Licensing of approved premises
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A venue must be licensed by the Proper Officer and Head of Service to host civil marriages or partnerships, under the Marriage Act 1949 and Civil Partnership Act 2004.
If you own or manage a venue in Staffordshire and would like to host civil marriage or civil partnership ceremonies, you must apply for a licence from Staffordshire County Council.
How much does a civil ceremony licence cost?
- £1,500.00 (£200.00 charge for additional rooms after renewal)
A civil ceremony licence is valid for 3 years.
Before applying
You will need to check the requirements and conditions for the grant of approval of premises that are not religious premises.
Your application will also need the following documents:
- A completed H and S Checklist 16 (165 KB) - see Health and Safety Guidance (82 KB)
- Evidence of a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment for the premises - see fire risk assessment guidance (330 KB)
- Evidence of valid Public Liability Insurance (Min £2,000,000 cover)
- A plan of the premises (highlighting the areas to be licenced)
- Evidence of Local Authority planning consent
What do I do if my approval has expired?
If an approval expires, but a renewal application is made within one month, the approval will be reinstated and remain valid until the application is decided.
Authorities and approval holders should set reminders at least one month before expiry, as no proceedings can occur after expiration. The system should notify all relevant officers to ensure couples are warned. If a renewal is submitted more than a month after expiry, the full application process must be followed, and any planned proceedings must be postponed or moved after new notices are issued.
What happens after I apply?
Once your application and fee has been received, a Public Notice will be displayed on our website for a period of 28 days to allow for any objections to be made. Your application and supporting documentation will then be forwarded to our Health and Safety Duty Officer and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service for review. In some cases a visit will be needed before approval.
Once satisfactory responses have been received the licence will be issued and forwarded to you for your retention. This licence is required to be on public display.
Access to public registers
You can search for approved venues for marriages and civil partnerships. You can make freedom of information request for licence applications by contacting us by approvedvenue@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Contact Us
Tel: 0300 111 8001
Email: approvedvenue@staffordshire.gov.uk
Staffordshire Registration Service also operates an out of hours emergency duty phone. If your venue has a planned ceremony and the Registrar has not arrived 30 minutes prior to the ceremony please call 07815 827848.
