A marriage licence in Northumberland County, Ontario costs between $120 and $175, depending on which municipal office issues it. Cramahe is the lowest at $120, Trent Hills the highest at $175, and the Town of Cobourg does not publish its fee online. Every Ontario licence is valid anywhere in the province for 3 months, so you can pick the office that suits you.
Key Takeaways
- Licence fees on September 27, 2026: Cramahe $120; Port Hope, Brighton and Hamilton Township $125; Alnwick/Haldimand $150; Trent Hills $175; Cobourg not published online.
- An Ontario marriage licence is valid for 3 months from the date it is issued and can be used anywhere in Ontario (Government of Ontario, updated September 2, 2026).
- Cramahe needs no appointment but asks for 2 to 3 weeks to issue the licence; Port Hope, Brighton, Trent Hills and Hamilton Township book an appointment.
- Five of the seven municipalities perform civil ceremonies, from $200 plus HST in Cramahe to $550 for an after-hours ceremony away from Council Chambers in Trent Hills.
- Cobourg's civil ceremonies are fully booked for 2026, and the Town opens spring, summer and fall 2027 bookings on Monday, January 4, 2027.
- Every Ontario marriage needs at least two witnesses, and the couple, the witnesses and the officiant sign the licence right after the ceremony.
Marriage licence fees in Northumberland County, Ontario, by town
Every row comes from the municipality's own marriage page, checked on September 27, 2026:
| Office | Licence fee | Appointment | Who has to attend | Civil ceremonies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobourg | Not published; call 905-372-4301 | Apply online through ServiceOntario, then pick up | One of you (Ontario online rule) | Yes, $400 |
| Port Hope | $125, no HST | Yes, pick-up by appointment | One of you (Ontario online rule) | No |
| Brighton | $125, cash or debit | Yes, to sign | Both welcome; not stated as required | No |
| Trent Hills | $175, HST exempt | Yes, in Campbellford | One can attend with both sets of original ID | Yes, from $400 |
| Cramahe | $120, no HST | No; allow 2 to 3 weeks | One partner, if both signed the form | Yes, $200 plus HST |
| Alnwick/Haldimand | $150, no HST | Not stated; office open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | One applicant, with ID for both | Yes, $350 plus HST |
| Hamilton Township | $125 | Yes, with Corporate Services | One applicant, with ID for both | Yes, $350 |
Alnwick/Haldimand's fee comes from its 2026 fees by-law (By-law 90-2025, Schedule A) and Hamilton Township's from its fees and charges page. Councils set these fees by by-law, so confirm the amount with the clerk when you book.
Ontario's own online application page says the fee you pay at pick-up "varies depending on the municipality". The spread here is $55 between the lowest and highest published fee. On a wedding budget that is a rounding error, so choose by convenience first: which office is on your way, which one fits your schedule, and whether both of you can get there on a weekday.
What each office asks for
Every office wants two pieces of government-issued identification for each of you, one with a photo, and proof of any divorce. The small local rules differ.
Cobourg
Cobourg is one of six Ontario municipalities in the ServiceOntario online licence pilot. You apply online. Name Cobourg as the pick-up office and give a wedding date within 90 days, both applicants' details and your parents' names and countries of birth. If either of you was divorced in Canada, the Town wants the original or a certified copy of the Decree Absolute or Certificate of Divorce, not the divorce judgment. Fees are non-refundable once paid. The fee itself is not listed. Ask for it when you call 905-372-4301.
Port Hope
You can apply online, email the Municipality's form to the Clerk's Office, or apply in person. The Clerk's Office then emails you to book a pick-up time, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That is four pieces of ID between you. Health cards and SIN cards do not count. Applicants aged 16 or 17 bring a parent or legal guardian to pick-up.
Brighton
Apply online and upload your ID, and the Municipality contacts you to book a signing appointment at the Municipal Office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Payment is cash or debit. Brighton asks couples to apply only when the wedding is less than 3 months away, and notes that the marriage certificate afterwards can take up to ten weeks.
Trent Hills
The office is at 66 Front Street South, Campbellford. The online form takes about 25 to 30 minutes and the Municipality says it needs both of you present to fill it in; staff call within three business days to book your appointment. At the appointment you take the oath, sign and pay by cash, cheque or debit (no credit cards). One of you can go alone with the other's original ID. Photocopies, scans, expired ID, health cards and SIN cards are refused.
Cramahe
Cramahe is the only office that says outright that no appointment is needed. Bring the completed application with original signatures (not scanned or photocopied) to the Township office at 1 Toronto Street, Colborne, with original ID. One partner can apply alone if both signed and dated the form. The catch is time. The Township asks for 2 to 3 weeks to issue the licence. Payment is cash, debit, certified cheque or money order.
