Apply to become a licensed ceremony venue
To apply, you must contact Medway Register Office for an application form.
You can contact them for advice and guidance on completing your application form.
Once you've completed your application, you'll need to visit Medway Register Office and:
- bring your completed application form
- bring a plan of the premises
- pay the fee of £1,900.
The register office will review your application within 5 working days and contact you to:
- ask for more information (if needed)
- book your venue inspection.
Ceremonies cannot take place until you have received your licence from Medway Register Office.
Once you have applied
After your application has been reviewed, a notice is published on our venue licence notice page and posted at Medway Register Office for 21 days.
This gives anyone the chance to object to approval of your licence in writing within 21 days.
Venue inspection
Medway Register Office will contact you to arrange an inspection.
A staff member will visit your venue and check:
- all rooms you are applying to become licensed in your building (including outdoor spaces)
- your fire safety certificate
- your health and safety documents
- your current public liability insurance.
If there are any issues found during the inspection, they'll raise these with you at the time and arrange another inspection if needed or ask you to send them the documentation they need.
There is no charge for a re-inspection.
What happens next
You'll be told the outcome within 5 working days of the inspection. Your application will either be:
If anyone objected to your application, they will also be told the outcome.
Approved
Once your licence has been approved, you'll be known as the holder of approval. You must tell Medway Register Office your name and address.
You'll also need to choose a responsible person and tell us their name and address.
They'll be responsible for making sure the venue always meets the approval conditions.
Once the licence has been made, you can collect it from Medway Register Office or it can be posted to you.
The licence is valid for 5 years and must be displayed at your venue at all times.
The venue will be added to the register of approved premises. The entry will include:
- the name and address of the approved premises
- description(s) of the room(s) that are licenced for ceremonies
- the name and address of the holder of approval
- the date the licence was issued and the date it will expire
- the name, address and suitability of the responsible person.
The entry will also say if any of the premises are approved for civil partnerships formed by a same sex couple or an opposite sex couple.
Find out what happens once your venue is licensed.
Approved subject to conditions being met
You'll be told about the conditions. If you agree to meet the conditions, you must contact Medway Register Office to confirm.
The conditions may be that the register office needs to see further documentation or organise a re-inspection.
Once the conditions are met, the licence will be issued.
If you do not agree with the conditions, you can appeal the decision.
Rejected
You'll be told why the application was rejected.
You can appeal the decision if you do not agree with the outcome.
How to appeal
Your appeals should be made in writing within 2 weeks of the application outcome.
Send your appeal in writing to: The Proper Officer, Medway Register Office, Northgate, Rochester, Kent, ME1 1LS.
You can also appeal by emailing register.office@medway.gov.uk.
After your venue is licensed
Once your venue is licensed, the register office may carry out further inspections.
If the venue fails an inspection, the licence may be revoked.
Some of the reasons for the revocation can be:
- not complying with an approval condition
- if the premises is no longer suitable after a change of use
- breaches of law about the ceremonies on approved premises.
The register office will deliver a notice in writing to the holder of approval.
Find out more about revocation on GOV.UK.