To hold civil ceremonies in England or Wales, the premises must be approved by the local authority. You must be the proprietor or a trustee of the premises to apply for a licence to hold civil ceremonies.
Before making your application, read the following information:
- Registrar General's guidance for the approval of premises as venues for civil marriages and civil partnerships
- Terms and conditions for granting a venue license for civil ceremonies
Fees
| Licensing venues | Fee from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 | Fee from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| New application (valid for 3 years) | £2,623 | £2,754 |
| Renewal application (valid for 3 years) | £2,248 | £2,360 |
How to apply
Make an enquiry to let us know you would like to apply to license a venue for marriage and civil partnership.
Timescales
Upon receipt of your application and the fee, we will respond to you within 28 working days and arrange to carry out an inspection of the premises.
The whole process takes between 6 and 8 weeks to complete.
Public notices
In line with the Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005, Bracknell Forest Council is required to publicise all pending applications for Approved Venue Status on behalf of the Registrar General's Office.
The public notice consultation runs for 21 days from the date of the notice.
Current applications
There are no current applications.
Viewing applications
Copies applications can be inspected between the hours of 9:30am and 4:30pm from Monday to Friday, or at other times by prior arrangement, at:
Bracknell Forest Council Registration Service
Time Square
Market Street
Bracknell
RG12 1JD
Please email registrars.account@bracknell-forest.gov.uk for more information.
Raising an objection
Members of the public wishing to object to an application should submit the reasons for their objection in writing to the above address, within 21 days from the date of the notice, to the Proper Officer for the Bracknell Forest Registration Service.
At the end of the 21 days the notice will be removed and no longer subject to public objection for the purposes of an application.