Civil Partnerships

Forming a civil is an important and special occasion and there are many important decisions to make along the way before your special day.

Tameside has a lot to offer you and our Registration team, who have a wealth of experience, look forward to working with you to ensure that your ceremony is special.

Whether your ceremony is on a small or large scale, Tameside has something to offer you from the elegant Register Office ceremony room - The Denyer and Richardson suite - located on the ground floor in Dukinfield Town Hall, one of Tameside's most prestigious venues to a variety of 8 Approved Premises within Tameside which are licensed to hold civil partnerships.

Should you have any questions for need any further advice please do not hesitate to contact the Register Office

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a Civil Partnership?
• How do we arrange a Civil Partnership?
• How much notice do we need to give?
• Where can we give notice?
• What do we need to produce?
• When is a Civil Partnership Formed?
• Where can the ceremonies be held?
• How to convert your same sex civil partnership to a marriage

What is a Civil Partnership?

A civil partnership is a legal relationship which can be registered by two people who aren't related to each other. Civil partnerships are available to both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Registering a civil partnership will give your relationship legal recognition. This will give you added legal rights, as well as responsibilities.

How do we arrange a Civil Partnership?

You need to make an appointment to give notice at the Register Office. Contact the office using the details at the bottom of the page.

How much notice do we need to give?

By law, in order to form a civil partnership, you must give notice. You cannot give notice more than twelve months before the date of the formation. The minimum notice required is 28 clear days, after which the partnership can be formed

Where can we give notice?

Notice must be given in the district where you live. If you live in Tameside you must give a notice to the Tameside Register Office. If either or both of you are from another district then you must each give the notice at your local Register Office. 

For an appointment please telephone 0161 342 5032 

 

What do we need to produce?

Ideally photographic evidence should be provided in the form of:

• A current valid full passport or if unavailable
• A photo driving licence and also a full birth certificate. If you were born after 1st January 1983 a copy of your mothers full birth certificate is also required.
• A second document such as a recent bank statement, Council Tax bill, or utility bill, dated within the last 3 months.
• If you have been widowed, the death certificate of your spouse.
• If you are divorced, a decree absolute bearing the courts original stamp. (If you were divorced outside the U.K., contact the Register Office for advice.
• Any documents relating to a change of name.
• A completed parental consent form is you are under 18. 

When is a Civil Partnership Formed?

A civil partnership is formed once the couple have signed the Civil Partnership Schedule in the presence of two witnesses and the Civil Partnership Registrar.

Although a ceremony is not part of the legal requirement, Tameside Register Office offer a ceremony in which the legal signing will be included with a choice of vows.

Where can the ceremonies be held?

Ceremonies can be held in our ceremony room - the Denyer Richardson Suite which seats 15, and it is also possible to hold the ceremony in a range of selected venues throughout Tameside.

See our list of ceremony venues.

The marriage room for Tameside Register Office is located at the Town Hall, King Street, Dukinfield. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Click the thumbnails below to see the bigger pictures of Dukinfield Town Hall, and the Register Office.

For further information please contact us and we will be happy to offer help and advice.

How to convert your civil same sex partnership to a marriage

From Wednesday 10 December 2014 you are able to convert your civil partnership to marriage, but only if you registered it in England and Wales, or overseas in a consulate or armed forces base (where the civil partnership was registered according to the laws of England and Wales).

The full fee for conversion is £45.

The process for conversion is:

• You must both attend an appointment, in person, at a register office. Even if you didn’t have your civil partnership in Tameside, you can still come to Tameside for your conversion.
• You'll need proof of identity and of your civil partnership registration.
• The conversion happens when a couple signs a declaration that they've not dissolved their civil partnership and both want to convert it to marriage.
• The declaration must be signed at the register office.
• The conversion will be registered and a certificate of conversion issued.

To book an appointment for your civil partnership conversion, please phone 0161 342 5032

Fees

Forming a Civil Partnership at the Register Office costs £57.00 (although this is subject to change) – this includes £11.00 for your civil partnership certificate
The fee to attend an approved venue is £322.60 Subject to change) A non-refundable deposit is payable at the time of booking and is deducted from the final fee.  There is an additional fee of £11 for your civil partnership certificate
 

Convert Civil Partnership to Marriage