Wedding licenses

Registering a venue for civil weddings and civil partnerships

To hold a civil ceremony at your venue, you need to apply for a licence from your local authority. This is a grant of approval licence.

To meet the required criteria for this licence, your venue and any linked areas must;

• Be available for weddings and civil partnerships.
• Be accessible to the public so anyone can attend the service or make objections.
• Not have historical use as a place of worship. No religious connections, such as furniture or stained-glass windows.
• Meet fire and safety regulations.

If you have an outside area as part of your application, this must be within the boundary of the land on which the built structure stands.

To apply you must be the proprietor or trustee of the building. Please email registrars@sunderland.gov.uk. You must include;

• Name and contact details.
• Type of venue.
• Plan of the premises which identifies the room or rooms where the proceedings will occur.

When you receive your licence, it is valid for 3 years.  You can find more information about the approval of premises here.
 

Registering as a place of worship

The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 and the Marriage Act 1949 state a building used by a religious congregation needs to be registered for religious worship and the solemnisation of marriages. The building (or room(s)) may be registered for the solemnisation of marriages between a man and a woman, between same sex couples or both. 

During the application process, you can also register this as a place for the solemnisation of marriages.  There are 3 possible forms to complete, you can submit them together.  You need to submit 2 original copies of each form.

• Form 76 - To certify your building as a place of worship.
• Form 78 - To register your venue as a place for the solemnisation of marriages between a man and a woman.  (This can be completed at the same time as form 76.)
• Form 78A - To register your venue as a place for the solemnisation of marriages of same sex couples.

You should apply by email to registrars@sunderland.gov.uk.  You can find more information about the application process and your various options here.

Once the information is received by Sunderland Register Office it will be forwarded to the General Register Office for authorisation. 
 

Fees for registering as a place of worship

Appointing an authorised person

1 year after a building has been registered for the solemnisation of marriages, the trustees or governing body can appoint an authorised person to attend marriages and sign the marriage schedule without the need for a registrar to attend.  You can find out more about the process here.
 

Notice of disuse

If a certified building is no longer used for religious worship, a form to disuse the building needs to be completed. Form 77 must be returned to the Superintendent Registrar for the registration district where the building is located.