Converting your civil partnership into a marriage
If you are already in a civil partnership with each other and want it to become a marriage, you can apply to convert it rather than giving notice of marriage. Conversion does not require the 28-day notice period, and your marriage is treated as having existed from the date the civil partnership began.
Why conversion is different from a fresh notice
Conversion is a separate administrative route from ordinary marriage. Because you are already legally recognised as partners, you are not asked to re-prove eligibility to marry each other in the way new couples must, and there is no statutory notice period to wait out.
How the process works
You apply to convert at a register office, either with or without a ceremony depending on what your local authority offers. Some couples choose a simple signing appointment; others opt for a ceremony to mark the change.
Arrangements and any fees vary by council, so check with the register office covering your civil partnership registration or current address.
What changes and what does not
Once converted, your relationship is legally a marriage rather than a civil partnership. Your marriage is backdated to the date your civil partnership was formed for legal purposes, which can matter for pensions, inheritance and other rights.
What this means for you
- You skip the 28-day notice period that new couples must observe.
- Your legal marriage date is backdated to your civil partnership date, not the conversion date.
- Fees and whether a ceremony is offered vary by council — check locally before booking.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Marriages and civil partnerships in the UK
- GOV.UK — Fees for marriages and civil partnerships
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026
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Simply Married is an independent planning service, not a register office or government department. Confirm current requirements and fees with your own register office and on GOV.UK.