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Marriages

You can apply for a marriage licence at the Town of Saugeen Shores Municipal Office. You must have a marriage licence before you can be legally married in the Province of Ontario. Marriage certificates are issued by the Province of Ontario.

Marriage licences

The Town of Saugeen Shores issues marriage licences during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). Marriage licences are issued by appointment only. Please note: appointments take around 30 minutes to complete.

Timing

Marriage licences are issued when the application is submitted. Licenses can be issued up to 90 days prior to the ceremony.

Required documents

In order to get a marriage license, you must have the following documentation:

A completed Marriage Licence Application Form signed by both parties
Two pieces of photo ID each (e.g., driver's licence, current passport or birth certificate)
(If applicable) An original Final Divorce Decree or Divorce Certificate, obtained from the Court where the divorce was granted

If both parties cannot appear in person, one party can present all of the above documentation (including two pieces of photo ID for the other party).

You may need additional documentation if the following circumstances apply:

Applicant under 18

If you are under the age of 18, you must have the consent of your parents or legal guardians. A Consent to Marriage – Sworn Affidavit must be completed.

Applicant divorced outside Canada

An applicant, whose divorce was in a jurisdiction other than Canada, must obtain authorization from the Office of the Registrar General before an Ontario marriage licence may be issued.

To get this authorization, the applicants, or a lawyer representing the applicants, must mail the following to the Office of the Registrar General, 189 Red River Road, 3rd Floor, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6L8:

A completed Marriage Licence Application
The original Certificate of Divorce or the Decree Absolute, or a court certified copy of same (translated into English if necessary)
A Statement of Sole Responsibility for each divorce signed by both applicants
A legal opinion from an Ontario Lawyer

Once you have received the letter of authorization from the Registrar, you can present your Marriage Licence Application form, along with two pieces of identification and the letter of authorization, to the municipal office.

Fees

The fee for a Marriage Licence in Saugeen Shores is $149.12. You can pay by cash, cheque or debit card.

Marriage certificates

You can access a Marriage Certificate Application through Service Ontario for a marriage that is registered in the Province of Ontario.