Converting your civil partnership to a marriage
You can convert your civil partnership into a marriage. The conversion will not be a marriage ceremony, it is changing an existing legal relationship rather than forming a new one. The fee for the process is £45.
To convert your partnership, you and your partner must:
- Attend an appointment with a superintendent registrar. It can be at a register office or other approved licensed venue for same-sex marriages.
- Provide proof of your identity and the original civil partnership registration certificate.
- Sign a statement to confirm you have not dissolved your civil partnership and that you both wish to convert it to a marriage.
The conversion will be registered online, and a handwritten certificate will be issued.
Partnerships which can be converted into a marriage in England and Wales
You can convert your partnership if it was:
- Registered in England and Wales.
- Or, registered overseas in a consulate or armed forces base. The civil partnership must have been registered according to the law of England and Wales.
Partnerships which can't be converted into a marriage in England and Wales
You won't be able to convert your partnership into a marriage in England or Wales if:
- Your partnership was formed outside of England and Wales. You should seek legal advice to find out the options which are available to you.
- You are in a legal relationship which is still valid in the country in the which the relationship was formed. You have to be legally free to marry.