Register a civil partnership
- In order to register a civil partnership, couples must be over 18 (or provide evidence of consent if aged 16 or 17), not related to each other within the prohibited degrees of relationship and free to register (eg. not in an existing marriage or civil partnership).
- Couples can also choose to enhance their civil partnership registration with a ceremony, which can include special vows, poetry, readings, messages of celebration and music.
- The civil partnership may be registered in the register office in Maidenhead, or at a ceremony in the Maidenhead Ceremony Room within the Town Hall or at one of the many venues currently approved by the Royal Borough or other districts for civil ceremonies.
- If you wish to book a registration and / or ceremony in the Maidenhead Ceremony Room, please use the ceremony booking form or email: registrar@rbwm.gov.uk.
- If you wish to book a registration and ceremony at a licensed venue then you will need to arrange this direct with the venue concerned and then contact us to check availability / book a registrar by using our ceremony booking form or email: registrar@rbwm.gov.uk.
- For full details of legal requirements, please refer to the gov.uk website.
Giving notice
- You need to give legal notice of your intent to form a Civil Partnership to the registrars in the district in which you live. Please remember you will need an appointment to do this. This must be done a minimum of one month in advance of your Civil Partnership. Please see our Getting married/civil partnership page for information on how to book an appointment. If one of you is a non EU citizen please email for further advice or consult the gov.uk website for full details.
- The cost, per person, of giving notice is £42.00 per person and this may vary if either of you are from outside the UK.
After notice given
- After notice has been given there is a 28-day waiting period before the schedule (authority for the partnership registration to take place) can be issued.
- The authority is valid for 12 months but is restricted to the venue for which it is issued. If the authority expires before the registration is completed or you wish to change the venue then new notices will have to be given.
- In cases where one of the partners is seriously ill and not expected to recover then it is possible for the 28-day waiting period to be reduced, but please seek advice on this point by contacting the register office.