Did you know that if you are in a same-sex civil partnership, that you are able to convert your civil partnership into a marriage? (Unfortunately, couples in opposite-sex civil partnerships aren't able to do so at present).
You have two choices. For either you will need to complete a declaration before a superintendent registrar, with all the required documents.
Requirements for completing the declaration
You must both attend together before a superintendent registrar and produce the following documents for completion of the declaration:
- your original civil partnership certificate, and
- proof of identity for each of you; this can be a current valid passport or United Kingdom (UK) driving licence with photograph, and
- proof of your address in one of the following forms:
- a utility bill dated within three months of your appointment, or
- bank or building society statement dated within one month of your appointment, or
- council tax bill dated within one year of your appointment, or
- valid UK driving licence.
If you fail to provide any of the required documents, it may not be possible to complete your conversion.
Option one
This is a simple one stage process to convert your civil partnership to a marriage that can be completed by appointment at the Guildford, Leatherhead or Weybridge Register Office, Monday to Friday.
The appointment should take about half an hour and both civil partners must attend together with all the required documents.
The declaration will be prepared and then immediately signed by both of you in the presence of the superintendent registrar, who will also sign to complete your conversion.
The statutory fee for this appointment is £45 (changing to £50 from 28 May 2024) which includes preparation of the declaration.
Option two
There are two stages to this process, the preparation of the declaration at a register office and the signing of the declaration at a different location or time.
First stage
The first stage is the preparation of your declaration in readiness for signing. This can be completed by appointment at the Guildford, Leatherhead or Weybridge Register Office, Monday to Friday.
Both civil partners must attend together with all the required documents.
Once prepared, the declaration must then be signed within 12 months of the preparation date. The statutory fee for this preparation appointment is £27 (changing to £30 from 28 May 2024).
Second stage
The second stage is the signing of the declaration and completion of your conversion.
The fee for this part is £45 (changing to £50 from 28 May 2024).
Both civil partners must attend together with a superintendent registrar, but you have the option to complete your signing at one of the following locations:
- a register office in the presence of the superintendent registrar only, no invited guests or ceremony, or
- a room in Guildford, Leatherhead or Weybridge Register Office in the presence of the superintendent registrar with your invited guests and followed by a ceremony - an additional local fee is payable for this option, or
- a licensed venue in the presence of the superintendent registrar with your invited guests and followed by a ceremony - an additional local fee is payable for this option, or
- a religious building where same sex marriages are allowed and in the presence of the superintendent registrar - a statutory fee of £91 (changing to £101 from 28 May 2024) is payable for the attendance of the superintendent registrar. A ceremony must follow and the minister should be able to advise you of their fees.
Framework for the Performance of a Civil Partnership Conversion to Marriage Ceremony
Please see our civil partnership conversion to marriage ceremony framework (PDF), for choices of vows or promises and ceremony structure.
Marriage certificates
A marriage certificate will be sent to you once the details of the signed declaration have been recorded onto our system. The certificate will indicate that your marriage should be treated as having existed from the date of your civil partnership and shows the date of the conversion.
The fee for marriage certificates is £11 each (changing to £12.50 from 28 May 2024).
You should contact us if there are special circumstances, for example, one of you is housebound or detained.
Booking your ceremony
You can pre-book your ceremony or make an enquiry regarding your ceremony, by completing our ceremonies enquiry form above. Our ceremonies office will then check availability or respond to your enquiry within two working days.
You will be required to pay the fee that is applicable for the date of your ceremony. All ceremony fees will be payable in full at the time of booking.
Ceremony checklists
You must complete the relevant ceremony requirements form online no later than six weeks prior to your ceremony date. The form will provide us with the details of your celebration, such as your choice of vows or promises, music and readings.
Civil partnership conversion to marriage checklist
Files available to download
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Framework for the Performance of a Civil Partnership Conversion to Marriage Ceremony (PDF)
Structure of the day for a civil partnership conversion to a marriage ceremony.