In order to register, persons shall execute an affidavit of domestic partnership and submit it to the County Clerk, who shall maintain a registry of domestic partnerships. Both parties to the partnership shall be present when the affidavit is submitted.
A domestic partner affidavit is a declaration made by a couple to acknowledge that they are engaged in a domestic partnership under state law. This gives each partner special rights (such as hospital visitation, inheritance, etc.) without being legally married.
A registered domestic partnership provides a couple the same rights, protections, and benefits as a married couple in the State of California. The Federal Government does not recognize domestic partnerships and therefore the benefits for the domestic partner become a reportable or taxable income for the employee.
The affidavit states that you qualify, and provides the terms under which you must notify the clerk's office in the event the domestic partnership ends. Generally, in order to register as domestic partners: You must be at least 18 years old. Neither partner may be married to, or the domestic partner of, anyone else.
The Domestic Partnership Registration Affidavit is available on the Clerk's website and in the Clerk's offices. Registrations will be accepted during normal business hours.
The affidavit must state that the couple has been living together as husband and wife continuously and exclusively for at least five years. Both parties must affirm that they are not legally prohibited from marrying.
A domestic partnership is an unmarried couple who live together and are interested in receiving many of same benefits that a married couple enjoys, such as health benefits.
Proof of Domestic Partnership In situations where proof of a domestic relationship is required—such as for insurance claims, property transactions, or social security benefits—an affidavit of co-habitation can be presented as evidence of the couple's relationship.