Becoming a ceremony venue
Overview
In England and Wales civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies can only take place in register offices or venues which have been granted an ‘approved premises’ licence.
Applying for an approved premises licence is simple and straightforward. Once approved, your venue will be listed on our website and included in our promotional material, as well as being added to a national database which lists all licensed venues in England and Wales.
Apply for a new premises to become an approved venue
Applications must be made by the owner or manager of the premises.
Please complete our general enquiry form and a member of the team will contact you.
Renewing an existing licence
We contact existing approved premises licence holders six months before their licence is due to expire to invite them to renew their licence.
Licence holders are welcome to submit renewal applications anytime during the last year of the current licence, preferably at least six months before the existing licence expires. The process for renewing a licence and the fee is the same as applying for the first time.
Licence fees from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
- £723 for a three year licence period
- £31 administrative fee for a change to an existing licence
- £120.50 fee charged where a change to an existing licence requires a site visit
General enquiries
- By post: Superintendent Registrar, Chester Register Office, Merchants House, Goss Street, Chester, CH1 2BG
Regulation summary
Application evaluation process
Your application and plan will be made available to the public for inspection and published on our website for 21 days as part of the public consultation process.
Will tacit consent apply
Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period.
Target completion
Within one month.
Failed application redress
Please contact us in the first instance. You have the right to seek a review of the local authority's refusal to grant your application. You should deliver your request for review to the Lifetime Services Manager, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
Licence holder redress
Please contact us in the first instance.
You have the right to seek a review of the local authority's refusal to grant your application. You should deliver your request for review to the Lifetime Services Manager, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
Other redress
Objections to an application for premises approval may be given to Chester Register Office, Goldsmith House, Goss Street, Chester CH1 2BG within 21 days of the notice of application appearing on our website.
