Alberta · Family and children
Marriage licence in Alberta: cost and how to apply
Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked
Short answer
Alberta marriage licences are sold at registry agent offices. Both partners usually go together with acceptable ID, swear an affidavit and give their parents' names and birthplaces. The government fee is $40, plus the agent's service fee. The licence is issued while you wait, is valid for 3 months, and you can marry the same day.
Who handles it
Alberta registry agents (Government of Alberta)
They handle it in Alberta.
Buy at any registry agent office.
Official link
Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.
Who can apply
Both of you must be 18 or older. People under 18 need consent from all parents and legal guardians, and no one under 16 can marry in Alberta.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
There are no residency or citizenship rules and no blood tests, but the wedding must take place in Alberta.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Steps
You both apply together at the registry agent, swear or affirm an affidavit, and give your personal details and your parents' full names and birthplaces.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
What you need
Bring acceptable ID. If you were divorced, bring the final divorce document, such as a Certificate of Divorce. Widowed people do not need a death certificate.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Cost
The government fee is $40. Registry agents add their own service fee, which varies.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
How long it takes
The licence is issued while you wait and is valid for 3 months. The ceremony can be held the same day.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Where to go
Marriage licences are available from registry agent offices.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Good to know
If either of you is not fluent in English, you must bring an interpreter aged 18 or older. You cannot interpret for each other.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Check the document for errors before leaving the office. Mistakes are easy to fix before the ceremony but need a formal amendment afterwards.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Questions people ask
How much does a marriage licence cost in Alberta?
The government fee is $40. Each registry agent also charges its own service fee, so the total depends on where you buy it.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Is there a waiting period for a marriage licence in Alberta?
No. You can hold the ceremony on the same day the licence is issued.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Do we both have to go to get an Alberta marriage licence?
Usually yes. Both partners apply together at the registry agent office, though a registry agent can tell you about exceptions.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
Can we get married in Alberta if we do not live there?
Yes. There are no residency or citizenship rules, but an Alberta licence is only valid for a ceremony held in Alberta.
Source: alberta.cachecked #
In every province and territory
The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Alberta is marked.
| Province or territory | Who handles it | Official link | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Vital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia), through local marriage licence issuers | Get a marriage licencechecked | Buy the licence in person from a marriage licence issuer in your area. |
| AlbertaThis page | Alberta registry agents (Government of Alberta) | Get a marriage licencechecked | Buy at any registry agent office. |
| Saskatchewan | Marriage licence issuers (Government of Saskatchewan) | How to get a marriage licencechecked | Buy from a marriage licence issuer, often a jewellery store or town office; out-of-province licences are not valid. |
| Manitoba | Vital Statistics Branch (Government of Manitoba), through registered marriage licence issuers | How to get a licencechecked | Both partners buy the licence in person from a registered issuer at least 24 hours before the wedding. |
| Ontario | Your municipal office (city or town hall) | Get a marriage licencechecked | Apply at your city or town hall; some municipalities also take applications online. |
| Quebec | Gouvernement du Québec | None on record | Québec has no marriage licence; your officiant publishes a notice of the marriage before the ceremony. |
| New Brunswick | Vital Statistics (Service New Brunswick) | Apply for a marriage licencechecked | Fill in the application, then both partners go together to a Service New Brunswick centre with ID. |
| Nova Scotia | Vital Statistics (Service Nova Scotia) | How to get a licencechecked | Buy in person at Access Nova Scotia or from a Deputy Issuer of Marriage Licences. |
| Prince Edward Island | Vital Statistics (Government of PEI), issued at Access PEI | None on record | Licences are issued by appointment at Access PEI offices. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Vital Statistics Division (Government Services), through local marriage licence issuers | How to get a licencechecked | Apply in person to a marriage licence issuer; only one partner needs to attend. |
| Yukon | Vital Statistics (Government of Yukon) | None on record | Both partners apply in person: by appointment at Vital Statistics in Whitehorse, or from a Territorial Agent elsewhere. |
| Northwest Territories | Registrar General of Vital Statistics and community Marriage License Issuers (Department of Health and Social Services) | Get a marriage licencechecked | Both people must attend, usually by appointment with an issuer. |
| Nunavut | Nunavut Vital Statistics (Department of Health) | Get a marriage licencechecked |
Cite this page
Canada Service Map, "Marriage licence in Alberta: cost and how to apply", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/marriage-licence/alberta