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Guidance for premises to be approved as a venue for civil marriages and civil partnerships.
Welcome to Dorset Registration Service and thank you for expressing an interest in becoming one of our Approved Premises for civil marriages and civil partnerships.
This guidance booklet explains the licence application process, requirements and conditions which must be met in order for your application to be successful. Please read this booklet carefully before submitting your application.
If you require further assistance or advice please contact us.
Dorset Registration Service works in partnership with Approved Premises to promote civil ceremonies in Dorset. Our mission is to become the ‘Service of Choice’ for a couple wishing to celebrate their special day and our vision, with your help, is that a Dorset ceremony will be synonymous with: stunning location; quality service; simplicity of process; and customer excellence.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Dorset Registration Service aims to provide an excellent customer experience for couples choosing to celebrate their special day in Dorset.
The Service offers the following ceremonies:
An ‘Approved Premises’ licence is required for venues that want to offer marriage and civil partnership ceremonies. In Dorset this licence is issued by Dorset Council Registration Service. A licence is not required for naming, renewal of vows, commitment or citizenship ceremonies.
This ceremony has legal status. It provides the only alternative to a religious marriage. Civil marriage is available to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
This ceremony has legal status. Civil partnership is available to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
Ceremonies can be as simple or sophisticated as the couple wish; what is important to the Registration Service is finding out what matters for the couple. We will meet with them and provide professional advice and help in creating their own bespoke ceremony.
Ceremonies may take place at any time on any day of the week including Sundays and bank holidays.
For both civil marriages and civil partnerships, the ceremony is conducted by a Celebrant and a Registrar. They are both provided by Dorset Council and for legal reasons they must both be Dorset Council employees. The Celebrant and Registrar will normally arrive at the venue thirty minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. Occasionally couples may prefer to have a close friend or relative to lead the ceremony, this may be possible, and we would advise the couple to contact the Service for more information.
When booking a civil ceremony, the couple should first contact the approved premises and provisionally arrange a date. The couple should then contact Dorset Registration Service to book the registration team to conduct the ceremony.When this has been confirmed the couple should confirm their booking with the approved premises.It is currently the responsibility of the couple to ensure that both the Approved Premises and the registration team are booked and confirmed for the same time and date.Dorset Registration Service is presently developing an “On-Line Ceremony Booking System” which will be accessible to all Approved Premises if they so wish. This will enable Approved Premises to view the availability of the registration team for the required date and time, book their services and get instant confirmation of the booking. This system should benefit both the Approved Premises and the couple.
The holder of the approved premises licence must ensure that on ceremony days there is an individual or ‘responsible person’ present to ensure compliance with licence conditions. It is necessary for the ‘responsible person’ to be available on the premises for a minimum of one hour prior to and throughout the proceedings.
Do I need planning permission?
Planning permission may be required to use a building or land as a wedding venue, or as a premises for civil marriages and civil partnerships. Whether permission is required will depend on the existing lawful planning use and the scale of associated activities. These include things like:
The Council can provide advice please see requesting confirmation that your proposal does not need planning permission
Listed Building Consent maybe required if the proposed use results in the need to change any internal or external parts of a listed building or structures within the grounds of a listed building.
Building regulations may apply to certain changes of use of an existing building even though you may think that the work involved in the project will not amount to 'building work'. Please contact our Dorset Council Building Control Team for advice
It is necessary for the premises to have public liability insurance cover during the three-year period of the licence. Such insurance must be for a minimum of £5 million in respect of any one act.
If sound recordings are to be played in public, UK copyright law (the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988) requires a premise to obtain a PPL licence.
Two reserved car parking spaces should be provided for registration staff on ceremony days. These spaces should be near to the building and allow easy access and exit so that the registration staff may leave the venue quickly once the ceremony has finished as they may need to proceed to another ceremony.
Dorset Registration Service offers a pre-inspection visit for all applicants. This provides the opportunity to discuss the suitability of the venue in greater detail and for the applicant to fully understand the arrangements and commitments involved in becoming an Approved Premises.
You must:
When completed, the form should be submitted to:
Dorset Registration Service, Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1RP
a) Two copies of a plan of the venue (no larger than A3 size) showing the proposed “ceremony rooms”. These need to be to scale and must show all aspects of fire safety for the building such as;
b) A copy of the public liability insurance (£5 Million)
c) A copy of the up to date fire risk assessment
d) Copies of any booklets or information leaflets about the venue
The licence fee is non-refundable. Please send a cheque or postal order made payable to ‘Dorset Council’. Alternatively, you may phone us and pay by credit or debit card.
Fees for licensing venues are set annually by Dorset Council.
Type of application | 24/25 |
---|---|
Initial licence application |
£1,333 |
Renewal licence application |
£1,333 |
Review of decision (The fee will be refunded if the original decision is not upheld) |
£670 |
The service will:
Following the inspection and subject to all other requirements being met the licence will be issued.
