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You can apply to end (鈥榙issolve鈥�) your civil partnership if you鈥檝e been in the partnership for over a year. You must apply to a court to do this.

If you do not want to end the civil partnership, you can get a legal separation. You can apply for separation during the first year of your civil partnership.

There鈥檚 a different process to or .

Arrangements for children, money and property

You and your partner may need to work out:

• arrangements for looking after any children
• child maintenance payments for any children

You also need to divide your money and property.

You can usually avoid going to court hearings if you agree about children, money and property and the reasons for ending your civil partnership.

Get help or advice

You can get advice about legal paperwork and making arrangements from:

Find a legal adviser if you need legal advice.

You must decide whether you want to make a joint application with your partner or whether you want to apply on your own.

It normally takes at least 6 months to end a civil partnership. This is the same for joint and sole applications.

Making a joint application with your partner

You can make a joint application if both of the following apply:

• you both agree that you should end your civil partnership
• you鈥檙e not at risk of domestic abuse

You鈥檒l need to decide if you want to apply online or by post. Your partner needs to use the same application method.

You鈥檒l both have to separately confirm that you want to continue with the application at each stage of the process.

If your partner stops responding, you鈥檒l be able to continue with the application as a sole applicant.

If you want to apply for help with paying the fee, both of you must be eligible to qualify.

Applying to end a civil partnership on your own

Make a sole application if either of the following apply:

• your partner does not agree to end the civil partnership
• you do not think your partner will cooperate or respond to notifications from the court

You will need to confirm you want to continue with the application at each stage of the process.

You can apply to end a civil partnership online or by post. It costs 拢593.

It normally takes at least 6 months.

You鈥檒l be asked for the current address of your civil partner so the court can send them a copy of the application. Find out what to do if you do not know your partner鈥檚 address.

Apply online

You can apply to end a civil partnership online.

You鈥檒l need a debit or credit card to apply.

Apply by post

Fill in a dissolution application form.

Send a copy of the form to:

Keep your own copy of the form.

How to pay

You can either pay by:

• debit or credit card - HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) will call or email you with details of how to pay
• cheque - made payable to 鈥楬M Courts and Tribunals Service鈥�

A conditional order is a document that says the court does not see any reason why you cannot end the civil partnership.

If your partner does not agree to end the civil partnership, you can still apply for a conditional order. You鈥檒l have to go to a hearing at the court to discuss the case, where a judge will decide whether to grant you the conditional order.

How to apply

How you apply for a conditional order depends on when the court issued the application for ending your civil partnership.

If the court issued your application before 6 April 2022

Fill in the application for a conditional order. You must wait at least 7 days after your civil partner has received their copy of the dissolution application.

If your partner does not agree to end the civil partnership, fill in section B of the form, saying you want a 鈥榗ase management hearing鈥� before the judge.

You also need to fill in a statement confirming that what you said in your dissolution application is true. There are 4 statement forms - use the one that covers the reason you鈥檝e given for ending the civil partnership

The forms will need to show your civil partner:

• has received the dissolution application
• agrees to the dissolution if you鈥檙e using the fact that you鈥檝e been living apart for 2 years as your reason
• agrees with any arrangement proposed for children

Attach your civil partner鈥檚 response to the dissolution application, and send it to the court. Keep your own copy.

If the court issued your application on or after 6 April 2022

You must wait 20 weeks after your application to end your civil partnership has been issued before applying for a conditional order.

If you applied to end your civil partnership online, you鈥檒l be told how to apply for the conditional order online.

You can apply for a conditional order and continue ending your civil partnership as a sole applicant, even if you started the process jointly with your civil partner.

To apply by post, fill in the application for a conditional order.

The final order is the legal document that ends your civil partnership.

You have to wait 6 weeks after the date of the conditional order to apply for a final order.

If your civil partner applied for a conditional order, you have to wait 3 months and 6 weeks after the date of the conditional order.

If you want a legally binding arrangement for dividing money and property you must apply to the court for this before you apply for a final order.

How to apply

How you apply for a final order depends on when the court issued the application for ending your civil partnership.

If the court issued your application before 6 April 2022

Fill in the application for a conditional order to be made final.

Return the form to the court. This will usually be the same court that dealt with your conditional order.

If the court issued your application on or after 6 April 2022

If you applied to end your civil partnership online, you鈥檒l be told how to apply for the final order online.

To apply by post, fill in the application for a final order form.

You can apply for a final order as a sole applicant, even if you started the process to end your civil partnership jointly with your civil partner.

Getting the final order

The court will check that there are no reasons why the civil partnership cannot be ended. You must provide all details the court asks for within the time limits.

If the court is happy with all the information, it will send you and your civil partner a final order.

Once you get your final order, your civil partnership has ended and you can marry or enter into another civil partnership.

You can apply to end your civil partnership if your partner 鈥榣acks mental capacity鈥� and cannot agree to end the civil partnership or take part in the process.

Your partner will need someone to make decisions for them during the process. The person who acts on their behalf is called a 鈥榣itigation friend鈥�. It can be a family member, close friend or someone else who can represent them.

Your partner does not have a litigation friend

If there鈥檚 no one suitable and willing to be their litigation friend, you can apply to the court to appoint a litigation friend.

The Official Solicitor may agree to act as your partner鈥檚 litigation friend when there鈥檚 no one else to do this (鈥榣itigation friend of last resort鈥�).

How to apply

1. Check there鈥檚 nobody else suitable or willing to act as your civil partner鈥檚 litigation friend.

2. Check that there鈥檚 money available for any costs the Official Solicitor has to pay. Your civil partner may be able to get legal aid.

3. Give the details of your civil partner鈥檚 doctor or other medical professional to the court so it can ask for a certificate of capacity.

After you apply

If the Official Solicitor agrees to act as litigation friend for your civil partner, you鈥檒l be able to end your civil partnership.

Contact the Official Solicitor鈥檚 staff

Email or call the private family law team if you have an enquiry.