Change a civil partnership to a civil marriage

Same-sex couples who are in a civil partnership formed in England or Wales can change their partnership to a marriage.

You can do this in South Gloucestershire even if the original ceremony took place elsewhere.

What is involved

The conversion is a legal paper process with the option to have a celebratory ceremony.

Conversion without ceremony

You will both need to attend an appointment at the register office. You must bring the original civil partnership registration certificate and proof of identity and address, examples include:

• passport, birth certificate or photo driving licence
• council tax bill, latest utility bill or recent bank statement

At the appointment:

• you will sign a declaration to confirm that you have not dissolved the civil partnership, and that both of you wish to convert the partnership into a marriage
• the conversion will be registered and a marriage certificate issued

You may also choose to say the declaration wording aloud to one another before signing the declaration.

Conversion with celebratory ceremony

For couples wishing to hold a celebratory ceremony there are 2 stages to the conversion process.

You will both need to attend an appointment at the register office. You must bring the original civil partnership registration certificate and proof of identity and address, examples include:

• passport, birth certificate or photo driving licence
• council tax bill, latest utility bill or recent bank statement

A legal declaration will be drawn up to be signed at a later date. The declaration must be signed within one year of the register office appointment.

The second stage of the conversion process includes signing the declaration, the ceremony and the registration of the marriage. The following will take place:

• you will sign the declaration to confirm that you have not dissolved the civil partnership, and that both of you wish to convert the partnership into a marriage – this must be done in front of the Superintendent Registrar (including at ceremonies taking place in a religious building)
• a ceremony will be conducted by the Superintendent Registrar at the register office or an approved premises, or by the minister for the religious building
• the marriage will be registered and marriage certificates will be posted to the couple

Venues

The following are approved non-religious premises within South Gloucestershire where the ceremony can be held.

The South Gloucestershire Register Office 

Kingswood Civic Centre
High Street
Kingswood
Bristol
BS15 9TR

You can find an approved premises on our online map.

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Fees

Without ceremony 

The fee for conversion at a register office is £55 plus £12.50 for each marriage certificate required. 

With ceremony

There is an initial fee of £33 payable when the couple attend the appointment to see the Superintendent Registrar.

For the second stage of the process, there is either:

• a fee for a celebratory ceremony at the register office or an approved premise or
• a fee of £111.50 for the Superintendent Registrar to attend the declaration signing if the ceremony is in a religious building registered for same sex marriages

Register office

• Monday to Friday (maximum 4 guests) £275

Approved premises

• Monday to Thursday £355
• Friday and Saturday £410
• Sunday and bank holidays £470

A non-refundable deposit of £60 must be paid when booking your ceremony. The remaining balance is due 8 weeks before the ceremony.

Book an appointment and ceremony

To book a conversion to marriage appointment and ceremony contact us by:

• phone: 01454 865150
• email: registrationservice@southglos.gov.uk