1. Choose your venue

You have several options of where to form your civil partnership.

• At one of our lovely register offices – there are 8 register offices across the county, each with its own unique style and character. 
• At one of our stunning approved wedding venues – we're delighted to offer over 100 stunning wedding venues across the county. 
• Anywhere ceremonies – if you want to celebrate your ceremony somewhere special but that isn’t a licensed venue, we can help. We can arrange a small legal ceremony at one of our register offices and then officiate at the celebratory ceremony at the location of your choice. 
• Evening ceremonies – there are no restrictions on the time of day you can get married so we can offer times later in the day at our approved venues.
• You and two ceremonies – ideal if you'd prefer an intimate and simple ceremony. These ceremonies are available at restricted times in 4 of our register offices. The ceremony is limited to the couple and 2 witnesses.

A simple office-based appointment to sign your partnership document with just you and your witnesses is available at Hatfield Register Office at 10am on Tuesdays. The statutory fee for this signing is £62.

Contact us on 0300 123 4045 to make the arrangements.

2. Book your venue and registrars

Once you've decided on your venue and date, book and pay for your ceremony.

If you've chosen an approved venue, provisionally book with them first before contacting us to book the registrar.

3. Pay

Payment is required at the time of booking to secure your chosen ceremony date and time. 

A booking fee of £75 forms part of the final fee charged for attendance at your ceremony. The booking fee covers the work involved in the initial booking process and, as such, is non-refundable should you amend or cancel your booking.

You must already be legal civil partners before your Anywhere ceremony. This legal signing can take place at any Hertfordshire register office and costs £62.

A civil partnership certificate costs £12.50. You can order a certificate after your ceremony.

4. Book to give notice of your civil partnership

Before you can register your civil partnership, you must both give your legal notice of intention.

You'll need to give notice in your local registration district. You must have lived in that district for at least 7 days immediately before the day you give your notice.

If you and your partner live in different areas, you'll both need to give notice in your own district (unless one or both of you is subject to immigration control).

Notice can be given up to 12 months before your civil partnership and no less than 28 days before.

Notices cost £46.50 each or £63 if one or both parties are subject to the Home Office referral and investigation scheme. If one or both parties are subject to the Home Office referral and investigation scheme, the waiting period can be extended to 70 days by the Home Office to allow time for any investigations.

Marriage or civil partnership – what’s the difference?

A marriage ceremony is a verbal contract given in a ceremony. A civil partnership is a signed contract (a ceremony is optional).

A marriage consists of a husband and a wife and a civil partnership consists of civil partners.

A civil partnership is a legally recognised union that grants same sex and opposite sex couples similar rights and responsibilities as married couples.  This legal recognition provides couples with rights and responsibilities, including those related to property, inheritance and pensions.

Like a marriage, a civil partnership can only be ended if one of you dies or by applying to court to bring the partnership legally to an end. This means if you want to marry or form a civil partnership with someone else in this, or any other country, you will have to have your existing civil partnership dissolved legally through the courts to obtain a dissolution, as you would do with a marriage to obtain a divorce. This is regardless of whether the country you are in recognises civil partnerships. 

Marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales (GOV.UK)

Recognition overseas 

Marriage – an opposite sex marriage formed in England and Wales will be recognised internationally. Same sex marriages formed in England and Wales are recognised in many countries but, if you're going abroad, you should seek advice about what rights you might have under the law of another country. 

Civil partnership – same sex and opposite sex civil partnerships formed in England and Wales are recognised in many countries but again, if you're going abroad, seek advice about what rights you might have under the law of another country.

Conversion – you can't convert an opposite sex civil partnership to a marriage in England and Wales. You can convert your same sex civil partnership into a marriage. More about converting same sex civil partnership into a marriage (GOV.UK)

Converting a same-sex civil partnership to a marriage

A fee of £55 will be charged for a conversion.

Certificates can be issued after the conversion for a fee of £12.50 per copy.

You both need to go to any register office in Hertfordshire and give evidence of your identity and address as well as a certified copy of your civil partnership certificate.

If you want to have a ceremony to celebrate your new marital status, we can offer a Bespoke Conversion Ceremony. It can be held at any Hertfordshire register office or licensed venue in Hertfordshire. Call us on 0300 123 4045 for further details.

Contact details

Email registrars.admin@hertfordshire.gov.uk or call us on 0300 123 4045 for more information on our venues and registrars or to answer your questions.

Privacy notice for the Registration and Citizenship Service

Images: Tori Deslauriers Photography

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