Civil Partnership Act 2004

Registration procedure: general

5 Types of pre-registration procedure

(1) Two people may register as civil partners of each other under—

(a) the standard procedure;

(b) the procedure for house-bound persons;

(c) the procedure for detained persons;

(d) the special procedure (which is for cases where a person is seriously ill and not expected to recover).

(2) The procedures referred to in subsection (1)(a) to (c) are subject to—

(a) section 20 (modified procedures for certain non-residents);

(b) Schedule 3 (former spouses one of whom has changed sex).

(3) The procedures referred to in subsection (1) (including the procedures as modified by section 20 and Schedule 3) are subject to—

(a) Part 2 of Schedule 1 (provisions applicable in connection with prohibited degrees of relationship), and

(b) Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 2 (provisions applicable where proposed civil partner is under 18).

(4) This section is also subject to section 249 and Schedule 23 (immigration control and formation of civil partnerships).

6 Place of registration

(1) The place at which two people may register as civil partners of each other—

(a) must be in England or Wales,

(b) must not be in religious premises, and

(c) must be specified in the notices, or notice, of proposed civil partnership required by this Chapter.

(2) “Religious premises” means premises which—

(a) are used solely or mainly for religious purposes, or

(b) have been so used and have not subsequently been used solely or mainly for other purposes.

(3) In the case of registration under the standard procedure (including that procedure modified as mentioned in section 5), the place—

(a) must be one which is open to any person wishing to attend the registration, and

(b) before being specified in a notice of proposed civil partnership, must be agreed with the registration authority in whose area that place is located.

(4) If the place specified in a notice is not so agreed, the notice is void.

(5) A registration authority may provide a place in its area for the registration of civil partnerships.

7 The civil partnership document

(1) In this Part “the civil partnership document” means—

(a) in relation to the special procedure, a Registrar General’s licence, and

(b) in relation to any other procedure, a civil partnership schedule.

(2) Before two people are entitled to register as civil partners of each other—

(a) the civil partnership document must be delivered to the civil partnership registrar, and

(b) the civil partnership registrar may then ask them for any information required (under section 2(4)) to be recorded in the register.