How Quickly Can You Dissolve a Civil Partnership?

Answer

When you are applying to end a civil partnership, this is called dissolution. The whole process can take up to 6 months or longer. The dissolution process cannot be done particularly quickly because there are mandatory waiting times between each stage.

You can apply to dissolve a civil partnership either online or by post, with or without your civil partner’s consent. You’ll first need to complete the application form and then you can apply for a conditional order which confirms that the court sees no reason why you cannot dissolve the civil partnership. You’ll have to wait 20 weeks after you have made your application to dissolve the partnership before you can apply for a conditional order. 

The last stage of the dissolution process is to apply for a final order. Once you have the conditional order, you have to wait 6 weeks before you can apply for the final order. Like the conditional order, you can apply for a final order solely, even if you started the application process with your civil partner and they decide they do not want to continue with the process. Once the final order application has been sent, if the court decides there are no reasons why the civil partnership cannot end, they will send you and your civil partner the final order which officially ends the civil partnership.