Marriage and Weddings
Please note: We are currently fully booked for Civil Marriage Ceremonies until November 15, 2024. Please refer to the Marriage Ceremonies section of this page for information on how to secure a booking.
Your marriage licence will expire three months from the date of issue. The licence is non-refundable.
If you wish to hold your Civil Marriage Ceremony at the City of Richmond Hill municipal offices, please see the below details on marriage ceremonies and schedule your appointment prior to applying for your marriage licence.
Applicants can visit Access Richmond Hill in-person from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to purchase a marriage licence. Our municipal offices are located at 225 East Beaver Creek Road in Richmond Hill.
Obtain a Marriage Licence
Online Marriage Licence Application Form
Once you have completed the form, you must:
- Print the completed application form submitted on-line
- Sign the application (both applicants with original signatures)
- Show two pieces of original government-issued identification for both applicants. Photocopies are not accepted.
We accept:
- Birth Certificate
- Current Passport
- Record of Immigrant Landing
- Driver's Licence
- Canadian Citizenship Card
- Permanent Resident's Card
- Change of Name Certificate
Effective January 2024 the licence fee is $170.00 and can be paid by money order (payable to the City of Richmond Hill), Cash, Debit Card, Visa or MasterCard. Cheques are not accepted for marriage licence payments.
Divorce (if applicable)
- Provide an original or court-certified copy of the Certificate of Divorce.
- Divorce Orders are not accepted. You can purchase a Certificate of Divorce from the court that granted the divorce.
Divorce Outside of Canada (if applicable)
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If your divorce was granted outside of Canada, you must apply for foreign divorce authorization through Service Ontario. Application instructions and detailed information can be found at the Ontario Government's website, ontario.ca
Marriage Ceremonies
Under the Marriage Act, Municipal Clerks are able to perform marriage ceremonies. This means that you can have a convenient and affordable wedding ceremony at Richmond Hill's Municipal Offices located at:
225 East Beaver Creek Road
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4
Marriage ceremonies are performed only on Fridays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The main Municipal Offices are closed on statutory holidays.
Age Requirements |
Both parties participating in the wedding ceremony must be at least 18 years old to get married in Ontario. Written consent from both parents is needed for those who are 16 or 17 years old. Consent forms are available at all municipal offices within the province. |
Ceremony |
Ceremonies are performed by Office of the Clerk staff by appointment only. We perform simple, non-denominational ceremonies that take about 15 minutes. The ceremonies are performed only on Fridays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The maximum number of guests allowed to attend ceremonies is 20. Ceremonies are performed in English. You must arrange for an interpreter if you need one.
ExceptionsOffice of the Clerk staff will not perform ceremonies if:
|
Informal, Religious or Symbolic Ceremonies |
The Marriage Act contains subsection 31, “Marriages solemnized in Good Faith”. This means the City can’t issue a marriage licence or perform a marriage ceremony after another ceremony has taken place. This includes an informal, spiritual, or symbolic ceremony, e.g. destination wedding, or a ceremony performed by an unregistered officiant. (This is not applicable to previous marriages that have ended through divorce/annulment/death.) Couples will need to get legal advice from a family lawyer. The family lawyer can assist with getting the marriage ceremony you already had validated through the courts. |
Booking |
We require two dates to be confirmed in order to secure a ceremony date: a civil ceremony date and a pre-wedding meeting.
BookingTo book your ceremony and pre-wedding meeting please email marriage@richmondhill.ca and include the following information: • preferred date and times for both the civil ceremony and pre-wedding appointment, • the first and last name of both parties to the intended marriage, • and a phone number for each person.
Please note, if either party has been previously divorced, an original divorce certificate is required to obtain a marriage licence, divorce orders are not accepted. If divorced out of Canada a foreign divorce authorization letter from the Province of Ontario is required before the pre-wedding meeting. Please note, we are unable to hold ceremony timeslots until all necessary booking information is received and you receive a confirmation by email. |
Cost |
Effective January 2024 the cost of a civil ceremony is $375.00, plus taxes. The Marriage Licence fee is an additional $170. You can pay the ceremony fees at the time of your pre-wedding meeting. We accept cash, debit, personal cheque, Visa or MasterCard. |
Witnesses |
Two witnesses must be present at your wedding ceremony. The Office of the Clerk can provide witnesses for a fee. |
Photography |
Feel free to bring a photographer to your civil marriage ceremony. There are also a lot of great locations in Richmond Hill for wedding, engagement and family photos. Learn more about photography locations and permits. |
Your marriage licence will expire three months from the date of issue. To receive a marriage licence, you must follow these steps:
- Complete a marriage application online and print it. Do not use all capital letters – information should be entered using both capital and lower case letters.
- Email access@richmondhill.ca with your name, phone number and application number to make an appointment at our municipal office to complete the processing. Only one person can attend the appointment. Call 905-771-8800 for further information.
- At your appointment, you will need to:
- Provide the completed application form, signed by both applicants
- Show two pieces of original government-issued identification for both applicants. Photocopies are not accepted. We accept:
-
- Birth Certificate
- Current Passport
- Record of Immigrant Landing
- Driver’s Licence
- Canadian Citizenship Card
- Permanent Resident’s Card
- Change of Name Certificate
- Pay the licence fee of $160 by cheque or money order (payable to the City of Richmond Hill)