Marriage Certificates
A marriage certificate is the legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage and the names of the people who were married.
You may need this document to:
- Show legal proof that you are married
- Apply for certain social benefits
- Settle an estate
- Change a last name
A record of solemnization of a marriage that was provided to you by your marriage officiant is not the same as a marriage certificate and will not serve the same purpose.
Before getting a marriage certificate, a marriage needs to be registered with the province. The officiant who performed your marriage will do this by sending a complete and signed marriage licence to Service Ontario - you can order a marriage certificate about six to eight weeks after this happens.