Marquee Planning Permission and Building Regs (UK): The 28-Day Rule
Direct answer
For a typical wedding marquee: no building-regulations approval — Building Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 Class 4 exempts a building 'not intended to remain where it is erected for more than 28 days'. Planning permission is likewise generally not engaged by a short-term marquee on private land for a one-off private event (28-day-class temporary use), though repeated commercial use changes that. What still applies: fire-safety duties (you're the responsible person — the official ≤60/≤300 assembly guidance covers marquees explicitly), HSE expectations on safe erection/dismantling, and a TEN if alcohol is sold.
Exempt from building regs ≠ exempt from safety duties
The 28-day exemption removes the approval paperwork, not the responsibility. The Fire Safety Order still makes the event organiser the responsible person; HSE enforces safe erection and dismantling of large marquees (wind loading, anchorage, buried services before staking); and the government's small/medium places-of-assembly guide names marquees and tents explicitly. Get the marquee firm's method statement and wind-rating documentation — the reputable firms volunteer them.
Assumptions
- One-off private event on private land, structure up ≤28 days — the exemption's own terms.
- This is legal information, not legal advice; commercial or repeated use needs planning advice.
What changes this answer
- The marquee stays up beyond 28 days — the Class 4 exemption's boundary.
- Land use becomes commercial/repeated (a wedding business in a field is not a one-off party).
- Listed-building curtilage or protected land — consult the council regardless.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk — Building Regulations 2010 Schedule 2 — tier 1, verified 2026-07-22
- UK Health and Safety Executive — tier 1, verified 2026-07-22
- HM Government — fire safety risk assessment, places of assembly — tier 1, verified 2026-07-22
- GOV.UK (Licensing Act 2003) — tier 1, verified 2026-07-22
Last checked 2026-07-22. Tiers: 1 government/regulator · 2 industry body · 3 official supplier docs · 4 large surveys · 5 professional material.
Legal information — not legal advice
Rules cited on this page apply to: UK. They were verified against the official sources listed above on 2026-07-22 and can change.Rules often differ by state, province, council or venue and depend on your event's specifics — confirm current requirements with the issuing authority before relying on them.