Marriage

Marriage Licence Requirements

Couples should begin by referring to the ServiceOntario webpage "Getting Married" at www.ServiceOntario.ca/GettingMarried. The webpage contains a current list of religious officials authorized to perform legal marriages in Ontario (alphabetically and by municipality) as well as other helpful information.

The application forms for marriage licences can be obtained in the Municipal Clerk's Department or online at the link above.

A complete marriage licence application can be submitted and processed between 8:30am and 4:00pm and MUST include:

1.  The completed application form must have the signature of each applicant.
2.  We are required to examine two (2) pieces of acceptable identification (see list below), identification must be valid and original, the name on both pieces of your ID must be the same (the first name and the last names must match on the two pieces of ID you are  presenting) to have your middle name included on your marriage licence it must also appear on both pieces of ID, if your ID is not in English, a written translation from a certified translator is required.
   
   Acceptable VALID and ORIGINAL identification:
      Birth Certificate
      Passport
      Drivers Licence
      Ontario Photo Card
      Canadian Citizenship Card
      Conditional Release Identification Card
      Canadian Government Refugee Travel Document
      United States Green Card
      Native Status Card
      Record of Immigration Landing
      Permanent Residency Card
      Citizenship Card from any Country
      Identity Card from any Country
      Nexus Card
      Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC)
      Possession & Acquisition Licence (PAL)
   
   NOT accepted as identification:
      Ontario Health Card
      Social Insurance Number (SIN) Card

3. IF YOU HAVE HAD A DIVORCE we are required to examine and record the court file number of the original or court-certified copy of the Decree Absolute or Certificate of Divorce. A divorce judgment will not be accepted.

To learn more please visit the Government of Ontario's webpage at https://www.ontario.ca/page/getting-married#section-6 

Any divorce granted outside of Canada requires special authorization from the Province BEFORE the marriage licence application can be processed by the municipal licensing officer. If the divorce was granted outside Canada, please consult the Clerk's department for further details. Download the required Statement of Sole Responsibility Froms

4.  If either applicant is 16 or 17 years old parent consent is required.

Persons under 16 years are not permitted to marry.

One of the applicants can obtain this licence if they can present two pieces of identification for the other applicant (as described above) including one piece of photo identification.

Marriage Certificates

Marriage Certificates are only issued by the Government of Ontario and must be complete and submitted directly to their offices. Download the Ontario Marriage Certificate Application Form

For your convenience, you may apply for Marriage Certificates on-line and track the progress of the application through the link below:

Online Marriage Certificate application 
Online Tracking site

Marriage Solemnization

Civil marriage solemnization services for the Municipality of Port Hope are provided by Sandra Bell-Buttars.

If you are interested in using this service, please contact Ms. Bell-Buttars at 905.885.4009 Ext. 2450, leave a message with your contact information and she will return your call at the earliest opportunity or you can email her at marriage@porthope.ca