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.
Before you start
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.
To set this up please contact our office via the details at the end of this page.
What happens next
Once the conversion has been completed it 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.