Alnwick/Haldimand
The Clerk's Department at 10836 County Road 2, Grafton, issues licences Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The form takes about 20 minutes, and you give the date and place of the ceremony. One applicant can attend with two pieces of ID for both of you; photocopies are not accepted. Pay at application by cash, debit or cheque. Visa and Mastercard are not accepted.
Hamilton Township
Both of you sign the application, then book an appointment with Corporate Services at 8285 Majestic Hills Drive, and only one of you needs to go: bring the signed form, two pieces of ID for each of you, and the $125 fee, which is paid when the application goes in.
Planning a Northumberland County wedding and want someone else holding the dates? Tell me about your wedding, and the licence window goes on the timeline first.
Civil ceremonies at the town office
A municipal clerk or their delegate is one of the people Ontario allows to perform a civil (non-religious) marriage. Five of the county's seven municipalities offer it:
| Office | Ceremony fee | Where and when | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobourg | $400, cash or debit | Victoria Hall Court Room, Fridays at 1, 2 or 3 p.m. | Licence at least 10 days before |
| Trent Hills | $400 in Council Chambers (HST included); $450 elsewhere in Trent Hills; $500 or $550 after hours | Weekdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.; up to 20 guests | Request 7 days ahead; meeting 5 days ahead |
| Cramahe | $200 plus HST onsite; $250 plus HST offsite, plus mileage | Council Chambers, Colborne, by appointment | Consultation usually 2 weeks ahead |
| Alnwick/Haldimand | $350 plus HST | Municipal Office, or a Township park or property | Licence in hand when you book |
| Hamilton Township | $350, plus $100 for Council Chambers (listed before HST) | Anywhere in Ontario, any day, subject to availability | Book through Corporate Services |
Port Hope and Brighton do not perform civil ceremonies at the moment, so couples marrying there book a registered or civil officiant of their own.
The date to circle is in Cobourg. The Town's notice, dated September 17, 2026, says civil ceremonies are fully booked for 2026 and that spring, summer and fall 2027 bookings open on Monday, January 4, 2027. A date is confirmed only once the signed agreement and full payment reach the Town, so have both ready that morning. Book by phone at 905-372-4301 or by email at weddings@cobourg.ca.
Hamilton Township is the flexible one. Its three staff officiants can marry you anywhere in Ontario, any day of the year, which suits a cottage on Rice Lake, Ontario, or a backyard in Bewdley. Trent Hills and Cramahe keep Council Chambers simple, and both say so in writing: Cramahe allows no alcohol, confetti, bubbles, rice, candles or incense in the room, and Trent Hills allows flowers or balloons placed 15 minutes before and cleared 15 minutes after.
The Ontario rules that apply in every town
These come from the Government of Ontario's Before getting married page (updated September 2, 2026) and the online application page (updated August 10, 2026), both checked September 27, 2026.
- A licence is valid for 3 months from the date it is issued. Trent Hills spells out the consequence: a marriage that misses that window needs a new licence and a new fee.
- Ontario states no waiting period between issue and ceremony. The online route needs at least 1 business day between applying and the wedding, and a wedding date within 3 months; for a licence inside 24 hours, Ontario says to contact the municipality.
- The province charges a $75 provincial licence fee, which is waived when both of you are registered, or entitled to be registered, under the Indian Act and live in Ontario on reserve or Crown lands. Municipal fees may still apply.
- Each of you needs two pieces of government-issued ID, one with a photo. Health cards cannot be used for the online service.
- If a previous marriage ended in a divorce granted outside Canada, the documents must be validated by the government, which may take up to 4 weeks. Start early.
- A civil ceremony can be performed by a municipal clerk or delegate, a judge, an Ontario associate judge, an Ontario justice of the peace, or an MPP who has given the Minister written notice. Religious and other officiants must be registered: search Ontario's list of registered marriage officiants before you book.
- Every marriage needs at least two witnesses (Marriage Act, section 25). You, the witnesses and the officiant sign the licence immediately after the ceremony.
Which office to use
My pick for most couples is the office closest to where one of you works, because most offices here let one of you collect the licence alone. If you are marrying in Cobourg and want a Town ceremony, apply for your licence roughly two months out: early enough to get it to the Town 10 days before, late enough that it will not expire. If both of you are busy on weekdays, Trent Hills, Cramahe, Alnwick/Haldimand and Hamilton Township accept one partner with ID for both. If time is short, avoid Cramahe's 2 to 3 week processing window.
Whichever office you choose, apply inside the three months before the wedding and put the licence date on the same page as your vendor deadlines. The wedding timeline for Ontario shows where it sits among everything else, and the guide to how far in advance to book wedding vendors covers the officiant and the rest. For ceremony and photo settings around the county, Northumberland County's local gems is a good start.
If you would rather hand the paperwork dates to someone, The Rosebud is day-of coordination, and The Signature Bloom adds vendor sourcing and a custom timeline. Book a consultation and we will start with your licence date and count back from there.
