Civil Partnerships
A civil partnership is a relationship between two people of the same sex, which is formed when they register as civil partners of one another.
Two people can register, provided:
- they are the same sex
- neither of them is already a civil partner or is legally married
- they are 18 or above on the day of the ceremony (consent must be obtained for those aged between 16 and 18)
- they are not related to one another in a way that would prevent them from having a civil partnership.
Civil partnership ceremonies can take place in the Registrar's office, in an approved venue or in a venue of your choice (subject to approval and the availability of the Registrar).
Civil Partnership Notice Forms
These forms, which give formal 'notice' to the Registrar of your intent to form a partnership, must be completed by you and your partner.
They are valid for 12 months from the date of notice. This means you must tell us about your plans in the 12 month period before your ceremony date, and no later than 14 days before your ceremony.
Notice forms should be returned to the Registrar of the district in which you intend to register your partnership, along with the relevant documents (listed below) and fees. For example, if you are forming a partnership in Belfast but you live in Armagh, you will need to return your forms to our Registrar's office which is located in Belfast City Hall.
Approved Venues
Venues are the same as Civil Marriages and can be found using the link below.