Please note that granting a licence can take between 4 to 8 weeks.
The licence is valid for a period of 3 years. After the end of the second year the licence holder may submit an application for their licence to be renewed.
All applications must meet the following standard and local requirements:
In considering the suitability of premises as a venue, the authority will have regard to the following guidance from the Registrar General:
In considering the suitability of premises as a venue, the authority will have regard to the following local requirements:
Once a licence has been issued the licence holder must comply with the following standard and local conditions:
(Proceedings means the solemnisation of a marriage or the formation of a civil partnership and does not refer to any other activities on the premises)
1. The holder of the approval must ensure that there is at all times an individual with responsibility for ensuring compliance with these conditions (‘’the responsible person’’) and that the responsible person’s occupation, seniority, position of responsibility in relation to the premises, or other factors (his ‘’qualification’’), indicate that he is in a position to ensure compliance with these conditions.
2. The responsible person or, in his absence, an appropriately qualified deputy appointed by him, shall be available on the premises for a minimum of one hour prior to and throughout each of the proceedings.
3. The holder must notify the authority:
a) of his name and address immediately upon him becoming the holder of an approval under regulation 6(2) of the Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005; and
b) of the name, address and qualification of the responsible person immediately upon the appointment of a new responsible person.
4. The holder must notify the authority immediately of any change to any of the following:
a) the layout of the premises, as shown in the plan submitted with the approved application, or in the use of the premises;
b) the name or full postal address of the approved premises;
c) the description of the room or rooms in which the proceedings are to take place;
d) the name or address of the holder of the approval; and
e) the name, address or qualification of the responsible person
5. The approved premises must be made available at all reasonable times for inspection by the authority.
6. A suitable notice stating that the premises have been approved for the proceedings and identifying and giving directions to the room in which the proceedings are to take place must be displayed at each public entrance to the premises for one hour prior to and throughout the proceedings.
7. No food or drink may be sold or consumed in the room in which proceedings take place for one hour prior to and during those proceedings.
8. All proceedings must take place in a room which was identified as one to be used for that purpose on the plan submitted with the approved application.
9. The room in which the proceedings are to take place must be separate from any other activity on the premises at the time of the proceedings.
10. The arrangements for and content of the proceedings must meet with the prior approval of the superintendent registrar of the district, or the registration authority of the area, as the case may be, in which the approved premises are situated.
11. Any proceedings conducted on approved premises shall not be religious in nature. In particular, the proceedings shall not:
a) include extracts from an authorised religious marriage service or from sacred religious texts;
b) be led by a minister of religion or other religious leader;
c) involve a religious ritual or series of rituals;
d) include hymns or other religious chants; or
e) include any form of worship.
The proceedings may include readings, songs or music that contains an incidental reference to a god or deity in an essential non-religious context. For this purpose, any material used by way of introduction to, in any interval between parts of, or by way of conclusion to the proceedings shall be treated as forming part of the proceedings.
12. Public access to any proceedings in approved premises must be permitted without charge.
13. Any reference to the approval of premises on any sign or notice, or on any stationary or publication, or within any advertisement may state that the premises have been approved by the authority as a venue for marriage in pursuance of section 26(1) (bb) of the Marriage Act 1949, and the formation of civil partnerships under section 6(3A)(a) of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 but shall not state or imply any recommendation of the premises or its facilities by the authority, the Register General or any of the officers or employees of either of them.
14. If a change of name to the approved premises occurs after the issue of the certificate for marriage or the civil partnership document, but before the proceedings, the former name of the approved premises as recorded in the certificate for marriage or the civil partnership document shall remain valid for its duration for the purpose of the proceedings.
1. The holder of the approval must maintain relevant public liability insurance in respect of any legal liabilities which might arise from the use of the holder’s premises as a venue for marriages and civil partnerships.
2. The following supplementary conditions apply for the approval of ‘garden rooms’ and other free-standing structures:
a) The structure must have foundations and be permanent and immovable and in this respect the decision of the County Council on what is considered “permanent” and “immovable” will be final.
b) The structure must have a brick, stone or concrete base and ideally this should be raised above the surrounding ground level. The structure should have a roof, which should be tiled, although other covers e.g. thatch, will be considered providing they are waterproof and are a requirement of the local planning officer and/or a conservation/heritage decision. The roof should be supported by brick, stone, concrete or wood pillars or walls. The space between pillars may have the benefit of trellising or other decoration.
c) The structure should be able to be provided with electric light and power.
d) The structure should be of sufficient size to accommodate the following:
The decision of the County Council on what is considered to be sufficient space will be final.
e) The structure must provide a seemly and dignified venue in which civil ceremonies may be celebrated.
f) The structure must be regularly available to be used for the celebration of civil ceremonies.
