The Town of Arlington is registering domestic partnerships by asking all partners to appear in person at the Office of the Town Clerk and to produce identification for all parties prior to signing the Statement of Partnership.
Partners may complete and sign the application form prior to the visit and mail a copy or email a scan or photo to the Town Clerk’s Office before they come in person to sign the final document. Partners may also complete the application in person and we can create the final document in the same visit. If a partner is not available to appear to appear in person, they may request provisions be made for forms to be witnessed by a notary.
The Statement of Partnership will be registered on the date the completed and signed form is received by the Town Clerk.
The fee for filing a domestic partnership is $30 and includes one certified copy of the Statement of Partnership. Additional certified copies are $10 each. All fees payable in cash or by check/money order payable to the Town of Arlington.
Information about Domestic Partnerships
To enter into a domestic partnership in Arlington, all partners must jointly proclaim under the pains and penalties of perjury that:
(1) They have made a commitment of mutual support and caring for their domestic partners;
(2) They are at least eighteen (18) years of age;
(3) They are competent to enter into a contract; and
(4) They are not related to each other by blood closer than would bar marriage in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Being related by blood closer than would bar marriage in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts means that you may not enter in a domestic partnership with certain relatives, including any parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, parent’s spouse, grandparent’s spouse, child’s spouse, grandchild’s spouse, partner’s parent, partner’s grandparent, partner’s child, partner’s grandchild, sibling, sibling’s child, or parent’s sibling.
A person seeking to form or join a domestic partnership filed in the Town of Arlington who is currently married or a member of a different domestic partnership must present a notarized Affidavit of Consent signed by all other current domestic partners or spouses. Please contact the Town Clerk to obtain copies of the necessary forms.
The Town Clerk can provide an Amendment form (to change address, add or remove dependents, or add new members to an existing domestic partnership) and a Withdrawal form to remove one or more partners. If two or more partners remain after any member(s) withdraw the domestic partnership remains intact. Withdrawing members must notify all other remaining members of the domestic partnership before the change can be effective.
If the death of one or more members of a domestic partnership causes there to be fewer than two remaining members, the partnership is considered dissolved as of the date of the death.
Members of domestic partnerships filed in the Town of Arlington should notify the Town Clerk of any change to the status of the domestic partnership.
