What is Civil Partnership?
A Civil Partnership is a legal relationship for same-sex couples, which is formed by signing a Civil Partnership registration document. It provides a number of important rights and responsibilities and equal treatment for same-sex couples on a wide range of legal matters.
Who is eligible?
You must both be of the same sex, not already in a civil partnership or marriage and must both be over 16. If you are under 18 you will need to provide written consent from your parent(s) or legal guardian(s).
How do we arrange a civil partnership?
You may hold your civil partnership registration in any Register Office or Approved premise in England and Wales, although individual Approved premises are free to decide whether they wish to host civil partnership registrations.
You may choose to simply register your partnership, or to celebrate the registration with a formal ceremony.
Registration only
To make your partnership legal you need only sign the partnership schedule in the presence of credible witnesses and the registrar.
Partnership Ceremonies
You may however enhance your registration by holding a partnership ceremony, either at Leeds Town Hall or at Approved venues within Leeds.
The legal preliminaries - Giving your Notice of Civil Partnership
By law, before you can register a civil partnership, you must both give your notice of civil partnership at the Register Office in the district where you live. You must have lived in the district for at least 7 days before you can give your notice. If you both live in the same district e.g. Leeds, you will both need to give notice at the same office. If you live in different districts you will need to give notice separately in your own area. You must both attend personally to give your notice so you cannot ask a friend or relative to give notice for you. Once you have given your notice it does not matter if either of you moves to a different address.
For information on the cost of giving your notice (see How much does it cost?).
A notice of civil partnership is valid for 12 months and therefore may be given up to 12 months before the date of your registration. It is advisable to secure your registration or ceremony appointment by giving your notice as soon as you can.
The notice is valid only for the venue named on the notice. Whereas it may be possible to change the date and time of your registration or ceremony (provided it is before the expiry date), a change of venue would require a new notice and another notice fee.
After giving notice you must wait a further 15 clear days before the registration or ceremony can take place (for example if a notice was given on the 5th December, the ceremony may take place on or after 21st December.) This means that the quickest you can register your civil partnership is on the 23rd day after you take up residence in the district
After the 15 days have passed the register Office will issue the authority for your civil partnership to take place. If you are holding a ceremony outside Leeds you must present the authority to the person conducting your ceremony prior to the event.
If you live in Leeds you will need to make an appointment to give your notice. Please ring (0113) 2476709.
What documents will we need?
When you make your appointment to visit the Register Office to give your notice you will be asked to produce certain documents as proof of your name, age, nationality, address and where necessary marital status.
Preferred documents
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Name, age & nationality - a passport or a birth certificate. You will also need to produce a deed poll or any statutory declaration documents if you have changed your name.
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Address - driving licence or utility bill/bank statement showing your current address.
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Condition - If either of you has been in a civil partnership before, either in this country or abroad, and that partnership has now ended, you will need to show proof of how it ended. If either of you has been married before, either in this country or abroad, and is now divorced, you will need to show proof of your divorce. If you divorced in England or Wales this will be a court stamped copy of the decree absolute. If you were divorced anywhere else you will need to produce the original document issued by that country and an English translation, if appropriate.
If you have been widowed or you are a surviving civil partner you will need to show us a certified copy of your late husband's/wife's or civil partner’s death certificate.
If you have already registered a civil partnership in a foreign country, you only need to register again in this country if you think that the partnership is not legally recognised in the country where you registered your partnership. If you decide to register your partnership here, you will need to provide any documents relating to the registration when you give your notice
What to do if you are under 18
The minimum age for a civil partnership in this country is 16 years. If either of you is aged 16 or 17 you will need to provide proof of consent to your civil partnership - either from parent(s), guardian(s) or the Court(s). Please contact the register office for advice (see Where to contact us).
Gender recognition
If you have had a gender change a special procedure under Section 3 of the Civil Partnership Act exists so that you may register a civil partnership in your new gender. You may register your Civil partnership on the same day that your marriage is annulled so that there is no legal break in your relationship (although the schedule authorising your civil partnership is valid for a month). You must produce your gender recognition certificate issued by the court in addition to the other documents described above when giving your notice.
Making a Booking
Your notice is valid for one year and therefore may be given up to twelve months before registering your partnership. For registrations at Leeds Town Hall we advise that you secure your appointment by giving your notice as soon as you can.
For registrations and ceremonies taking place at Approved premises you may provisionally book an appointment up to two years in advance. This will allow you to make all the necessary arrangements in good time. You may make a provisional booking by telephone, in writing, by email or in person. If you are booking more than one year in advance you will need to give your notice at the appropriate time to confirm the booking.
When you make your booking we will agree a date with you by when you should give notice.