FAQ
- Can I get married in the Rotunda on the Grand Staircase?
- Do wedding rentals include an officiant?
- Does the Events Office handle my marriage certificate and license?
- Is it possible to have a rehearsal for my wedding?
- Do I need an event planner for my wedding?
- May I have music at my event?
- May I have a chuppah?
- What is the process for securing or challenging a date?
- How far in advance can I make a reservation?
- Are there any fees to pay in addition to rent?
- What does the rental payment include?
- What types of payment are accepted? Who should I name as payee? When are payments due?
- What is your refund policy?
- Is insurance required for my event?
- Will City Hall be open to the public during my event?
- May I work with the caterer and event vendors of my choice?
- What time can we load in and set up?
- What equipment is available to rent?
- Can I conduct work in the building before or after my contracted access period?
- May I serve alcohol at my event?
- Will we have access to support rooms and conference center style amenities?
- Am I required to have Sheriffs at my event?
- How do I procure a fire permit and schedule a Fire Marshall?
- May I change the lighting color on the exterior of City Hall for my event?
- Can I post directional signage in City Hall for my event?
- Where can I take pictures in the building?
- Can I use City Hall’s electrical outlets?
- How do I enter City Hall?
- Is the building ADA accessible?
- Where will event guests park?
- Where do we park vehicles for event staff, loading and unloading?
- Can I ship items or equipment to City Hall?
- Can I store items or equipment at City Hall before or after my event?
Can I get married in the Rotunda on the Grand Staircase?
Evening weddings and Two-hour Weddings guarantee you the opportunity to be married on the Grand Staircase. Due to other building activity, being married on the Grand Staircase is not possible during One-hour Weddings.
Do wedding rentals include an officiant?
Wedding rentals do not include an officiant. Please see License & Certificate for more information.
Does the Events Office handle my marriage license and certificate?
The City Hall Events Office does not handle any of the legal aspects of your wedding. The Office of the County Clerk manages marriage licenses and certificates. Please note that because marriage is governed at the County level, clients who are not residents of San Francisco may choose to work with the office of their local County Clerk to procure their marriage license and file their certificate.
Is it possible to have a rehearsal for my wedding?
City Hall is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Clients are welcome to visit the building during those hours to think out their wedding ceremony, but unfortunately due to the high level of regular building activity, it is not possible to schedule a formal rehearsal for your wedding outside of your actual rented access time.Do I need an event planner for my wedding?
While we highly recommend an event planner for our One-Hour and Two-Hour Weddings, we do require couples to have an event planner for any evening weddings. It must be someone who is not a family member, friend, or guest at your wedding.
May I have music at my event?
With approval in advance, clients may hire musicians from our list of qualified vendors. Please note that to minimize disruption to City offices, One-hour Wedding clients may hire only acoustic musicians, and may not play amplified music or have vocal singing.
May I have a chuppah?
The use of chuppahs is permitted for full evening weddings and for Two-hour Weddings. For One-hour Weddings, the use of chuppahs requires advance approval and chuppahs must be hand-supported. Due to fire safety guidelines, freestanding chuppahs are not permitted for One-hour Weddings.
What is the process for securing or challenging a date?
Please see booking for information regarding our challenge process.
How far in advance can I make a reservation?
We accept reservations up to 24-months in advance. Due to the amount of time needed to process contracts and payment, we require a minimum of three weeks advance notice for scheduling One-hour and Two-hour weddings, and a minimum of four weeks advance notice for scheduling evening and weekend events.
Are there any fees to pay in addition to the rent?
Yes. Please see Fees & Expenses for more information.
What does the rental payment include?
Rental payments include access to the building for a specified period of time and basic building services, but do not include labor, insurance, equipment, security or other fees and expenses. Our One-hour and Two-hour wedding packages do include some additional elements. Please see their pages for more information.
What types of payment are accepted? Who should I name as payee? When are payments due?
Private individuals must pay by cashier’s check or money order. We accept business checks from corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. Payment devices should list “CCSF Events Department” as payee. Deadlines for paying rent and fees are discussed in our booking instructions.
