4 - Registration in England and Wales – the standard procedure; the special procedure

Summary

Introduction

In the vast majority of cases a civil partnership will be formed, or created, at the point of registration, and that occurs once each of the civil partners has signed a document known as the civil partnership document (s.2(1)), which in most cases will be the civil partnership schedule. The signing of the civil partnership document must be attended by certain formalities. It is now time to consider in detail those formal requirements.

Registration

We are all familiar with the concept of marriage and the traditional way in which a heterosexual couple marry in a church, synagogue or chapel with a priest or other religious person officiating as the couple solemnly exchange vows. Those anticipating that civil partners will be permitted under this Act to tie the knot in a similar fashion will be disappointed. The process is one much more akin to a register office ceremony. The Act requires no exchange of vows and civil partnership is formed, or created, at the point of registration. That occurs once each of the civil partners has signed a document with the less than romantic title of the civil partnership schedule (s.2(1)) in front of an official called the civil partnership registrar. The schedule is best thought of as a licence or permission to marry and is given, or issued, by a body created under the Act called the registration authority which must be satisfied of certain matters before it issues the document.