License your religious venue
Applying for a building to be recorded for religious worship
Certify a place of meeting for religious worship - Gov.UK
Applying for a building to be recorded for religious worship only
- The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 enables a place of meeting for religious worship to be recorded by the Registrar General - however, a congregation is still able to worship in a building which has not been recorded
- A church or chapel of the Church of England does not need to apply to be recorded for religious worship - if they share their building with one or more non-conformist denominations, the sharing agreement will need to be submitted with the application made by the non-conformists
- The application form 'Certifying a Place of Meeting for Religious Worship' (Form 76) must be completed in duplicate (not photocopied) by any person who can represent the congregation, e.g. the occupier/proprietor/trustee/minister
The applicant will be asked to supply the following information:
- the name by which the place of worship is known
- the address of the building
- whether the application refers to a whole building or a room/rooms within a building
- a floor plan of the building/room (s)
Applying for a building to be registered as a place for the solemnisation of marriages
Apply for a building which is already recorded as a place of religious worship to be registered as a place for the solemnisation of marriages between a man and a woman:
If you wish to apply for the building to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages of same-sex couples, you will also need to complete Form 78A (PDF) and provide a copy of the relevant governing authority's consent:
If you wish to certify the building as a place of religious worship and apply for it to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages between a man and a woman at the same time, you will need to complete 2 separate applications - Forms 76 and 78.
If you wish to apply for the building to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages of same-sex couples, you will also need to complete Form 78A and provide a copy of the relevant governing authority's consent.
Applying for an authorised person
Authorised person certificate of appointment documents:
Notice of the disuse of a certified place of meeting for religious worship
Complete form 77 to inform the General Register Office when a congregation stop worshipping in the registered building.
Last updated 08 March 2023