What is your refund policy?
If you successfully challenged a date, the deposit you paid to initiate your challenge is not refundable and not transferable to another date.
If you need to cancel an event that was not contracted through a challenge process, the rental deposit is fully refundable up to six months prior to your event date.
If you cancel an event that was not contracted through a challenge process less than six months in advance, you will not receive a refund, but will be granted one opportunity to apply your deposit to another date within 12-months of the original event date.
Is insurance required for my event?
Yes. See Fees & Expenses.
Will City Hall be open to the public during my event?
City Hall is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. While we can privatize event spaces during those hours, the public is allowed to enter the building.May I work with the caterer and event vendors of my choice?
Clients will choose and contract directly with the vendors needed to execute their event, but all event vendors working in City Hall must be on our list of qualified vendors.
What time can we load in and set up?
Access hours will be determined at the time of booking. City Hall Event Staff and San Francisco Sheriffs must be present at all times clients and their staff, vendors, volunteers and guests are in the building.What equipment is available to rent?
See Equipment for an inventory.
Can I conduct work in the building before or after my contracted access period?
Access times are inclusive of load-in and load-out. Renting additional time beyond what is included in your contract may be possible for an additional rental fee.
May I serve alcohol at my event?
Alcohol in City Hall may only be served with a liquor license. Please contract with one of our qualified vendors to ensure appropriate guidelines are followed.
Will we have access to support rooms and conference center style amenities?
As City Hall is primarily a municipal office building, our facility does not have support rooms or many other amenities typically found at conference centers. A limited number of support rooms may be available depending on other scheduled building activity.Am I required to have Sheriffs at my event?
Yes. San Francisco Sheriffs manage all security in the building. Every person entering City Hall must pass through a metal detector and allow their bags to be inspected.How do I procure a fire permit and schedule a Fire Marshall?
Please visit the San Francisco Fire Department website for more information regarding permit fees and scheduling a Fire Marshall.
May I change the lighting color on the exterior of City Hall for my event?
Lighting the exterior of City Hall using its LED system is subject to advance approval from the Office of the Mayor and a fee of $5,000. Please contact our staff to inquire about obtaining approval.
Can I post directional signage in City Hall for my event?
No. As a multi-use building, posting signage throughout the facility is not possible. Clients may post directional signage within the areas contracted for their event, provided the signage is approved in advance by the City Hall Events Office and is self-supported.Where can I take pictures in the building?
During events, photography is permitted in all spaces contracted for your event. During public access hours for the building, which are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, photography is permitted throughout public areas of the building with certain restrictions. See Film & Photo for more information.
Can I use City Hall’s electrical outlets?
For One-hour Weddings and Film & Photo, use of the building’s outlets is not permitted. For evening and weekend rentals, building power may be used with advance approval and submission of plans to the City Hall Electrician.
How do I enter City Hall?
ADA accessible entrances are located on the Van Ness Avenue, Grove Street and Goodlett Place (Polk Street) sides of the building.Is the building ADA accessible?
City Hall is made fully accessible by ADA-compliant entrances and elevators. Entrances are located on the Van Ness Avenue, Grove Street and Goodlett Place (Polk Street) sides of the building. Accessible restrooms are located throughout the building.Where will event guests park?
See Directions & Parking.
Where do we park vehicles for event staff, loading and unloading?
All loading and unloading is done through either the Grove Street Loading Dock or the Van Ness entrance, depending on the type of equipment.
The white zone on Van Ness Avenue is available for a limited number of vehicles to drop off and pick up equipment and supplies. There is no loading dock, so delivery trucks should be equipped with a ramp or lift gate.
No parking is available on the premises. See Directions & Parking for more information.
Can I ship items or equipment to City Hall in advance of my event?
No. As we have extremely limited storage, City Hall cannot accept shipments in advance of your event, nor store items following it.Can I store items or equipment at City Hall before or after my event?
No. All items related to your event must be loaded in and back out during your contracted access period
