Salt Lake City Domestic Partnership: Requirements and Benefits

Salt Lake City's domestic partnership registry provides legal recognition for unmarried couples—same-sex or opposite-sex—who share a committed relationship. Here's what you need to know:

Eligibility Requirements

• Residency: At least one partner must reside in Salt Lake City
• Age: Both partners 18+
• Marital Status: Neither married to anyone else
• Consanguinity: Not related by blood/marriage in ways prohibiting marriage
• Commitment: Willing to share life and mutual responsibility

Registration Process

1. Complete Domestic Partnership Declaration (both partners sign)
2. Provide names, addresses, date, and affirmation of eligibility
3. File with Salt Lake City Recorder's Office
4. Pay filing fee (currently ~$25-35; verify current amount)

Rights Conferred

• Hospital visitation and medical decision-making
• Inheritance rights (intestate succession)
• Health insurance eligibility (city employee plans; private employers may recognize)
• Joint tax filing (city level; federal requires marriage)
• Bereavement leave (city employment)

Limitations

Not marriage. No federal benefits (Social Security, immigration, federal taxes). Not recognized automatically outside Salt Lake City—though some Utah municipalities and private entities honor it. Does not create community property rights.

Dissolution

File a Termination Statement with the Recorder's Office. No waiting period, but financial obligations between partners may require separate legal action.

For couples seeking recognition without marriage, SLC's registry offers meaningful—though locally limited—protections.