Quebec · Family and children
Marriage licence in Quebec: cost and how to apply
Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked
Short answer
To marry in Québec, you choose an authorized officiant, who must publish a notice of your marriage on the Directeur de l'état civil website for 20 days before the ceremony. The wedding must then take place within three months. You must be at least 16, and minors need Superior Court approval. The officiant checks your birth certificate and photo ID. Fees depend on the officiant.
Who handles it
Handles it in Quebec.
Québec has no marriage licence; your officiant publishes a notice of the marriage before the ceremony.
Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.
Who can apply
You must be at least 16 on the wedding day. If either person is 16 or 17, you need the Superior Court's authorization and must give the judgment to the officiant.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
Steps
The law requires couples to give public notice that they plan to marry. Skipping this without a dispensation could lead to the marriage being declared null.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
What you need
The officiant must check your identity and may ask for your original birth certificate or act of birth and a valid photo ID.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
The notice lists each person's name, home address, year and place of birth, the officiant's name, and the date and place of the ceremony. An adult witness must confirm the details.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
Cost
Fees for the ceremony depend on the type of officiant. There are no fees if you choose a designated officiant.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
How long it takes
The notice is posted on the Directeur de l'état civil website for 20 days. The officiant should apply several weeks before the ceremony.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
If the marriage does not take place within three months after the 20th day of publication, the officiant must apply to publish a new notice.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
Where to go
Questions people ask
Do you need a marriage licence in Québec?
Québec's official steps call for a public notice of marriage, not a licence. Your officiant applies to publish the notice on the Directeur de l'état civil website, where it stays for 20 days.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
How far ahead do we need to plan a wedding in Québec?
The notice must be published for 20 days before the ceremony, and the Directeur de l'état civil suggests applying several weeks ahead. The wedding must happen within three months after publication ends.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
Can we skip the 20-day notice in Québec?
Only with a dispensation from the Directeur de l'état civil for serious reasons, decided case by case. If a spouse's life is in danger, the officiant can grant it.
Source: etatcivil.gouv.qc.cachecked #
In every province and territory
The same service across Canada: who handles it and the official link. Quebec 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. |
| Alberta | 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. |
| QuebecThis page | 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 Quebec: cost and how to apply", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/marriage-licence/quebec