Section 197: Civil partnership agreements unenforceable

Civil Partnership Act 2004 · 2004 c. 33View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 4: Civil partnership: Northern Ireland — Chapter 4: Civil partnership agreements

A civil partnership agreement does not under the law of Northern Ireland have effect as a contract giving rise to legal rights.

No action lies in Northern Ireland for breach of a civil partnership agreement, whatever the law applicable to the agreement.

In this section and section 198 “civil partnership agreement” means an agreement between two people—

to register as civil partners of each other—
in Northern Ireland (under Part 4),
in England and Wales (under Part 2),
in Scotland (under Part 3), or
outside the United Kingdom under an Order in Council made under Chapter 1 of Part 5 (registration at British consulates etc. or by armed forces personnel), or
to enter into an overseas relationship.

This section applies in relation to civil partnership agreements whether entered into before or after this section comes into force, but does not affect any action commenced before it comes into force.

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.