For New Officiants - The Ontario Marriage Licence
As a new Officiant, when you fill out the Ontario Marriage Licence here are some important points to note:
NEVER touch anything above Part 3 on the licence, including any errors made by City Hall (get the couple to take it back and return to you to mail once fixed).
It is acceptable for only one person to go get the licence and for only their one name/signature to be in the section above Part 3 (see point #1)
You must complete the Register and the Record of Solem. with the exact information as stated in the licence.
NEVER cross anything out or use white out,always put errors in brackets and initial.
(verified) is used by some city halls when they ask for the mother's maiden name and it is the same as her husbands family name. Some city halls don't care and use the mothers married name.
Some people from India will only have one name. Enter it in the exact same spot as on the licence.
It is a marriage licence in Canada, not license (I had to correct this a few times on my website, so I thought I would put that out there!)
The additional spaces for parents are for birth and adoptive parents (not step parents, and see #3)
Only the city/town needs to go in the box for 'place of marriage', not the venue name or the address (they used to ask for the address in full, but have since asked for just the city/province)
We don't have to write out our full Ministry, just CIMM
You don't have to put the date in the format they've requested when the month is written in full.
Photos of the licence will not be considered legally binding if the licence goes missing in the mail, only your blue book copy is considered for replacement packages.
You can use large or small caps, either are fine.
Always put your full address on the licence including your postal code. This is not as relevant for witnesses in your blue book because its really only there so couples can find their witnesses to verify the wedding in the case the licence gets lost (and they are likely to know how to reach them in more contemporary ways!)
Couples should not worry about items they put on the licence that may change (their addresses, the date of the wedding, their ages changing because they had a birthday from the day they got the licence and the wedding)
Parental names can be on the licence as "Unknown, Unknown" .
Licences can be hand written - this is common in smaller towns.
Finally, I always make a pdf scan of the licence before I mail it out, however, this will never be recognized as a verifying copy for the Office of the the Registrar General if the licence goes missing in the mail. The record you keep in the Registrar's book (aka the blue book) is the only verifying copy that will be accepted.
