Register a building for worship or religious marriage: step by step

How to certify a building for worship or register to hold marriages

A building cannot be registered for the solemnisation of marriages unless it is a certified place of meeting for religious worship.

You can complete both applications at the same time.

Register your building for the solemnisation of marriage if it's already certified as a place for religious worship.

Certify a building as a place for religious worship

You must download and complete form 76 twice.

In the form, you'll need to tell us:

  • your name
  • your contact details
  • your connection to the building or rooms
  • the name that the place of worship is known by
  • building address
  • whether the application is for the whole building or specific rooms
  • whether the building has previously been certified for worship
  • faith and denomination of the congregation.

You'll also need to include:

  • a floor plan of the building or rooms
  • a weekly timetable of events taking place in the building or rooms.

See what to do with your completed forms.

Register a place of worship for the solemnisation of marriage

You must download and complete form 78 twice.

In the form you'll need to tell us whether your application is for:

  • marriages between a man and a woman
  • marriages of same sex couples
  • marriages between both a man and a woman and of same sex couples.

The proprietor or trustee will need to tell us:

  • their name and position 
  • the building name, address and denomination 
  • the date of registration (as a place of religious worship) and worship number (not applicable if the building is being registered as a place of worship at the same time as being registered for solemnisation of marriages)
  • the type of marriages the building is being registered for.

You'll also need to include:

20 householders will need to confirm that the building is their usual place of worship and that the application is for the type of marriage you told us.

You do not need to do this if the building is already registered for the solemnisation of marriages and the application is only to offer same sex marriages as well.

If you're registering a place of religious worship for the solemnisation of marriages of same sex couples or both same and opposite sex couples, you'll also need to complete form 78A and get consent from the relevant governing authority.

What to do with your completed forms

You'll need to send your completed forms or bring them to Medway Register Office. 

Only original documents with wet signatures will be accepted. 

You'll also need to pay a fee of:

  • £29 if you're certifying a building as a place for religious worship
  • £123 if you're registering a place of worship for the solemnisation of marriages (between a man and a woman, same sex couples, or both)
  • £64 if you're applying to include same sex marriages at an existing place of worship registered for the solemnisation of marriages.

Payment can be made by cash, cheque or we can contact you and take payment by card.

Once you have applied

Medway Register Office will review your application and contact you if there are any issues or if the fee is outstanding.

They'll send your application to the General Register Office within 7 working days.

You'll be told the outcome of your application by email.

If the application is successful, the General Register Office will register the building and give certificates of registration to the superintendent registrar at Medway Register Office within 20 working days.

If more information is needed, the General Register Office will contact you within 20 working days.