A civil partnership is a legal partnership for a same sex or opposite sex couple. It gives couples the same rights and responsibilities as those who choose to marry, without having to say vows.
Couples can choose from a civil partnership formation where they simply sign the legal document in our office with 2 witnesses, or have a more celebratory affair with a civil partnership ceremony.
Once you have chosen and booked your civil partnership, you must give notice at your local register office.
Be aware that not all countries recognise the legal status of an English civil partnership.
Giving notice
This is a legal requirement to make sure that you are lawfully free to marry or form a civil partnership and to complete the preliminary legal documentation.
Find out about giving notice for marriages and civil partnerships.
Convert your civil partnership to a marriage
How to convert
Same sex couples who formed a civil partnership prior to 31 December 2019 are now able to convert their civil partnership to a marriage. This includes all civil partnerships registered according to the law of England and Wales (for example in a consulate or armed forces base overseas).
There are 2 ways to convert a civil partnership into a marriage:
- a simple administrative process called a 'standard conversion'
- a 2 stage process where the conversion is followed by a ceremony
Standard conversion
This is a simple administrative process where you will both attend an appointment at any register office, and fill in a declaration with details about you and your civil partner. The documents that you will need are:
- evidence of your name and date of birth - current passports or birth certificates
- evidence of your address - recent council tax, utilities bill, or recent bank statement
- an original civil partnership certificate
A legal declaration will then be drawn up for you to both sign along with the Superintendent Registrar.
If you wish you can choose to say the declaration wording aloud to one another before signing the conversion document. Your marriage is then registered and a marriage certificate will be issued.
A conversion followed by a ceremony
There are 2 stages to this type of conversion. The first part is where you will both attend an appointment at any register office or registration service point, and fill in a declaration with details about you and your civil partner. The documents that you will need are:
- evidence of your name and date of birth - current passports or birth certificates
- evidence of your address - recent council tax or utilities bill or recent bank statement
- an original civil partnership certificate
The signing of the declaration can then be followed by a celebratory ceremony.
Following the ceremony your marriage is registered, and a marriage certificate can then be issued.
If you are in a civil partnership and are considering converting this to a marriage, contact the register office for more guidance and information.
Civil partnership conversion fees
| Civil Partnership conversion | Fee |
|---|---|
| Preliminaries only | £27 |
| In Register Office | £45 |
Terms and conditions
The above charges are General Register Office statutory fees.
There is a charge of £11 for each marriage certificate.
Read our terms and conditions: