The Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into force on 5 December 2005 and enables same sex couples to obtain legal recognition of their relationship. Couples who form a civil partnership will have a new legal status, that of 'civil partner'.
- To form a civil partnership, a couple must first enter notice of their intention to register.
- Before entering notice both people will need to have a seven day residential qualification and to give notice in the area where they live prior to the formation of their civil partnership.
- The couple must be of the same sex, over 18 (or provide evidence of consent if over 16), not related to each other within the prohibited degrees of relationship, and not in an existing marriage or civil partnership.
- There is a 15 day waiting period once notice of intention to register has been given, before the formation can take place.
- It is possible to form a civil partnership either in a Register Office or an approved licensed venue of choice. Licensed Venues
- The civil partnership will be formed once the couple have signed in the presence of a registration officer and two witnesses.
- There is no requirement for a ceremony as part of the legal process of forming a civil partnership, however in Milton Keynes we will be delighted to offer a ceremony if required.
- There are procedures in place to reduce the 15 day waiting period (where there are compelling reasons to do so), for a formation to take place at the residence of someone who is housebound, detained or seriously ill and not expected to recover.
- The statutory fees for giving the notice of intention to register are £30 each and a single fee of £40 for the formation of a Civil Partnership in the Register Office. Fees for registration at an approved venue are the same as for marriage in Milton Keynes. The fee for the attendance of the Civil Partnership Registrar at a Civil Partnership in an approved premises (for example, at a hotel) is set by the local authority. The Civil Partnership Registrar of the authority where you wish to form your Civil Partnership will be able to provide you with details of the fees payable.
- Certificates cost £3.50 each if applied for on the day of the registration and £7 if applied for later.
- Please note, cheques should be made payable to 'Milton Keynes Council'.
If you would like to make a provisional booking or have any questions, please contact us on (01908) 372101
Further information about civil partnerships is available on the
Women & Equality Unit's website .
Application form for a Civil Partnership Certificate
If you have Acrobat Reader Version 7 or above you will be able to access the application form immediately by clicking on the link below.
If you do not have Acrobat 7 or above but do have broadband you can download Acrobat version 7 for free.
If you do not have broadband you may wish to collect or apply for a free CD. The CD's are available from the
Main Council Offices or
Central Milton Keynes Library
If your request is urgent and you cannot wait to collect a CD please contact The Registrars Office on 01908 372101 to request an application form.
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