Get a Beach Ceremony Permit

A couple getting married on the beach

Have your ceremony in the sand on one of the most beautiful beaches in Florida.

A beach ceremony permit is required if one or more of the following applies to your event:

  • Event is generating income from attendees
  • Over 25 people
  • Small arch, chairs, 10 x 10 tent. (These are not provided by the city, but are allowed.)
  • Amplified sound (portable speakers or a P.A. system; no D.J.

Examples of ceremonies that require a permit: weddings, memorials and intimate ceremonies.


Permits must be requested at least two weeks in advance and no more than 365 days away.

Consider making your event sustainable and ocean-friendly to show your commitment to Clearwater's coastal environment.  Check out the full sustainable event guide.

Online

Step 1.Get an estimated number of attendees.

You must know an estimated number of attendees. Ranges of numbers are not accepted.

Step 2.Pick a date and time for the ceremony

You must have your exact day and time picked out for your event prior to applying for your permit. 

Permits are 4 hours long and in 30-minute increments.

Holidays, holiday weekends, and Spring/Winter breaks are especially crowded on Clearwater Beach. If you choose one of these days for your ceremony, know these are public areas and space is not guaranteed. All weddings are conducted on public beach, in full view of beachgoers. You are not permitted to block off any areas.

Step 3.Look up the time of sunset

Your permit must end by sunset. Look up sunset time for your ceremony date at myclearwater.info/sunset.

All Beach Ceremony permits allow for a 4-hour time frame. Set-up, ceremony and breakdown are expected to occur within this time frame. Chairs, decorations and all other wedding materials must be removed immediately after the ceremony.

Look Up the Estimated Time of Sunset

Step 4.Choose the beach venue

The beach is numbered by lifeguard towers. For example, where the map is labeled "6" is actually "Lifeguard Tower 6". You will see numbers on each lifeguard tower.

a map of beach ceremony locations. Click the link to view all

 

The city does not permit beach activity north of Avalon Street.

Choose My Venue

Step 5.Choose your date and time slot

After you have scrolled through the options and chosen your venue, use the filter feature on the left side of the page to click on the date of your event and highlight the time slot or slots by clicking on them.

Please note:

  • The date must be 14 days away and can be no more than 365 away.
  • Only one permit is permitted per day per venue. If you see a venue with a time slot reserved for the day you have chosen, then that means it has been reserved already and is unavailable.

If you accidentally click on a time slot or would like to change the time slot, click on it again to deselect it.

Click "Add to Cart" when you are finished adding the slots to your cart.

Step 6.Sign In or Create an Account

Select the Sign In/Register button located in the top right part of the page. If you have signed up for a city program like swim lessons before, you may already have an account. Sign in with your existing username and password and click "Login".

If you do not have an account, create one by clicking "Don't have an account? Sign Up Now" located above the login button.

Step 7.Enter your event information

Answer all questions fully and accurately. This includes the questions mentioned previously, such as estimated attendance, event type, etc.

Step 8.Verify that your information is correct

Review the information and verify that what you entered is correct. Click "Continue" on the page when finished.

Step 9.Checkout

Payment and fees are paid after the acceptance of the permit. There are no fees due during the application process. You will still need to enter your billing information, as this is a standard in the program.

Step 10.If your permit is accepted....

If your permit is accepted, a permit will be issued once verification of availability is completed and fees are paid. All fees should be paid within one (1) week of staff verification.

On the day-of, remember: 

  • Portable furniture and chairs are allowed at park sites.
  • Dispose of any trash and decorations.
  • Get written approval from the Parks & Recreation Department if a commercial group uses city property to promote their products, business, etc.
  • Get written consent from the Parks & Recreation Department for amplified sound.