Marriage Licences and Ceremonies | City of Peterborough

Marriage licences

Our office is open to issue marriage licences by appointment. Only one individual is required to attend an appointment for a marriage licence, and where possible, we are requesting that only one applicant attend.

Jump to section about Marriage ceremonies at City Hall

The City of Peterborough issues marriage licences Monday to Friday by appointment in the Clerk's Office. The process takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. Preference is given to couples from the City of Peterborough.

Fee: $150 (payment by debit, Visa or MasterCard preferred; cash is accepted).

A marriage licence can only be issued to the applicants named in the application. Both parties must sign the Marriage Licence Application Form, but only one person needs to be present in order to get the licence. That person will need to bring identity documents for both parties.

The date and place of the ceremony must be noted on the application in order for the licence to be issued. A marriage licence is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued and can be used anywhere in Ontario.

Please carefully read and follow the steps below to apply for a marriage licence:

Fill out the online application form. Print the completed form and have both parties sign.
Send pictures of your identification and any divorce documents (if applicable) to marriage@peterborough.ca. Please note that we need to be able to read the information in the pictures.
Book an appointment time by calling us at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820#.
Come to City Hall for your appointment through the front doors at 500 George St. N. Make sure to bring all original documents – the signed application, original identification for both you and your partner, and any original divorce documents (if applicable). Payment by debit or credit card is preferred.

Apply for a marriage licence online

Other information for your application

Identification required

Two pieces of original identification (ID) are required for each applicant; photocopies will not be accepted. One piece of identification must establish proof of identity and the second piece must be photo identification.

Documents in a language other than English or French must be translated by a certified translator.

Valid identification documents

Birth Certificate (including any change of name certificates)
Valid passport
Record of Immigrant Landing
Canadian Citizenship Card
Canadian Permanent Resident Card

Valid photo ID

Valid driver's licence
Valid passport
Ontario photo card
Native Status card
Nexus card

If a valid passport is used as the identity document, it cannot also be used as the photo ID.

Interpreter

If you do not understand or read English, you must provide your own interpreter. The interpreter must also present two pieces of identification (one photo identification, one other) and sign an affidavit of interpreter.

Under 18

The minimum age to get married in Ontario is 16. However, anyone under the age of 18 must have parental consent. Parents must sign a Consent of Parent or Guardian to Marriage form and provide photo identification. Consent forms are available at the Clerk's Office.

If you are previously divorced

Divorce in Canada: If any party to the marriage has a previous Canadian divorce, the original Certificate of Divorce must be presented. This certificate can be obtained from the courthouse where the divorce was granted. No photocopies will be accepted. If you need further information, please call our office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820#.

Divorce outside of Canada: If there is a previous divorce that was granted outside of Canada, you will need to obtain approval of the foreign divorce certificate from the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay.

You will need to send the following documents to ServiceOntario:
marriage licence application form: completed and signed
statement of sole responsibility: for each divorce (signed by both people who are planning to get married and a witness)
legal opinion letter: from an Ontario lawyer, addressed to both people who plan to get married, giving reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in Ontario
divorce decree or annulment: an original or court-certified copy in English or French. If the decree is in another language, you will need to include a translated copy and an affidavit sworn by a certified translator

Please visit ServiceOntario for more information and to complete the appropriate forms.

Marriage certificates

Marriage certificates are records of your marriage. They are issued by the Registrar General.

To get a marriage certificate or more information visit the Service Ontario web page.

Marriage ceremonies at City Hall

In order to marry you must obtain your marriage licence and provide it to the officiant prior to your wedding day.

Council Chambers where marriage ceremonies take place

The fee for the ceremony is $360.00 + HST payable by cash, debit, Visa or Master Card at the time of booking. Please contact the City Clerk's office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820# for further information.

Booking a Marriage Ceremony at City Hall

Marriage ceremonies are held on the dates listed below. Availability is subject to change. While we update our website as frequently as possible, the information you see may not always reflect current availability. Please contact the Clerk's Office to confirm.

If you have already booked a 2025 civil ceremony with the City of Peterborough and need to cancel your ceremony, please contact the City Clerk's office at 705-742-7777, ext. 1820 as soon as possible.

**2025 Ceremony Dates**
Date	Status
July 4	All ceremony spots booked
July 18	All ceremony spots booked
August 15	All ceremony spots booked
August 29	All ceremony spots booked
September 19	All ceremony spots booked
October 24	3 spots available (10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.)
November 21	6 spots available (10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m.)
December 12	7 spots available

Marriage Ceremony Policy

Before you call the Clerk's Office to book your civil marriage ceremony at Peterborough City Hall, please take a moment to review and complete our Marriage Ceremony Policy form.

This policy outlines the guidelines and requirements that all couples and their guests must follow when attending a ceremony at City Hall.

Completing this form is a required step for a ceremony at City Hall.

Please note: Submitting this form does not confirm or hold a ceremony spot. To confirm your booking, you must call the Clerk’s Office at (705) 742-7777, ext. 1820 and make payment for the ceremony during that call. Ceremonies are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, and we recommend calling as soon as possible to secure your preferred date and time.

Civil marriage ceremony scripts

The City offers three ceremony script options to choose from.

Ceremony option 1

Ceremony option 2

Ceremony option 3