Overview
A marriage licence shows the person performing your marriage that you have met all the legal requirements to be married in Alberta.
Alberta marriage licences are available from a registry agent office.
A registry agent issues a 2-part document. The top part is a Registration of Marriage and the bottom part is the marriage licence.
The full document (Registration of Marriage/Marriage Licence) must be given to the person who will be performing your marriage. This is a legal document and must be kept in good condition and not folded as it is permanently archived.
Conditions for a marriage
Banns (postings or announcements in a church) are not acceptable in place of a marriage licence.
There are no residency or citizenship requirements.
There is no time period that must pass between the date a couple arrives in Alberta and the date a marriage licence is issued.
Blood tests are not required.
A marriage licence is valid for 3 months from the date it is issued.
A marriage ceremony may take place the same day a marriage licence is issued. There is no waiting time.
An Alberta marriage licence is only valid for an Alberta marriage. The marriage ceremony must take place in Alberta.
If you are currently married, you cannot apply for an Alberta marriage licence.
Eligibility
When getting the marriage licence, you must:
- apply together at the registry agent office
- some exceptions may apply, check with a registry agent for details
- swear/affirm one or more affidavits
- it is an offence to swear/affirm a false affidavit
- provide your personal information, and the full names and birth places of your parents (including a parent's maiden name)
When getting a marriage licence, you cannot:
- be under the influence of a drug or alcohol; this includes being heavily medicated
- be related to each other as a grandparent, parent, child, sibling or grandchild, by whole blood, half blood or adoption
Check with a registry agent if:
- either person getting married is hearing, speech or visually impaired
- either person getting married is an assisted adult with a court ordered co-decision maker or represented adult with a guardianship order
Age
Both of you must be 18 years old or older.
If you are younger than 18 years old, you can apply for a marriage licence if all your parents and legal guardians consent to the marriage licence being issued, unless other conditions apply. Check with a registry agent for full details.
If you are younger than 16 years old, you cannot marry in Alberta.
Acceptable ID
You must provide acceptable ID.
If one of the couple do not have acceptable ID, that person may be able to provide their birth certificate or immigration document as ID – the other person must have acceptable ID. Speak with the registry agent issuing your marriage licence for the details.
Marital Status
You cannot be currently married (either to each other or someone else).
Your legal marital status must be one of the following:
- Divorced
- Proof of divorce is needed; the divorce document provided must be the final document (for example, Certificate of Divorce, Decree Absolute).
- A divorce document that says a marriage is dissolved in X amount of time is not acceptable as there is no way to know if the final documents were filed or the divorce was contested during that time.
- Divorce documents that are not in English must be translated; check with a registry agent for translation requirements.
- Widowed
- A death certificate of the deceased spouse is not needed.
- Never been married
- No marital status documents are needed.
Annulled Marriage (through the court)
When an annulment has been granted through a court, the person's marital status reverts back to what it was before that annulled marriage took place. The previous marital status may have to be proven. For example:
- when the marital status before the annulment is divorced, proof of divorce must be provided in addition to a copy of the court ordered annulment
- when the previous marital status is never been married, only the court ordered annulment document is needed
When a marriage was annulled, a copy of the court ordered annulment must be provided. Religious and tribunal annulments are not accepted, only court ordered annulments.
Annulment documents that are not in English must be translated. Check with a registry agent for translation requirements.
Interpreters
When getting a marriage licence, both of the persons who will be getting married must be fluent in English (since legal documents are being signed), otherwise an interpreter is needed. When an interpreter is needed, it is your responsibility to provide one.
The interpreter must be:
- 18 years old or older
- fluent in both English and the language requiring translation
When the registry agent employee issuing the marriage licence is fluent in the other language, then that registry agent employee may be the interpreter and issue the marriage licence.
The couple applying for a marriage licence cannot interpret/translate for each other.
Cost
There is a $40 government fee for the marriage licence.
Registry agents will charge a service fee. Service fees vary among registry agents.
How to apply
Step 1. Ensure you are eligible to apply for a marriage licence
The marriage must be taking place in Alberta within the next 3 months.
Before applying, ensure you and your intended spouse are eligible.
Step 2. Gather your documents
Take your acceptable ID with you to get the marriage licence.
Other documents may be needed, such as divorce documents. Contact a registry agent, they can confirm what documents you will need.
Step 3. Go to a registry agent office
Go to a registry agent with your intended spouse, acceptable ID and documents, and apply for a marriage licence.
After you apply
A marriage licence is issued while you wait.
If you do not have all the information and documents needed, the process will be delayed.
Bring your marriage licence to the ceremony and give it to the person performing the marriage ceremony.
Errors
Review the Registration of Marriage/Marriage Licence document very closely for errors when you get it and before you leave the registry agent office. Always have errors corrected immediately.
Before the ceremony takes place, errors can be corrected by a registry agent.
After the ceremony takes place, errors must be corrected by an amendment.
The person performing the marriage ceremony cannot correct any information that was provided when the marriage licence was issued.
Contact
Connect with the Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Contact Centre:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-7013 (Edmonton and area)
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-422-4225
For the deaf or hard-of-hearing:
TTY: 780-427-9999 (Edmonton and area)
Toll free TTY: 1-800-232-7215 (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
Mail:
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 2023
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4W7
Courier:
Vital Statistics
Document Reception
John E. Brownlee Building
10365 97 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C5