Apply to register a relationship in NSW

Introduction

The NSW relationship register is legal recognition for two adults in a relationship, provided at least one of them lives in NSW. 

If you and your partner would like to register your relationship, you can do so online.

Fees are attached to an application with the total amount varying depending on whether you'd like a relationship ceremony and/or commemorative certificates.

Note: Applications can be saved and resumed for a period of 14 days. If they have not been submitted within that time, they expire and you have to start your application again.

Eligibility

• one of you lives in NSW
• you're both over 18 years of age
• you're not married to each other or anyone else
• you're not in a registered relationship in another state or territory in Australia
• you're not in a relationship with another person
• you're not related by family.

What you need

• each partner will need to provide:
  • a current email address
  • personal and contact details
  • scanned documents to upload during your online application:
    • 3 proof of identity documents
    • a statutory declaration
      • witnessed by an authorised witness
      • details of the authorised witness.
• one partner residing in NSW may need to provide a document to show your proof of address
• a current credit card for payment.

How to apply

1. Check the eligibility requirements.
2. Gather the required documents.
3. Select the 'Apply online' button.
4. Enter the required details.
5. You will receive an email from Births, Deaths & Marriages (BDM) with your Online Reference Number (ORN).
6. Select the 'Instant LOGIN' link in your BDM email.
7. Complete the online form and upload the required documentation.
8. Select 'Submit Application'.
9. After you submit your application, your partner will receive an email from BDM with an ORN.
10. Your partner follows Steps 5 to 7.
11. Decide if you'd like a relationship ceremony and/or commemorative certificates.
12. Confirm your order.
13. Make your payment.
14. You'll both receive an email from BDM confirming receipt of your application and payment.

If you're not able to apply online

If you cannot apply online for any reason you can:

1. download and complete the Application to register a relationship – PDF, including the statutory declarations
2. submit your application:
   1. visit a service centre
   2. post your application to:
      NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
      GPO Box 30
      Sydney, NSW 2001

Proof of identity (POI) documents

There are 3 POI categories and you need to provide one document from each category.

If you cannot provide a POI document from category 1, you'll need to provide at least one document from Category 2 and 2 documents from Category 3.

Category 1

• Australian birth certificate
• Australian citizenship certificate
• New Zealand citizenship certificate
• New Zealand birth certificate
• ImmiCard
• Certificate of Registration by Descent

Category 2

• ​Australian driver licence
• Australian passport
• Australian firearms licence
• overseas passport containing a current visa
• proof of age card, or photocard issued by an Australian state or territory

Category 3

• ​Medicare card
• Private health care card
• Centrelink pensioner concession card, or other entitlement card
• Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs card
• Security licence
• Student or tertiary education ID card

Proof of address

If you live in NSW you may also need to provide a document confirming your residential address if none of the POI documents you used shows your address.

Examples of documents could include, but are not limited to:

• an electricity, water or gas bill issued within the last 3 months
• a lease agreement
• a council rates notice issued within the last 12 months.

More information

• Authorised witnesses include:
  • Justice of the Peace (JP)
  • public notary
  • legal practitioner
  • British or Australian consular officer
  • judge or magistrate.
• You do not have to live together to be eligible to register your relationship.
• There's a 28-day cooling off period from receipt of the application, after which the relationship will be registered. Within this period, you can withdraw your application, however your application fee won't be refunded.
• Certificates are sent by the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages via registered post.

Documents

• Application to register a relationship – PDF

Statutory declarations for online applications

If you are applying online:

• download, print and complete the statutory declarations pages for each partner from the Application PDF form to register a relationship
• have the documents witnessed
• scan the completed documents, ready for upload.