Marriage Licences

To schedule an appointment please contact the City Clerks Office at 905-735-1700 x2154 or email marriage@welland.ca.

A marriage licence application can be obtained from the City Clerks department at City Hall during office hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or at www.ServiceOntario.ca/GettingMarried.

Marriage licences can be obtained from the City Clerks department between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. This process takes approximately 30 minutes to complete if all necessary documentation is present when applying.

The fee for a marriage licence is $130 (including HST) and can be paid by cash, debit, money order, or certified cheque.

Who may marry?

Any person who is at least 18 years of age may marry. Any person 16 or 17 years of age may marry with the written consent of their legal guardians. A consent form is available in the City Clerks department. No person under 16 years of age may marry.

How do I obtain a marriage licence?

A marriage licence application must be completed and signed by the applicant and joint applicant. At least one party to the proposed marriage must apply in person and present two original pieces of identification (ID) for each applicant.

The required ID documents must include an original birth certificate or current passport and one other piece of government-issued photo ID. Only original valid ID in the English language is accepted.

Passports do not always contain the full given name (first and middle names). Please be aware that for the full given name to be recorded on the marriage licence, either a birth certificate or passport containing your full given name must be presented as ID.

What if I was previously married?

Suppose the applicant or joint applicant has been previously married and the marriage was dissolved or annulled in Canada. In that case, you must present the original or a court-certified copy of the final certificate of divorce or certificate annulling the marriage to the issuer of the marriage licence in the City Clerks department.

An original divorce certificate may be obtained and purchased from the court office in the city where the divorce was granted. However, if the marriage was dissolved or annulled outside of Canada, you must obtain authorization from the Ministry of Government Services before a marriage licence will be issued.

What if my former marriage was dissolved or annulled outside of Canada?

The applicant whose former marriage was dissolved or annulled outside of Canada must obtain authorization by submitting the following documents:

1. A completed marriage licence application form signed by both applicants.
2. The original or a court-certified copy of the decree of divorce or annulment (certified by the proper court officer in the jurisdiction the divorce or annulment was granted). If the document is in a language other than English or French, include a translated copy and an affidavit sworn by the translator.
3. A statement of sole responsibility for each divorce signed by both applicants. This form is available in the City Clerks department.
4. A legal opinion of an Ontario lawyer, addressed to both applicants, giving reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in the province of Ontario. A sample legal opinion letter can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar General by calling
   1-807-343-7492 or 1-800-461-2156 toll-free in Ontario. A sample letter will be faxed to your lawyer upon the lawyer’s request.

   These documents are to be submitted to:
   The Office of the Registrar General
   P.O. Box 3000
   189 Red River Road
   Thunder Bay, Ontario
   P7B 5W0