How to Get a Marriage Licence in Ottawa: Step by Step

If you want your nikah to be a legal marriage in Ontario as well, you need a marriage licence first. Here is how it works in Ottawa, from applying to collecting the licence, in plain steps.

We could not read Ottawa's own page directly when writing this guide, so some details may have changed. Please confirm everything on the City's website before you go.

At a glance

Where

City of Ottawa Client Service Centres, Laurier (110 Laurier Avenue West), Nepean (101 Centrepointe Drive) or Orléans (255 Centrum Boulevard)

Booking

Check the City's page for whether an appointment is currently required.

Fee

The licence fee is set by the City and is HST exempt. Check the City's page for the current amount.

Who attends

Only one applicant is required to be present. If only one of you attends, that person brings two IDs for themselves and two for their partner.

Valid for

Valid for 90 days from the date of issue, anywhere in Ontario.

Step by step

1. Apply. Start with the City's online marriage licence application. If it is approved you receive a confirmation email with next steps, then you complete the licence in person at a Client Service Centre.
2. Book or plan your visit. Check the City's page for whether an appointment is currently required.
3. Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
4. Attend and pay. Only one applicant is required to be present. If only one of you attends, that person brings two IDs for themselves and two for their partner.
5. Give the licence to your officiant. Your imam needs it before the ceremony, and he must be registered to perform legal marriages in Ontario. Valid for 90 days from the date of issue, anywhere in Ontario.

What to bring

• Two original valid government-issued IDs per applicant, in English or French. Confirm the exact list on the City's page, since it has changed.

Good to know

• The City runs civil ceremonies. You book in person once you hold a valid Ontario licence.

Your nikah and the licence

The licence is what makes your marriage legal. Your nikah is the religious ceremony. If your imam is registered with the province, one ceremony can be both. Browse registered officiants or see imams serving Ottawa. Our Ontario licence guide and legal marriage vs religious-only nikah explain the rest.

A few common questions

Details come from the City of Ottawa's own website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Ottawa's marriage licence page. City contact: 311 or 1-800-461-2156. This guide is general information, not legal advice.