Legal Requirements

Giving a Notice of Civil Partnership

After you have booked your ceremony, you are both legally required to give a Notice Civil Partnership, in person, at a Register Office.

If you are both British, from the EEA (European Economic Area) or Swiss nationals, you are not subject to immigration control and must therefore give your notices of civil partnership to the superintendent registrar for the district(s) in which you have lived for the proceeding eight nights immediately prior to giving your notices.

• If you live in Kent you can give notice at any of our Kent offices.
• If you live in the London Borough of Bexley you need to give notice at the Bexley Register Office.
• If you live in Medway, you will need to give notice at Medway Register Office 01634 338899
• If you live outside of these areas, you will need to give your Notice of Civil Partnership at the register office in the district(s) where you live.
• You must both give your notices at least 28 days prior to your ceremony date and know where and when you are holding your ceremony.
• The statutory fee in England and Wales to give notice is currently £42 per person

Couples will need to bring certain documents with them to the appointment, this will depend upon personal circumstances.

• List of the exact documents which can be accepted

When the two notices have been given, you must wait 28 clear days before the ceremony can take place. The ceremony must take place within one year of the date of the first notice.

Foreign Nationals

If either of you are not British, or from the EEA (European Economic Area) or a Swiss National and you do not have diplomatic status, a certificate of right of abode or are visiting armed forces, you are subject to immigration control.

Both of you must have lived in a registration district of England and Wales for at least eight nights immediately prior to giving your notices in that district.

• You must give notice at a designated register office in England or Wales.
• The designated register offices in Kent are in Canterbury, Bexley, Dartford, Maidstone, Ramsgate and Tunbridge Wells. Please see our Contact page to make an appointment.
• You must attend together.
• You will be required to bring certain documents with you. Documents which can be accepted.
• You will both be required to provide a current passport sized photograph
• The statutory fee in England and Wales to give notice is currently £57 per person
• You must give your notices at least 70 days prior to your ceremony date and know where and when you are holding your ceremony.
• Where there are any language difficulties you must arrange for a suitable interpreter to attend with you.

Staff will always be pleased to provide help and assistance - simply call us or email us.

Further information can be found on the Government website.