I'm Married! Now what?
I get asked this question quite often. How soon can I get my marriage licence? When can I change my name?
Your Officiant mails your wedding licence away to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay. From there the process takes about 8 weeks and up to 12 weeks in the heart of the wedding season.
Some couples may think the marriage certificates are sent out automatically, but they have to order one. The website to order is:
The cost is $15.
The above link is the ONLY official source for marriage certificates.
*Once you get to the service Ontario website you have to go through about 12 webpages! Keep clicking next on the bottom right of the screen.
Note: There is a scam going on where if you type “Ontario marriage certificate” into google the top link is not the official site. If they ordered through that page then they will have been charged $67 and there is no guarantee they will get anything.
You can follow up on the status of the request by calling
1-800-461-2156 or filling out status inquiry form at:
From there they will be told what the status of the request is.
Sometimes there’s a delay because the Registrar General is backed up, other times due to a missing signature on the marriage licence and it has to be sent back to you or the City Clerk who issued it for correction, etc. This does not mean that they are not married (they are legally married because, a registered officiant, solemnized the marriage), but they can’t legally prove until the marriage certificate has been issued.
Marriage certificates are used for name changes (driver’s license, health card, bank accounts, property documents, etc.). If they are changing their name on owned properties, they will likely need the long form certificate.
*** Please note that the day after your wedding you can go online and submit your request. It will sit in the Queue until the Licence is processed.
Change your Name
Types of name changes- Assume
Assuming a spouse’s name after marriage does not change the name on your birth certificate. However, you can assume your spouse’s name on government documents such as:
You can start here or read on....
health card
driver’s licence
Ontario Photo Card
enhanced driver’s licence
There is no cost to assume a name on the above documents.
Elect (legally change your last name)
You can legally change your name after marriage, or if you are in a common law/conjugal relationship. If you were born in Ontario, legally changing your name will change your name on your Ontario birth certificate.
When you legally change your name, you get a certificate of name change and a new birth certificate (if you were born in Ontario). Use these documents to update other forms of government-issued identification (e.g., driver’s licence).
Legally change your last name
You can legally change your last name if you:
were born in Ontario
are married or in a common law/conjugal relationship and would like to change your name on your birth certificate
To legally change your last name, you may:
call 1-800-461-2156 for all of North America (
or, send a written request to have the application mailed to: Office of the Registrar General P.O. Box 3000 189 Red River Rd, 3rd Floor Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5WO
Submit by mail
Mail your completed forms, payment and required documents to:
Office of the Registrar General P.O. Box 3000 189 Red River Rd, 3rd Floor Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5W0
Cost
Free - if you legally change your name within 90 days of the date of marriage, or of filing a joint declaration of conjugal relationship.
$25 - if you change your name after 90 days following marriage, or of filing a joint declaration of conjugal relationship.
Download the marriage certificate application
Delivery time
If your application is complete and accurate, a certificate of name change will be mailed in 6 to 8 weeks along with your new birth certificate (if you were born in Ontario).
Once you have this document, update other forms of government-issued identification. (e.g., driver’s licence, health card, Ontario Photo Card).