The City of Oakland defines domestic partnership as a relationship between two cohabiting people, unrelated by either blood or marriage, regardless of gender, who are over the age of 18, share the common necessities of life, and have resided together for at least six months prior to filing an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership, who share responsibility for the common living expenses of food, shelter, and medical care. One partner must work for the City of Oakland or both parties must live in Oakland to register as domestic partners with the City of Oakland.

Registration of domestic partnership is an option many people choose to publicly recognize their relationships instead of marriage. It is often chosen for personal and/or legal reasons.

Registering your domestic partnership is voluntary. The City of Oakland does not intend for registration to automatically create any new or different legal rights or responsibilities or any contractual relationships between the registrants.

Registering your domestic partnership may be beneficial if a company that extends health or other benefits to domestic partners employs you. Domestic partnership registration may allow you to be recognized as your partner's family member, and may allow you to visit your partner in the hospital or in jail, under current state law. Registering as domestic partners will not, however, automatically entitle you to make health care decisions, funeral arrangements or to make any claim on the estate of your partner.

The State of California Domestic Partner Registry establishes certain rights for domestic partners that are not granted by the City of Oakland's Domestic Partner Registry.  To learn about those rights and the State of California Domestic Partner registration process, visit the California Secretary of State web site or call (916) 659-3984.

The process of Domestic Partnership Registration is simple. You must meet the following requirements to register as domestic partners with the City of Oakland:

• You must be at least 18 years of age, currently unmarried to anyone
  
  
• You must each present a picture identification card and each partner must present proof of cohabitation by presenting a bank statement, utility bill, etc.
  
  
• One partner must be employed by the City of Oakland or both partners must reside together in Oakland, sharing the common necessities of life
  
  
• You must not be so closely related by blood as to bar marriage in the State of California, and be mentally competent to consent to contract
  
  
• You must agree to file a Notice Of Ending A Domestic Partnership if you end your relationship and live separately for more than 90 days