How to get your Alberta Marriage Certificate
Changing Your Name in Canada After Marriage
Decided to take your spouse’s name — or blend your two names together? Here’s a straightforward guide to making it official across Canada.
The basics
In most provinces, your legal name (as it appears on your birth certificate) stays the same — but you can begin using your married name on everyday documents like your driver’s licence, credit cards, and bank accounts. Accepted options are typically your spouse’s surname or a hyphenated combination of both names. Note: if you want to create an entirely new surname, that’s a separate legal name change process and involves additional steps and costs.
One important exception: Quebec law requires you to continue using your birth name after marriage, so this process doesn’t apply to Quebec residents.
What you’ll need
Most institutions will ask for your marriage certificate — a legal document that’s different from your marriage licence. Your officiant registers the marriage after the ceremony, after which you can order an official certificate from Vital Statistics in the province where you were married. It’s your responsibility to contact each agency individually.
What to update
Start with government-issued ID and work outward:
- Canadian Passport
- Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Canada Revenue Agency
- Provincial/territorial health card
- Provincial/territorial driver’s licence
Then move on to financial institutions, insurance providers, subscriptions, and professional records. And don’t forget to let friends and family know — a social media post or a formal announcement works perfectly well.
Province-by-province resources
Remember: use the province where you got married, even if you’ve since moved.
| Province/Territory | Name Change Info | Order Marriage Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland & Labrador | — | Order certificate |
| Prince Edward Island | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Nova Scotia | — | Order certificate |
| New Brunswick | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Ontario | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Manitoba | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Saskatchewan | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Alberta | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| British Columbia | Name change guide | Order certificate |
| Yukon | Name change & certificate | ← same link |
| Northwest Territories | — | Order certificate |
| Nunavut | — | Order certificate |