Couples of the same sex may be united with all the benefits, protections and responsibilities as are granted to opposite sex spouses in a marriage. The law makes it clear: wherever in civil law, policy or statute the terms "spouse", "family", "immediate family", "dependent", "next of kin" or any other term that denotes the spousal relationship are used or defined, a party to a civil union shall be included.

To obtain a license for a Civil Union:

• The couple must each apply in person to the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the Connecticut town where one of them lives or where they will be united.
• The license shall be completed in its entirety, dated, signed and sworn to by each applicant and shall state each applicant's name, age, race, birthplace, residence, whether single, widowed or divorced and whether under the supervision or control of a conservator or guardian.
• The Social Security numbers of the two persons shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the license.
•  If the license is signed and sworn to by the applicants on different dates, the earlier date shall be deemed the date of application and the ceremony must take place within 65 days from that date.

Who can apply for a Civil Unions license:

• Applicants must be 18 years  of age or older
• An applicant who is under the supervision or control of a conservator must obtain the written consent of the conservator, signed and acknowledged before a person authorized to take acknowledgments of conveyances and filed with the registrar of vital statistics.
• Applicants may not be incestually related.

Opinion of Attorney General Blumenthal Regarding Recognizing Unions in Other States (issued September 20, 2005)   Read AG Blumenthal's opinion

• Connecticut will recognize Vermont civil unions and California same-sex domestic partnerships. Couples with such standing need not get a civil union in Connecticut.
• Same sex marriages performed in other states (Massachusetts) are not recognized in Connecticut. Such couples may obtain a civil union in Connecticut.

The Civil Unions Ceremony

• The officiant may be any person who may legally marry couples in Connecticut, including judges, clergy and Connecticut JPs.
• The ceremony may be performed in a foreign country, following the law of that country, as long as an official U.S. representative (e.g., the U.S. ambassador to that country or a consular officer) is present.
• The officiant is responsible for indicating (in black ink) the date and place of the civil union on the license and returning it to the Town Clerk where the union took place.. This must be done by the first week of the month following.
• You can request a copy of the completed license from the Town Clerk's office. The cost is $10 (since July 1, 2007).