Ventura County Municipal Code Div. 10 Domestic Partnership Registration

Two (2) persons may declare that a domestic partnership exists between them regardless of their gender, and each of them shall be a domestic partner of the other, if they both complete, sign, and cause to be filed with the Ventura County Clerk and Recorder a statement of domestic partnership (on a form to be provided by the County Clerk and Recorder) attesting to the following:

(a) The persons reside together and share common necessities of life;

(b) At least one (1) person lives or is employed in Ventura County;

(c) The persons are not married or in a domestic partnership with anyone else;

(d) Each person is at least eighteen (18) years of age;

(e) The persons are not related by blood so close as to bar marriage in the State of California and are mentally competent to consent to contract;

(f) The persons are each other's sole domestic partner and intend to remain so indefinitely and are responsible for their common welfare;

(g) The persons, jointly and severally, agree to file a statement of termination of domestic partnership with the Ventura County Clerk and Recorder if any of the declarations of the statement of domestic partnership ceases to be true;

(h) The persons understand that the registration of the statement of domestic partnership with the Ventura County Clerk and Recorder constitutes a filing of a domestic partnership of continuous duration until either of the persons files a statement of termination or statement of death of domestic partnership; and

(i) The persons understand that they are solely responsible for any and all statements made in the statement of domestic partnership and for any losses or damages caused thereby, and they, jointly and severally, agree to hold the County of Ventura harmless from any liability arising out of or relating to any statement of domestic partnership filed with the County of Ventura.

(Ord. No. 4460, § 1, 2-11-2014)

A party to a domestic partnership registered in Ventura County may terminate the partnership by filing with the Ventura County Clerk and Recorder a statement of termination of domestic partnership (on a form to be provided by the County Clerk and Recorder). In the statement of termination, the party will be required to affirm under penalty of perjury that the partnership is terminated and that a copy of the statement of termination was mailed or delivered to the other party. In the event of the death of a party to a domestic partnership registered in Ventura County, the surviving party shall file with the County Clerk and Recorder a statement of death of domestic partner (on a form to be provided by the County Clerk and Recorder), and the partnership shall be deemed terminated.

(Ord. No. 4460, § 1, 2-11-2014)

The County Clerk and Recorder shall keep a domestic partnership records registry consisting of records of all domestic partnership documents filed with the County Clerk and Recorder pursuant to and in conformity with the provisions of this Division. The records shall be maintained so that documents relating to terminations are cross-referenced with the domestic partnership statements to which they apply. The County Clerk and Recorder shall, upon payment of a fee, provide each of the domestic partners with a certificate showing that their domestic partnership statement has been properly filed. Domestic partnership records filed with the County Clerk and Recorder shall be maintained as public records for as long as required by law but, in any event, for at least as long as the related domestic partnership continues to exist.

(Ord. No. 4460, § 1, 2-11-2014)

The County Clerk and Recorder shall adopt procedures for the administration of the domestic partnership registration program and maintenance of the domestic partnership records registry. The Board of Supervisors shall by resolution establish (and, as warranted, from time to time adjust) the fees to be charged by the County Clerk and Recorder for the filing of domestic partnership statements (including statements of termination and statements of death). The fees as established by the Board of Supervisors shall not exceed the County Clerk and Recorder's actual costs of administering the program and maintaining the registry.

(Ord. No. 4460, § 1, 2-11-2014)

This Division is adopted to provide a public service as a courtesy and does not create any private or public cause of action for or against any person or entity.

(Ord. No. 4460, § 1, 2-11-2014)