How To Get Married In British Columbia
Detailed information on how to get married in British Columbia is outlined below. Please note that if you live somewhere else but are coming to BC to get married, you must contact the appropriate authorities in the jurisdiction where you live to determine whether or not your marriage will be recognized.
Step 1: Apply for a Marriage Licence
The Marriage Act requires that you obtain a Marriage Licence before getting married in British Columbia. The licence does not mean that you are married, but that you may get married any time during the three-month term of the licence.
The bride or groom must apply in person to the Marriage Licence Issuer in your community (click here to search for a location near you). Only one member of the couple needs to apply for the licence, but you will be asked to provide identification for both the bride and the groom. Information required with identification will include:
1. Full name, including given names
2. Birth date and birth place
3. Marital status
4. Current address
A fee must be paid at the time of application. The licence will be issued at the time of application, and is valid for three months from the time of issuance. Marriage Licences are not refundable.
Who can get married?
Anyone over 19 years of age is eligible to apply for a marriage licence in British Columbia. Anyone under 19 years of age must first obtain the consent of both parents. Your local Marriage Licence Issuer has the required consent forms or the form can be downloaded here. No one under the age of 16 years can be married without the consent of the Supreme or County Court.
You do not have to be a B.C. resident in order to be married here, but the licence is only valid in this province.
Blood tests are not required under B.C. legislation.
If one or both of the intended parties was recently divorced (within the last 31 days), proof of divorce must be provided. No licence may be issued until a divorce has been finalized by the courts (this is normally 31 days after the divorce decree has been issued by the courts).
Step 2: The Marriage Ceremony
In B.C., couples can choose a religious or civil ceremony. Either type of ceremony must be witnessed by two people.
Religious ceremonies are performed by a religious representative of your choice, as long as they are registered with the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency under the Marriage Act.
Civil ceremonies are performed by Marriage Commissioners (click here to search for a location near you), who are appointed by the Executive Director of Vital Statistics. Contact the Marriage Commissioner directly to make an appointment and arrangements.
See Fee Schedule for current legislated fee.
Which name can you use?
After marriage, you gain the right to use your spouse’s surname. You can choose to continue using your own surname. This does not result in a legal change of name, or in any automatic change to birth records, and you can decide to return to your own surname at any time. To use hyphenated surnames a legal Change of Name is required.
Step 3: Registering the Marriage
The religious representative or Marriage Commissioner who performs the wedding ceremony will also help to complete the necessary Marriage Registration Form. The officiant will send this form to the Vital Statistics Agency within 48 hours, where the marriage is registered.
Proof of marriage
At the time of the ceremony, your Religious Representative or Marriage Commissioner may provide you with a statement of marriage – this interim document can be used temporarily to prove that you are married.
After the marriage, and following the receipt and registration of the Marriage Registration Form, a permanent Marriage Certificate will be automatically mailed to the bride and groom from the Vital Statistics Agency.
