Does Florida Have a Domestic Partnership Registry?

Does Florida Have a Domestic Partnership Registry?

Florida has no state domestic partnership registry. What you may have heard about is a county or city ordinance. About a dozen Florida counties and cities maintain registries, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange County, Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Leon County and Sarasota County. The cities of Orlando, Miami Beach, Gainesville, Key West, West Palm Beach and St. Petersburg keep their own.

A registry is not a marriage. Pinellas County’s ordinance says plainly, “Nothing in this article shall be construed as recognizing or treating a registered domestic partnership as a marriage.” The same idea runs through every ordinance.

Registries typically grant hospital and correctional facility visitation, health care surrogate standing and authority over funeral and burial arrangements. The lists differ by county, and some grant more than others.

Registries never grant inheritance, an elective share, homestead rights, exempt property, a family allowance or standing to serve as personal representative. The inheritance, elective share, homestead rights, exempt property, family allowance and personal representative standing come only from state law applied to a surviving spouse, or from a will, trust, deed or beneficiary designation. The registry is not a shortcut around estate planning.

The documents that grant what a registry leaves out are included in the firm’s Secure Will Estate Plan. The plan runs $1,200, or $1,950 for a couple. The consultation is free.

Which Counties and Cities Have a Registry?

The table below lists the registries read directly from government pages in November 2026. Four jurisdictions (Broward County, Palm Beach County, Volusia County and the City of St. Petersburg) protect their pages, so only the office is listed there.

Tampa’s city registry, which opened in 2012, stopped taking new registrations in 2015 and now routes couples to the Hillsborough County registry. Existing Tampa registrations remain valid.

Fort Lauderdale has no city registry. Residents there use Broward County’s. A public Monroe County registry could not be confirmed, but Key West’s city registry is active.

What Rights Does a Domestic Partnership Give in Florida?

Registries grant rights that fall into a few categories. Hospital visitation appears in every registry read. Correctional facility visitation appears in most. Miami-Dade’s county page lists visitation only, but other counties list more.

Health care surrogate standing appears in most registries. Pinellas County’s ordinance is explicit. “Registry as a domestic partner shall be considered to be written direction by each partner designating the other to make health care decisions for their incapacitated partner, and shall authorize each partner to act as the other’s healthcare surrogate as provided for in Chapter 765, Florida Statutes.”

Orlando’s city affidavit works the same way. By signing it you designate your co-applicant as your health care surrogate and as your agent for funeral and burial decisions.

Funeral and burial authority appears in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Leon, Orlando, Gainesville and West Palm Beach. Emergency notification appears in most. Pre-need guardian designation, under which a partner becomes the guardian the court looks at first if you are incapacitated, appears in several. Authority over a dependent child’s education appears in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Leon, Orange County and Gainesville.

Federal law already gives any patient the right to designate any visitor at a hospital. The federal regulation says a hospital must inform each patient of the right to receive the visitors the patient designates, “including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend.” A registry confirms that right, but it does not create it.

Can Domestic Partners Inherit in Florida?

Domestic partnership registries do not grant inheritance rights. Every Florida statute that gives a surviving spouse a share at death uses the phrase “surviving spouse.” A registered domestic partner is not a spouse.

The elective share is 30 percent of the elective estate. The elective share belongs to a surviving spouse. The intestate share, if there is no will, is the whole estate or one half depending on descendants. The intestate share belongs to a surviving spouse. The homestead descent rules give a surviving spouse a life estate or an elected half interest in the home. Exempt property, up to $20,000 of furnishings and two vehicles, passes to a surviving spouse. The family allowance, up to $18,000 during administration, goes to a surviving spouse. Preference in appointment as personal representative goes to a surviving spouse in an intestate estate.

A registered domestic partner receives none of these by law. The Pinellas ordinance makes it clear. “Nothing in this article shall be construed as recognizing or treating a registered domestic partnership as a marriage.”

What a partner receives depends on what the partner’s documents say. A will, a revocable trust, a deed with survivorship or a beneficiary designation can name any person, including an unmarried partner. Without those documents, an unmarried partner inherits nothing. A registry does not change that.

In a breakup, a registered partner has no claim to equitable distribution and no claim to alimony. Florida law gives those to a spouse ending a marriage, not to partners ending a relationship. A cohabitation agreement can settle who keeps what property at the end. The registry cannot.

