Licencing a venue
Kent County Council licences Kent and Bexley venues for civil marriages and civil partnerships. A venue licence needs to be renewed every three years.
Suitable venues and regulations
Venues, including gazebos, must be a permanent structure and must fulfil the licence requirements and conditions. Temporary structures, such as marquees, cannot be licensed.
Before you apply, read the licensing information booklet (PDF, 386 KB), which includes venue and gazebo regulations and licence conditions.
Licence fees
| Number of ceremony rooms | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 | £1,650 |
| 2 | £2,000 |
| 3 | £2,100 |
| 4 | £2,200 |
| 5 | £2,300 |
| 6 or more | £2,400 |
- an additional ceremony room during a three-year licence: £500
- appeal against the refusal of licence/licence conditions/decision to revoke: £1,000
Apply for a licence
Before you begin the process, we can inspect your venue at no charge and can give you advice about your venue before you submit a formal application.
If you would like a free inspection of your venue, contact us at kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk or telephone 03000 414003.
Apply online for a venue licence or change a current licence:
Applications for a licence to use premises for civil marriage and civil partnership
Application to change a licence to use premises for civil marriage and civil partnership
If you have any questions about applying for a venue licence, contact us by calling 03000 414003 or kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk.
If you do not agree with a decision
If your application is declined, you have the right to have a review of the decision. To get a review of the decision, telephone 03000 414003 or email kentish.ceremony@kent.gov.uk.
Current venue licence applications in Kent and Bexley
View a list of the current venue licence applications we have received.