Registering a building for religious worship

If a congregation is using a building for religious worship and would like their building to be certified as a place of worship by the Registrar General, this can be done through the local Superintendent Registrar. 

The Superintendent Registrar can supply forms to be completed by a Minister or other supervisor of the place of worship or these can be downloaded from the HM Passport website. These are returned to the Superintendent Registrar along with a rough plan of the building, an average weekly timetable of the uses of the building and a statutory fee, currently £29.00. 

This does not apply to churches or chapels of the Church of England, unless it shares a church building with another religious denomination.

For further details, contact your local Superintendent Registrar or see the information for authorised persons on the HM Passport Office website.

Registering a building for the solemnisation of marriages

Once a building is registered as a certified place of religious worship, it may also be registered for the solemnisation of marriages. An application for registration should be made by the proprietor or trustee of the building through the local Superintendent Registrar. Jewish synagogues and meeting houses of the Society of Friends do not need to be registered for marriages.

The appropriate forms can be downloaded from the HM Passport website.  These are to confirm that the building has already been certified for worship and have to be signed by at least 20 separate householders (who are members of the congregation) and countersigned by the proprietor or trustee. There are particular signatories required in certain cases, and other conditions of application, but the Superintendent Registrar can assist with each application.

A fee of £123 should be submitted to your local superintendent registrar with your application.

If the building has already been registered for the solemnization of marriages and you wish it to be registered for the solemnization of marriages of same sex couples, a fee of £64 is applicable instead. 

Cheques should be made payable to ‘Cheshire East Council’

Details of the registration are published in a newspaper circulating in that building's area.

For further details, contact your local Superintendent Registrar. or see the information for Authorised Persons on the HM Passport Office website.

Cancellation of registration of a building for worship or solemnisation of marriages

If a certified building has ceased to be used by the original congregation as a place of worship, the owner or trustees of the building should inform the local Superintendent Registrar immediately so that the registration can be cancelled. 

For further details,contact your local Superintendent Registrar or see the information for authorised persons on the HM Passport Office website.

Contact us

Contact the Register Office

Page last reviewed: 03 January 2023