How Do You Register a Domestic Partnership in Florida?

Eligibility is nearly the same everywhere. Both partners must be at least 18, competent, not married to anyone, and not already in another domestic partnership or civil union. Most registries require both partners to be unrelated by blood. Both must share a primary residence, consider each other immediate family and be jointly responsible for each other’s support.

Registration is in person at the clerk or city clerk in the jurisdiction. Both partners appear together with identification.

Some registries require witnesses and a notary. Pinellas County requires two witnesses and a notary. Orlando’s city affidavit requires two witnesses who are not related by blood, and the affidavit must be notarized. Others record the signed form without additional formalities.

Residency requirements differ. Sarasota County’s ordinance says partners must “reside in a mutual residence, located in Sarasota County, FL.” Pinellas County has no county residency requirement in the text, and neither does West Palm Beach. Gainesville charges $15.50 for city residents and $31.00 for non-residents.

The affidavit in Pinellas and Orlando includes a declaration that you intend to designate your partner as your health care surrogate and as your agent for disposition of your body. Signing the affidavit is what creates that standing under those registries. Miami-Dade’s county page lists visitation only and does not describe health care decision-making authority.

How Much Does Domestic Partnership Registration Cost in Florida?

Registration fees range from $15.50 in Gainesville for city residents to $84 in Miami-Dade.

Orange County’s FAQ states, “The filing fee for either form is $18.50.” Sarasota County charges $20.50 to register. Orlando’s city registration is $30. Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Leon County, Miami Beach, Key West, West Palm Beach and Volusia County (as posted) each charge $50. Miami-Dade charges $84.

Amendment and termination fees are separate. Miami-Dade charges $45 to amend and $45 to terminate. Pinellas charges $25 to amend and nothing to terminate. Sarasota charges $13.50 to amend, $13.50 for a joint termination and $22.00 for a one-party termination. Key West charges $25 to amend and $25 to terminate. West Palm Beach charges $25 to terminate.

Extra certificates in Miami-Dade cost $13 each.

The fee covers the registration paperwork. The fee does not cover a will, a trust, a power of attorney or any estate document. The estate documents are separate.

How Do You End a Domestic Partnership in Florida?

Ending a registration requires a notarized termination filed with the same office that recorded the original. The effective date varies by county. In Pinellas and Gainesville the termination takes effect the day the affidavit is filed. In Miami-Dade the termination becomes effective 30 days after the county issues the termination certificate.

Some counties charge a fee. Miami-Dade charges $45 to terminate. Sarasota charges $13.50 when both partners file together, or $22.00 when one partner files alone. Pinellas and Hillsborough charge nothing.

Certain events end a registration automatically in some counties. In Pinellas a registration ends when a partner marries in Florida, dies, or registers with a different partner. The partner who marries or registers anew must file notice within ten days. In Gainesville the registration ends automatically on death, marriage, civil union or a new registration.

The surviving partner keeps certain rights in Pinellas even after the other partner dies. The survivor may still direct the disposition of the remains and make funeral and burial decisions. The authority to direct the disposition of remains continues unless the deceased partner signed a later document naming someone else.

A termination notice does not undo a will, a health care surrogate designation or a beneficiary form. Each document stands on its own and should be updated when the relationship ends.

Are Domestic Partnership Registries Still a Thing After Same-Sex Marriage?

Every registry among those read was still active in 2026, years after the Supreme Court’s 2015 same-sex marriage decision. None among those read was repealed.

Some adjustments were made. Orange County ended employee domestic partner benefits effective January 1, 2016. The registry itself continues, and couples may still file. The City of Tampa closed its city registry in 2015 and now routes couples to Hillsborough County. City registrations from before the closure remain valid.

Broward County moved in the opposite direction. On October 13, 2015 the county expanded recognition to include partnerships registered elsewhere.

Couples who do not marry still use the registries for personal and practical reasons. A registry is a simpler filing than a marriage license, and it carries far fewer legal consequences. The registration does not change title to property, does not grant inheritance rights, and does not expose either partner to equitable distribution or alimony. For couples who want visitation without the rest, it remains an option.

Does a Domestic Partnership Give Medical Decision Rights in Florida?

