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Civil Partnership Act 2004
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Civil Partnership Act 2004 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 16 May 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 102(8A) inserted by 2023 asp 3 s. 56(2)
- s. 103(10) inserted by 2023 asp 3 s. 56(5)
- s. 108(5) inserted by 2023 asp 3 s. 56(8)
- s. 213(1A) inserted by 2013 c. 30 Sch. 2 para. 5(2)
A relationship is specified for the purposes of [F1section 213(1)(a) (specified relationships between two people of the same sex)] if it is registered in a country or territory given in the first column of the table and fits the description given in relation to that country or territory in the second column—
| Country or territory | Description |
|---|---|
| [F2Andorra | unió estable de parella |
| [F3[F4Argentina | marriage] |
| Argentina: Autonomous City of Buenos Aires | unión civil |
| Australia: Australian Capital Territory | civil partnership |
| Australia: New South Wales | a relationship registered under the Relationships Register Act 2010 |
| Australia: Queensland | civil partnership] |
| Australia: Tasmania | significant relationship] |
| [F5Australia: Victoria | registered domestic relationship |
| Austria | eingetragene Partnerschaft] |
| Belgium | [F6the relationship referred to as cohabitation légale, wettelijke samenwoning or gesetzliches zusammenwohnen] |
| [F4Belgium | marriage] |
| [F7[F4Brazil | marriage] |
| Brazil | união estável] |
| [F8[F4Canada | marriage]] |
| [F9Canada: Manitoba | the relationship referred to as common-law relationship or as union de fait] |
| Canada: Nova Scotia | domestic partnership |
| Canada: Quebec | [F10the relationship referred to as union civile or as civil union] |
| [F11Colombia | unión de hecho |
| Czech Republic | registrované partnertsví |
| [F4Denmark | marriage]] |
| Denmark | registreret partnerskab F12. . . |
| [F13Ecuador | unión civil] |
| Finland | [F14the relationship referred to as rekisteröity parisuhde or as registrerad partnerskap] |
| France | [F15pacte civil de solidarité] |
| Germany | Lebenspartnerschaft F12. . . |
| [F16Greenland | the relationship referred to as nalunaarsukkamik inooqatigiinneq or as registreret partnerskab |
| Hungary | bejegyzett élettársi kapcsolat |
| [F4Iceland | marriage]] |
| Iceland | staðfesta samvist F12. . . |
| [F17Ireland | civil partnership |
| Isle of Man | civil partnership |
| Jersey | civil partnership |
| Liechtenstein | eingetragene Partnerschaft] |
| [F18Luxembourg | the relationship referred to as partenariat enregistré or eingetragene partnerschaft] |
| [F19Mexico: Coahuila] | [F19pacto civil de solidaridad] |
| [F19[F20Mexico: Mexico City Federal District]] | [F19[F20marriage]] |
| [F19Mexico: Mexico City Federal District] | [F19sociedad de convivencia] |
| Netherlands | [F21geregistreerd partnerschap] |
| [F4Netherlands | marriage] |
| [F22New Zealand | civil union] |
| [F23[F20Norway | marriage]] |
| Norway | registrert partnerskap F12. . . |
| [F24[F20Portugal | marriage]] |
| [F24Slovenia | zakon o registraciji istospolne partnerske skupnosti] |
| [F24South Africa | civil partnership] |
| [F24[F20South Africa | marriage]] |
| [F25[F4Spain | marriage]] |
| [F26[F4Sweden | marriage]] |
| Sweden | registrerat partnerskap F12. . . |
| [F27Switzerland | the relationship referred to as eingetragene Partnerschaft, as partnenariat enregistré or as unione domestica registrata] |
| [F28United States of America: California | domestic partnership] |
| [F29[F4United States of America: California | marriage]] |
| [F29United States of America: Colorado | the relationship between designated beneficiaries] |
| [F28United States of America: Connecticut | civil union] |
| [F30[F4United States of America: Connecticut]] | [F30[F4marriage]] |
| [F30United States of America: Delaware] | [F30civil union] |
| [F30[F4United States of America: District of Columbia]] | [F30[F4marriage]] |
| [F30United States of America: Hawaii] | [F30civil union] |
| [F30United States of America: Hawaii] | [F30reciprocal beneficiary relationship] |
| [F30United States of America: Illinois] | [F30civil union] |
| [F30[F4United States of America: Iowa]] | [F30[F4marriage]] |
| [F28United States of America: Maine | domestic partnership] |
| [F28[F4United States of America: Massachusetts | marriage]] |
| [F31United States of America: Nevada] | [F31domestic partnership] |
| [F31[F4United States of America: New Hampshire]] | [F31[F4marriage]] |
| [F31United States of America: New Jersey] | [F31civil union] |
| [F28United States of America: New Jersey | domestic partnership] |
| [F32[F4United States of America: New York]] | [F32[F4marriage]] |
| [F32United States of America: Oregon] | [F32domestic partnership] |
| [F32United States of America: Rhode Island] | [F32civil union] |
| United States of America: Vermont | civil union |
| [F33[F4United States of America: Vermont]] | [F33[F4marriage]] |
| [F33United States of America: Washington] | [F33state registered domestic partnership] |
| [F33United States of America: Wisconsin] | [F33domestic partnership] |
| [F33Uruguay] | [F33unión concubinaria] |
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 20 Pt. 1 substituted: (E.W.) (2.12.2019) by The Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1458), regs. 1(2), 5(6)(c); (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 17(7)(b)(i) (with regs. 6-9); and words “section 213(1)(a)” substituted for “section 213” (S.) (1.2.2021 for specified purposes, 1.6.2021 in so far as not already in force) by Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 (asp 15), ss. 2(6)(b), 16; S.S.I. 2020/414, reg. 2(1)(a)(2); S.S.I. 2021/23, reg. 2, sch. (with reg. 3)
F2Sch. 20: entries inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(a)
F3Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 2
F4Sch. 20: entries repealed (S.) (16.12.2014) by Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 5), ss. 26(3), 36; S.S.I. 2014/287, art. 3, sch. (with art. 5); and words omitted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by virtue of The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 17(7)(b)(ii) (with regs. 6-9)
F5Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 3
F6Sch. 20: words in entry substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(a)
F7Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 4
F8Sch. 20: entry inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(b)
F9Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 5
F10Sch. 20: words in entry substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(b)
F11Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 6
F12Sch. 20: words in brackets omitted (5.12.2005) by virtue of The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(f)
F13Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 7
F14Sch. 20: words in entry substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(c)
F15Sch. 20: words in entry substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(d)
F16Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 8
F17Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 9
F18Sch. 20: entry inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(c)
F19Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 10
F20Sch. 20: entries repealed (S.) (16.12.2014) by Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 5), ss. 26(3), 36; S.S.I. 2014/287, art. 3, sch. (with art. 5); and words omitted (N.I.) (13.1.2020) by virtue of The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 17(7)(b)(ii) (with regs. 6-9)
F21Sch. 20: words in entry substituted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 3(e)
F22Sch. 20: entry inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(d)
F23Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 11
F24Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 12
F25Sch. 20: entry inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(e)
F26Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 13
F27Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 14
F28Sch. 20: entries inserted (5.12.2005) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3135), art. 2(f)
F29Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 15
F30Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 16
F31Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 17
F32Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 18
F33Words in Sch. 20 inserted (31.1.2013) by The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/2976), art. 1, Sch. para. 19
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