Are you eligible to marry in B.C.?
You do not have to be a British Columbia resident to be married in the province. However, you are required to get a Marriage License which is valid for a term of three months and only valid in British Columbia.
Click Here for Wedding Application.
Anyone over 19 years of age is eligible to apply for a marriage license in BC. Anyone under 19 years of age must first obtain the consent of both parents. No one under 16 years can be married without the consent of the Supreme or County Court.
Click Here for the consent for or get the form from the local Marriage License Issuer.
If one or both individuals were recently divorced within the last 31 days, proof of divorce must be provided. No license is issued until the courts finalize a divorce, normally 31 days after the divorce decree is issued by the Courts.
To marry, blood tests are not required under British Columbia legislation.
Apply for a Marriage License…
To get married in British Columbia, the Marriage Act requires that you have a Marriage License. You may get married any time during the three-month term of the license. You must bring the license to the ceremony to be signed by your officiant and your witnesses.
Only one member of the couple needs to apply in person for a marriage license. Click Here to find a Marriage License Issuer.
The current fee for a Marriage License is $100.00 and must be paid at the time of application.
To ensure accuracy of marriage certificates issued after registration and to verify legal age to apply for a marriage license, primary identification in the form of a birth certificate, IMM/Immigration form, Permanent Resident or Citizenship card confirming the following information for both parties.
1) full legal names
2) birth date
3) place of birth
You will also be asked to provide information on your current marital status and address.
If the applicant does not have primary identification for the parties then the following documents may be utilized in a descending order of preference:
Driver’s License
Passport
Credit Card
Bank Card
Other documents may also be accepted.
The marriage license is issued at the time of application. The marriage license is non-refundable, valid for three months and may not be extended.
The Marriage Ceremony
In British Columbia, your ceremony must be witnessed by two people.
Register The Marriage ~ We do this for you!
We mail the duly signed Marriage Application within 48 hours of the wedding ceremony to the Vital Statistics Agency, where the marriage will be registered and a legal record will be kept.
Proof of Marriage
At the time of the ceremony we provide a decorative statement of marriage which could be used temporarily as proof of your marriage, however it is not a legal document.
You will receive the legal Marriage Certificate from the Vital Statistics Agency within weeks after the registration of the marriage.
Which name can you use?
Your current names are used in our Bridal Registration that has been issued to us by the B.C. Vital Statistics Agency. After your ceremony, you can continue using or choose to use your own surname at any time. You also gain the right to use your spouse’s surname. This does not result in a legal change of name or any automatic change to your identification records.
If you choose to use a hyphenated surname, a legal change of name is required…Click Here for change of name forms.