The short answer is that it depends on the county ordinance and on what documents the partners sign afterward. Pinellas County’s ordinance contains a sentence that matters. The ordinance reads, “Registry as a domestic partner shall be considered to be written direction by each partner designating the other to make health care decisions for their incapacitated partner, and shall authorize each partner to act as the other’s healthcare surrogate as provided for in Chapter 765, Florida Statutes.”

The same ordinance also says, “Any statutory form, including, but not limited to, a living will or health care surrogate designation in forms provided for in Chapter 765, Florida Statutes, that is properly executed after the date of registration which contain conflicting designations shall control over the designations made pursuant to domestic partnership registration in Pinellas County.”

Gainesville’s form carries a similar note. Gainesville’s form states, “The rights/benefits described in this document and conferred by Chapter 2, Sec. 610-613 may be superseded by contract, i.e., burial contract, or by separate legal instrument, such as power of attorney or advance directive, or by law”.

The firm has every registered couple sign the statutory health care surrogate designation and durable power of attorney anyway. A later document controls over the registry. And a partner who signs nothing at all falls into the order of Florida’s surrogate statute. The statutory order names a guardian first, then the spouse, then adult children, then parents, then siblings, then an attentive adult relative, then a close friend. An unmarried partner falls near the end of the list.

Does a Domestic Partnership Affect Property Rights in Florida?

A domestic partnership registry does not change title to real property. If two partners buy a house together before or after registering, the deed controls.

A conveyance to two people who are not married creates a tenancy in common unless the deed expressly provides for a right of survivorship. A tenancy in common means each partner owns a share. When one partner dies, that share does not pass to the other automatically. The share goes through probate under the will, or under Florida’s intestate succession if there is no will. An unmarried partner has no intestate share under Florida law.

Only married couples may hold title as tenants by the entirety. In the words of the Florida Supreme Court, “a tenancy by the entireties is a form of ownership unique to married couples.” A registry filing does not make the couple married.

If both partners want the survivor to keep the house outside of probate, they may deed the property with a right of survivorship. A joint tenancy with right of survivorship passes title to the surviving owner automatically when one dies. Another option is a lady bird deed naming the partner as the remainderman (the person who receives the property at death). The deed takes effect only at the owner’s death, keeps full control with the owner during life, and avoids probate. At this firm the lady bird deed is a flat fee of $399 for one owner, plus recording.

What Is the Difference Between a Domestic Partnership and a Cohabitation Agreement?

A domestic partnership registry is a county or city filing. A cohabitation agreement is a private contract between the partners covering property, support and finances. A marriage is a state status that brings every right and obligation in Florida’s family law and probate code.

A registry gives certain visitation and decision-making rights. A registry does not divide property or provide for support. A cohabitation agreement divides property and may waive or promise support, but it grants no hospital visitation by itself. A marriage does both, plus inheritance. The firm prepares cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples. The firm also prepares estate plans for couples who are registered, who have an agreement, or who have neither.

What Estate Planning Does the Firm Do for Registered Domestic Partners?

The firm prepares the Secure Will Estate Plan for each partner. The fee is $1,200, or $1,950 for a couple. The plan includes a will, a durable power of attorney, a health care surrogate designation, a living will, a HIPAA authorization, and a lady bird deed on the home. Recording of the deed is additional.

The will names the partner as beneficiary or as personal representative, or both. The health care surrogate designation names the partner under Florida’s surrogate law, giving authority to make medical decisions if the signer is incapacitated. The durable power of attorney names the partner to handle finances. The HIPAA authorization allows medical providers to share health information. The lady bird deed passes the house at death outside of probate, keeping full control with the owner during life.

Each partner signs from home before a Florida online notary. The notary appears by audio-video technology. For certain documents, including the health care surrogate designation and the durable power of attorney, Florida requires remote witnesses to confirm they are physically located within the United States at the time of witnessing.

A cohabitation agreement covering property, support and finances is a separate document. The fee is a flat fee quoted at consultation. The agreement may address who pays what, how property is divided if the relationship ends, and what happens to assets each partner brought into the relationship.

The consultation is free. The consultation may be by phone, by Zoom or by WhatsApp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Situations

A Pinellas County couple who had lived together for twelve years registered as domestic partners in 2015. At the consultation years later they learned that the registry gave the survivor nothing in the house. The house was titled in one partner’s name alone, and a tenancy in common without survivorship would mean probate. The couple signed a lady bird deed naming the partner, a will and a health care surrogate designation.

