Relationship register

Adults who are in a relationship as a couple can apply for registration of their relationship provided at least one of them lives in NSW.

A couple does not have to live together to be eligible to register their relationship.

To apply to register your relationship in NSW both partners must be:

• over 18 years of age
• not married to each other or anyone else
• not already in a registered relationship under this Act or in another state or territory in Australia
• not in a relationship with another person
• not related by family

There are three ways you can apply:

Apply online

The quickest and easiest way to apply is via our online form.

Apply by post or in-person

• download, print and complete an Application to register a relationship form (PDF 769.01KB)
• gather your required identification documents to submit with your application (note: never send original documents)
• submit your completed application in-person at your nearest Service NSW Centre, or by post to: 
  Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
  GPO Box 30 
  Sydney NSW 2001
• after reviewing your application, we will send a secure payment link to the email address provided in your application for payment processing.

Commemorative certificate designs can be ordered at the same time as ordering a standard relationship certificate.

You must provide 3 forms of identification, one of each from Categories 1, 2 and 3.

• If you cannot provide proof of identity from Category 1, you must still provide at least 3 forms of identification. At least one of these must be from Category 2, and two from Category 3.
• If you cannot meet these requirements, please contact us for further advice.

Celebrate the registration of your relationship with a ceremony at the Pyrmont Registry. This is a short, non-legal service with a celebrant and includes a ceremonial certificate on the day (it does not include an official or commemorative certificate).  

Available Monday-Friday, 9am to 4pm, for up to 30 guests.

Additional information

• Couples are only eligible for a ceremony once they have been notified that their registration has been finalised
• Please provide two weeks’ notice for a ceremony booking request
• If you do not speak and understand English you will need to bring an interpreter with you on the day
• Relationship ceremonies incur a fee.

How to book

To request a ceremony booking or to find out more, please email bdm-marriages-syd@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.  Include the full names of both partners, your relationship registration number, best contact details, and three preferred times and dates for a ceremony.

There is no fee for withdrawing or revoking relationship registration, but the fee for the application to register a relationship is non-refundable.

Withdrawing your application before your relationship is registered

If you have recently submitted an application to register a relationship and wish to withdraw it, either partner named on the original application may request the withdrawal.

You can only use this withdrawal application if your original relationship registration application was submitted within the last 28 days. Use the ‘Withdraw a relationship registration application’ to proceed.  

Please note that the relationship registration application fee is non-refundable. However, if you selected and paid for any certificates as part of your original application, these fees will be refunded if you meet the withdrawal criteria.

Withdrawing your application to revoke a registered relationship

If both parties of a registered relationship have applied to revoke the relationship, either party can apply to withdraw the application to revoke the relationship within the 90-day cooling-off period. 

If one party has applied to revoke the relationship, only this party can apply to withdraw the application to revoke the relationship within the 90-day cooling-off period. 

Use the Withdraw an application to revoke a registered relationship to proceed.

Submit your application and required proof of identity documents by post or visit your nearest Service NSW centre.

• A fee applies to revoke a registered relationship. Either or both persons can apply.
• If only one person revokes a registration, they must provide proof they've served notice on the other. The Registrar has the discretion to dispense the notice requirement if the person cannot serve notice.
• A cooling-off period of 90 days applies before the registration is revoked by the Registrar.
• If either person requires a copy of the relationship certificate showing the revocation details, a standard certificate fee applies.

To apply to revoke a registered relationship:

• download and complete a Revoke a registered relationship application
• gather your required identification documents to submit with your application (note: never send original documents)
• submit your completed application either in-person at your nearest Service NSW Centre, or by post to:
  Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
  GPO Box 30
  Sydney NSW 2001
• after reviewing your application, we will send a secure payment link to the email address provided in your application for payment processing.

Registrations revoked by law and void registrations

Registration of a relationship may also be revoked by law on the death or marriage of a person in the relationship.

A registration is considered void if:

• the agreement of one or both persons in the relationship was obtained by fraud, duress or other improper means
• the relationship was registered when either person was mentally incapable of understanding the nature and effect of registration
• the relationship was prohibited (i.e. one of the persons was married).

To order a replacement relationship or commemorative certificate for a registered relationship:

• download the Relationship replacement certificate application form (PDF 150.74KB)
• gather your required identification documents to submit with your application (note: never send original documents)
• submit your completed application either in-person at your nearest Service NSW centre, or by post to:
  Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages
  GPO Box 30
  Sydney NSW 2001
• after reviewing your application, we will send a secure payment link to the email address provided in your application for payment processing.