Event permits in Marseille: what you need to check
Music, alcohol, noise, safety, public space: a corporate event touches on several sets of regulations. In a venue used to hosting events, most of them are already taken care of. Outdoors or on public land, there are more formalities and they take time. Here is an overview of what to check, and with whom.
Regulations and good practice 5 min read Updated on
This article gives general guidance. Rules change and depend on each situation: for your event, the town hall, the prefecture and the venue remain the authoritative sources.
What do event formalities depend on?
Before starting any formality, ask yourself three questions: they determine most of what you will need to do.
- Where is the event taking place? In a venue open to the public (function room, restaurant, hotel, museum), the venue already has its permits and safety rules. On public land or in a natural area, everything has to be set up from scratch.
- Who is invited? An event reserved for employees and their guests does not have the same obligations as an event open to the public.
- What happens there? Music, drinks sales, temporary structures, special effects, a drone: each element can add a formality.
Music: do you need to declare it to SACEM?
As soon as protected musical works are played at an event that goes beyond the family setting, playing them is in principle subject to authorisation from SACEM, which collects authors’ royalties in France. This applies to a corporate party, a seminar with background music or a works council (CSE) Christmas party. The declaration is made online, preferably before the event.
In practice, there are several scenarios: the venue may have a contract covering its programme, the organiser may declare the music themselves, or the music supplier may cover certain services. The AlloDJMarseille association, which our DJs come from, holds a SACEM contract; in each quote we specify what is covered and what, if anything, remains to be declared.
Drinks: when do you need a licence?
If drinks are served in a restaurant, a hotel or a venue with its own licence, the venue is responsible for them. If you set up a bar in an unlicensed venue and sell alcoholic drinks (paying bar, drinks tokens), a temporary drinks licence must be requested from the town hall, with deadlines and conditions to be checked case by case. Drinks offered free at a private reception fall under a different framework: here too, check your situation with the town hall.
In every case, the organiser has a responsibility towards the guests: free, visible water, an alcohol-free offer, and an organised way home for those who have been drinking (shuttle, taxis, designated drivers).
Noise: what are the rules for amplified music?
Venues that play amplified music are subject to national regulations: decree no. 2017-1244 notably sets a maximum level of 102 A-weighted decibels averaged over 15 minutes for the audience, and requires certain protective measures. On top of that come the neighbours and municipal orders, which may set a finish time for outdoor music. Many venues in Marseille by the sea or in the city centre fit their sound system with a limiter: ask about it at your first visit.
Safety: who is responsible at an event?
In a venue open to the public, the venue sets the maximum capacity, the emergency exits and, depending on its category, the presence of fire safety officers. Never exceed the capacity stated for your layout. Outdoors or under a marquee, the organiser becomes responsible: compliant structures put up by professionals, signage, fire extinguishers, first aid suited to the number of people. For large gatherings (roughly more than 1,500 people), a prior declaration to the town hall is generally required: look into it several months ahead. Finally, ask each supplier for their professional liability insurance certificate, and check with your own insurer that the event is covered.
Do you need a permit for a beach, a square or a quayside?
Holding a cocktail reception on a beach, an activity on a square or a welcome on a quayside requires a temporary permit to occupy public land. In Marseille, depending on the location, this falls under the City, the Metropolis or the port authorities. Processing times run to weeks, sometimes months, and a fee may be charged. Beaches operated under concession by a business are booked directly with the operator.
Can you organise an event in the Calanques National Park?
The Calanques form a national park, with its own regulations. Gatherings, amplified music, drone flights, and groups landing or anchoring are all regulated there, and authorisation from the park authority may be needed. In summer, access to the massifs may also be restricted or closed by prefectoral order when there is a fire risk. For an event in or near the Calanques, consult the National Park well in advance and always plan a fallback venue.
What timeline should you plan for event formalities?
| Formality | With whom | When to start |
|---|---|---|
| Declaring the music | SACEM (online) | Before the event |
| Temporary drinks licence | Town hall | Several weeks ahead, deadline to check |
| Occupying public land | City, Metropolis or port depending on the site | 1 to 3 months ahead, sometimes more |
| Large gathering | Town hall, prefecture | Several months ahead |
| Event in the Calanques | Calanques National Park | As early as possible |
| Drone footage | Remote pilot, under aviation regulations | From the project design stage |
| Liability insurance | Your insurer, your suppliers | When signing the quotes |
Questions we are often asked
What permits do you need to organise a corporate event in Marseille?
It all depends on the venue and what happens there. In a venue open to the public that holds its own licence, most things are already covered by the venue; what usually remains is declaring the music to SACEM (the French music royalties body) and complying with noise rules. On public land (beach, square, quayside), you need an occupation permit from the town hall, and selling alcohol outside a licensed establishment requires a temporary permit. Large gatherings and protected sites such as the Calanques National Park have their own rules.
Do you have to declare the music at a corporate party to SACEM?
Yes. A corporate party with music played to employees or guests does not fall within the “family circle” exemption: playing protected works must in principle be declared to SACEM, the French music royalties body. Depending on the venue and the supplier, the declaration may already be covered; ask for this explicitly in the quote.
Go further
- Turnkey event planning
- On-the-day coordination
- Photographer and videographer
- Public sector events
- Grand opening
- Calanques and Cassis
- Marseille
- Sport Beach, Prado beaches
- Guide: How to organise the opening of your premises
- Guide: Event deposits and cancellation: what to check before you sign
- All frequently asked questions
More advice
An outdoor or unusual project?
Tell us about your event: we will outline the likely formalities and lead times, and support you with those that relate to our services.