g) The structure will only be approved if it forms a part of a larger venue, which must include either one or a number of other approved ceremony rooms. In this respect when ever a ceremony is booked with in a free-standing structure, another ceremony room must be kept available so that if the weather is inclement the ceremony may be moved inside.
h) The decision as to whether, because of inclement weather, a marriage has to be moved into a ceremony room inside the venue will be made by the registration staff after discussion with the ceremonial party and the venue. The decision of the registration staff is final.
i) The venue must make sure that any ceremonies taking place within the structure are not affected by any other activities taking place at the venue. The immediate area surrounding this structure is to be roped/barriered so as to restrict access one hour before and during a ceremony. No food or drink is permitted within this roped/barriered area one hour before and during a ceremony.
The first licence certificate is framed and will be delivered to the premises shortly after the venue is approved. The notice must be permanently and prominently displayed in the main entrance/reception at the venue.
The licence holder or any person or persons employed or acting on his/her behalf in respect of the Approved Premises may not imply in any advertisement, statement or document that Dorset Council, Dorset Registration Service or the Registrar General recommends the Approved Premises. Licence Holders may use the following words to describe the granting of a licence as an Approved Premises:
Approved by Dorset Council as a venue for the solemnization of civil marriages and the formation of civil partnerships
The licence is not transferable between premises. It is acceptable, subject to approval by the Dorset Registration Service, to transfer a licence between licence holders, upon the sale of a venue or the appointment of a new manager.
If a licence is not approved by Dorset Registration Service, the applicant will be given notice in writing together with the reasons for the decision. An applicant who is aggrieved by the refusal to grant a licence may seek a review by a member of the Review Panel of Dorset Council’s Regulation Committee.
Dorset Registration Service will send a reminder letter and renewal application form to the venue approximately 3 months before the expiry date.
If the holder fails to apply for renewal before the expiry date and the approval expires, it will be reinstated by the receipt by Dorset Registration Service of an application for renewal made by the holder within one month of the expiry date and continue until the application has been dealt with. A renewal will run from the previous expiry date.
Dorset Registration Service may revoke a licence if any conditions attached to the approval have been broken.
An applicant may seek a review by the local authority of its decision to refuse to grant an approval, to attach local conditions, to refuse to renew an approval or to revoke an approval.
The review must be carried out by a different officer, committee or sub-committee than that which made the decision which is being appealed against. The review panel may confirm the decision, rescind it or vary it with the imposition of fresh or further conditions.
The authority may charge an additional fee for a review of its decision to refuse to grant an approval, to attach local conditions or to refuse to renew an approval.
A ceremony day is one of the most important occasions in a couple’s life. It is necessary for Approved Premises and Dorset Registration Service to work together to ensure that each ceremony runs as smoothly as possible, whilst providing the utmost customer service and care.
During inspection, registration staff will discuss ceremony day procedures in order for the applicant to gain a full understanding of what the day entails. The applicant will also have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss any ceremony day procedures already planned for the venue.
It is acceptable for civil marriages and civil partnerships to be followed by a celebration, commemoration or occasionally a blessing providing that it is separate from the civil ceremony and is not a religious marriage ceremony.
It is recommended to have a break between the end of the civil ceremony and the start of any blessing e.g. 30 minutes, to allow the registration staff enough time to leave the premises.
If a religious blessing were to regularly follow ceremonies at a particular Approved Premises, or be considered part of the service being offered, there may well be a religious connection which could be incompatible with the licence requirements and Dorset Registration Service may need to consider revoking the licence.
Dorset Registration Service staff will comply with any rules and regulations affecting the Approved Premises providing that they do not conflict with:
The venue may be asked to provide a microphone and amplification system if the acoustics of the ceremony room are challenging, to ensure that all guests may hear the ceremony. It may also be necessary for the venue to provide a microphone and amplification system where a garden room or freestanding structure is approved.
Flowers and floral arrangements will be at the discretion of the venue and should be suitably placed so as not to restrict the area where the ceremony is to be conducted.
The venue is responsible for ensuring compliance where necessary with Performing Rights and Phonographic Performance Licence requirements.
The venue is required to provide a CD music system for couples who choose to have music played before, during and after their ceremony. The music should be operated by a member of the venue’s staff or someone nominated from the guests.
If live music is required before, during or after a ceremony, space should be made available without compromising the area needed to conduct the ceremony.
During the ceremony the music played should not have any religious connotations.
The venue may need to provide ushers to control or assist guests depending on the size of the ceremony party.
Registration staff may need access to a telephone in certain circumstances.
The couple are responsible for paying Dorset Council direct. The fees cover the preparation of the civil ceremony, associated work by the Ceremony Team and the attendance of a Celebrant and Registrar.
See our contact details, including our response times and the areas we cover.