Domestic Partnerships

To enter into a Domestic Partnership, a “Declaration of Domestic Partnership” must be registered with a County Clerk in the State of Oregon.

The Declaration of Domestic Partnership is a legal form. The form should be completed electronically, typed or in black or dark blue ink and should not be altered. The form must be printed on legal size paper 8-1/2 inches by 14 inches and must have the gray stripe along the left-hand side.  A link to the form's PDF file can be found below.

Please Note: If you are printing the form at home make sure to print as close to the edge of the paper as your printer allows utilizing the entire legal size sheet. All sections of the form need to be completed unless otherwise specified in the instructions found below. The forms must be signed by both individuals entering into the domestic partnership. Signatures must be acknowledged by a Notary Public. Completed, signed and notarized forms must be signed and registered by a County Clerk to complete the registration process.

As of January 1, 2010, changes in the law allow domestic partners to designate the name taken after they have registered their partnership.

The County Clerk registers the form in a Domestic Partnership Registry. A copy of the form, along with a "Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership," can be provided to the partners in person or by mail. Contact your County Clerk's office to get information about associated fees. Plan on arriving no later than 4:30 p.m. to allow time needed to complete the registration process prior to closing.

The fee for Domestic Partnership registration fee in Benton County is $50, this includes a commemorative certificate of registration and a copy of the registration form. Fees are payable at the time of registration via check, cash, money order or a recognized PIN debit or credit card. Certified copies can be purchased at the time of registration at a reduced fee of $4 per certified copy. Certified copies are often needed when proof of registration is required.

We are now able to accept Master Card and VISA Debit Cards, as well as, Master Card and Discover Credit Cards "consumer convenience fees" are applicable to debit and credit payment options.

See frequently asked questions below.

Definitions

Domestic Partnership – means the civil contract entered into in person between two individuals of the same sex who are at least 18 years of age, who are otherwise capable, and at least one of which is a resident of Oregon.

Partner – is an individual joined in a domestic partnership.

Additional Criteria

A Domestic Partnership is prohibited and void when:

• either party has a partner, wife or husband living at the time of the domestic partnership;
• the parties in the domestic partnership are first cousins or any nearer of kin to each other, whether of the whole or half blood or adoption, computing by the rules of the civil law;
• either party is incapable of making the civil contract or consenting to the contract for lack of legal age or sufficient understanding; and/or,
• the consent of either party is obtained by force or fraud, the domestic partnership is void from the time it is so declared by a judgment of a court having jurisdiction of the domestic partnership.

NOTE: When parties are first cousins by adoption only, the domestic partnership is not prohibited or void