A Miami-Dade couple registered in 2019 for hospital visitation rights. At the consultation they asked whether the registry made the partner the health care decision-maker. The county’s page lists visitation only, and Florida’s surrogate order of priority places a close friend below family members. The couple signed a statutory health care surrogate designation so the hospital would have the document in hand.

Sources of Law

• Registries: Miami-Dade County Code ch. 11A, art. VII; Broward County Code ch. 16½, art. VII; Palm Beach County Code ch. 2, art. XVI; Pinellas County Code §§70-240 to 70-245; Orange County Code ch. 25, art. V; Sarasota County Code ch. 2, art. XIV; City of Orlando Code ch. 57, pt. 2; City of St. Petersburg Code ch. 15, art. IV; City of Gainesville, Tampa, Key West, Miami Beach, West Palm Beach and Tallahassee registry ordinances. Fees and rights read on each government's own page on 2026-11-11 and listed in reference/research/unmarried-couples-florida-2026-11-11.md. A registry is a local ordinance; no Florida statute creates a statewide registry.
• Health care decisions and visitation: Fla. Stat. §765.401(1) (2026) (the order of proxies when no written designation exists; a close friend is near the end of the list); §765.202 (designation of a health care surrogate); 42 C.F.R. §482.13(h) (a Medicare-participating hospital must honor the patient's choice of visitors, including a domestic partner).
• What an unmarried partner receives by default: Fla. Stat. §732.102 and §732.103 (2026) (intestate succession names the spouse and relatives, never a partner); §732.201 (the elective share belongs to a surviving spouse); Fla. Const. art. X, §4 and Fla. Stat. §732.401 (homestead descent to a spouse or descendants); §732.402 and §732.403 (exempt property and family allowance for a spouse and children).
• The house: Fla. Stat. §689.15 (2026) (a conveyance to two or more creates a tenancy in common unless the instrument expressly provides for survivorship; entireties ownership is for spouses only); §689.11 (the lady bird deed form rests on §689.01 and the common law of life estates).
• Cases, each read in full from the opinion files under reference/caselaw/: Beal Bank, SSB v. Almand & Associates, 780 So. 2d 45 (Fla. 2001).
• Fees: the firm's posted fee schedule, posted October 6, 2026 and honored 90 days from posting; government costs are additional and passed through at cost. Secure Will Estate Plan and lady bird deed fees on the pricing page.
Statute text compared with the 2026 Florida Statutes on 2026-11-11.

Related Guides

Common Law Marriage in Florida, Florida Cohabitation Agreement, Florida Will: Make a Will That Holds Up in Court, Florida Health Care Surrogate Designation, Florida Advance Directives: Living Will and Surrogate, Florida Lady Bird Deed: Keep Your Home Out of Probate, Joint Tenancy With Right of Survivorship in Florida, Florida Intestate Succession Chart: Who Inherits (2026).

What I Have Seen With Registered Couples

In 14 years of law practice, I have watched registered couples learn that the registry gave the survivor nothing in the house. I also litigate these agreements after they fail, which enhances the practice of drafting them.

I have a few take-home points.

The first is the sentence in the Pinellas ordinance. It says a later statutory form with a different designation controls over the registry. A chapter 765 health care surrogate designation signed after registration replaces the registry’s standing. The registry is a starting point, not a finish line.

The second is title to the house. A couple in Pinellas registered in 2015 and assumed the survivor would keep the home. The house was in one partner’s name alone. A tenancy in common without survivorship would mean probate, and an unmarried partner has no intestate share. The Florida Supreme Court has held, “a tenancy by the entireties is a form of ownership unique to married couples.” They signed a lady bird deed naming the partner.

The third is the difference between visitation and inheritance. Every registry grants hospital visitation. None grants the 30 percent elective share, the homestead descent or the family allowance. Those belong to a surviving spouse.

Avoid treating the registration as an estate plan.

One honest limit is that whether another state recognizes a Florida domestic partnership registration is not something this page can answer.

Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., admitted in Florida since 2012. General information rather than advice on your situation.

Updated on November 12, 2026. Reviewed by Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., Fla. Bar No. 99502.

General information about Florida law, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Do not send confidential information until we have agreed to represent you.