Licensing your venue
The county
council licences ceremony venues where couples may solemnise their
civil marriage or register their civil partnership.
To be licensed, a ceremony venue must be a permanent structure.
It must provide a seemly and dignified place where the important
personal events of peoples lives may be celebrated with solemnity
and dignity. Venues may be all shapes and sizes and do not need to
be part of the 'event business' or able to offer reception
facilities. There are venues that concentrate on ceremonies only.
Venues can include outside structures such as gazebos and
summerhouses. A licence lasts for 3 years.You can view the
current list of
venues licenced to conduct ceremonies (Approved
Premises) in Kent on the "A Kentish Ceremony" website.
The application procedure
The application procedure for a licence is very straightforward
and advice is available throughout the process. A free inspection
is available to all prospective applicants and this enables advice
and assistance to be given prior to a formal application being
submitted. Most venues find it useful to take advantage of this
service before making a final decision. The process for licensing a
venue is usually 6-8 weeks.
If you would like a free inspection please email kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk
or telephone 01622 221008.
Before applying, please take the time to read the following
booklet which provides details of the licensing regulations, the
application process, contact details, help and advice:
Licensing your venue for Civil Marriages and Civil Partnerships
(PDF, 162k)
If your application is declined, you have the right to seek a
review of the decision. Please contact us in the first instance by
telephoning 01622 221008 or email kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk
Applying by post
You may apply for a civil ceremony licence by post. Simply
download and complete an application form or telephone 01622 221008
requesting an application pack. Remember to include all supporting
documentation with your application.
Civil Ceremony Licence Application Form (PDF, 52k)
Applying online
You can now apply for a civil ceremony licence online. Use the
relevant link below and follow the instructions. Please note that
to apply online you will need to provide all
documentation (including copies of your floor plans,
public liability insurance, fire risk assessment and health
and safety risk assessment).
Please note that when you click on the above links you will be
redirected to the government's Business Link website. If you
don't have a Government Gateway account you will need to create one
before you can proceed to the relevant form. If you already
have a Government Gateway account you will be invited to log in
prior to completing the application. This account is necessary
as it will ensure that your details are pulled through to the
relevant form and will enable you to track your applications once
they've been submitted.
If you have any questions or problems with
applying online please do not hesitate to contact the
Licensing Team on 01622 221008 or email kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk
