided it is not for fraudulent purposes. |
Legally change your last name |
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When legally changing your last name after marriage, your original birth registration is changed to reflect the new name, keeping the last name at birth in brackets. Under the Change of Name Act, either spouse may complete the appropriate forms and submit them to the Office of the Registrar General. If you were born in Ontario, you will be issued a birth certificate in the new name and a change of name certificate. Learn more about changing your last name in Ontario, including fees, relevant documents and how to change it back to your former name, if you wish, later on. |
Birth and death certificates
A birth certificate is required to apply for other forms of ID, such as a health card or social insurance number.
Learn how to:
- Register a birth (new baby) with the Province of Ontario
- Get or replace an Ontario birth certificate
A death certificate is required to:
- Settle estates
- Access insurance benefits
- Access or terminate other government services (i.e., health card, pension, voter registration)
- Conduct genealogy searches
Learn how to get a government-authorized copy of an Ontario death certificate. Funeral homes can issue a statement of death only.