List of U.S. state laws on same-sex unions

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State laws regarding same-sex unions similar to marriage in the United States1
  Domestic partnerships or civil unions granting state privileges of marriage2
  Same-sex unions granting limited/enumerated privileges
  No same-sex unions similar to marriage

1Not recognized by the federal government. However, same-sex marriage is legal nationwide (excluding American Samoa and some Native American tribal jurisdictions) and is recognized by the federal government. Same-sex unions similar to marriage are provided at the local level in many jurisdictions.
2Domestic partnerships in Washington are only available when at least one of the partners is 62 years of age or older.

This article is intended as a resource for current legal status of same-sex unions. See same-sex marriage legislation in the United States, same-sex marriage law in the United States by state, same-sex unions in the United States, and domestic partnership in the United States for more detailed descriptions, outcomes, and history of individual cases.

Marriage summary

On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court held, in Obergefell v. Hodges, that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to offer same-sex marriage and recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.[1]
The federal government has recognized all legally performed same-sex marriages since June 26, 2013 and the decision in United States v. Windsor.
All 50 U.S. states, 4 of 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia are fully compliant with the Obergefell decision, but some counties in Alabama (10), Kentucky (2), and Texas (1) have either stopped issuing marriage licenses (10) or continue to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples (3).

In American Samoa and some Native American tribal jurisdictions, same-sex marriages are currently not being licensed and recognized.


Jurisdiction listing

Below is the current status of the law in each of the 50 U.S. states, 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

  • The blue shading indicates what is currently allowed.

Note: American Samoa is outside of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals system and residents are "American nationals," not "American citizens," so it is not clear whether or not the Supreme Court precedent in Obergefell applies.

Jurisdiction Civil marriage for same-sex couples Other civil unions Notes
Gender restriction Marriage Civil Unions Domestic
Partnerships
Constitution Statute Licenses Recognition
Flag of Alabama.svg Alabama No No Yes* Yes No No *10 of 67 counties have stopped issuing marriage licenses.
**Legislation is currently pending that may eliminate state issuance of marriage licenses replacing it with private marital contracts submitted to probate courts.
Flag of Alaska.svg Alaska No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of American Samoa.svg American Samoa No No No No No No
Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of California.svg California No No Yes Yes No Yes
Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado No No Yes Yes Yes No
Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Delaware.svg Delaware No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of the District of Columbia.svg District of Columbia N/A No Yes Yes No Yes
Flag of Florida.svg Florida No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Guam.svg Guam N/A No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii No No Yes Yes Yes No
Flag of Idaho.svg Idaho No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois No No Yes Yes Yes No
Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky No No Yes* Yes No No *Casey County and Whitley County continue to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
**The Governor of Kentucky has, by executive order, changed marriage licenses to allow county clerks not to sign or endorse them and instead requires notarization for validity.
Flag of Louisiana.svg Louisiana No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Maine.svg Maine No No Yes Yes No Ltd
Flag of Maryland.svg Maryland No No Yes Yes No Ltd
Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Mississippi.svg Mississippi No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Montana.svg Montana No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Nevada.svg Nevada No No Yes Yes No Yes
Flag of New Hampshire.svg New Hampshire No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey No No Yes Yes Yes Ltd
Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of New York.svg New York No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of North Dakota.svg North Dakota No No Yes Yes No No
20px Northern Mariana Islands No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Oregon.svg Oregon No No Yes Yes No Yes
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of South Dakota.svg South Dakota No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Texas.svg Texas No No Yes* Yes No No *Irion County continues to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
20pxU.S. Virgin Islands N/A No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Utah.svg Utah No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Washington.svg Washington No No Yes Yes No Ltd
Flag of West Virginia.svg West Virginia No No Yes Yes No No
Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin No No Yes Yes No Ltd
Flag of Wyoming.svg Wyoming No No Yes Yes No No
Jurisdiction Civil marriage for same-sex couples Other civil unions Notes
Gender restriction Marriage Civil Unions Domestic
Partnerships
Constitution Statute Licenses Recognition

Jurisdiction status by federal circuit

Note: American Samoa is outside of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals system; appeals from High Court of American Samoa can only be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Federal circuit Civil marriage for same-sex couples Notes
Banned Ban overturned,
but order stayed
Unrecognized contrary to
Obergefell
Legal and recognized
40px
First
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
US-CourtOfAppeals-2ndCircuit-Seal.png
Second
Connecticut
New York
Vermont
US-CourtOfAppeals-3rdCircuit-Seal.svg
Third
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
U.S. Virgin Islands
US-CourtOfAppeals-4thCircuit-Seal.png
Fourth
Maryland
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
US-CourtOfAppeals-5thCircuit-Seal.png
Fifth
Louisiana
Mississippi
Texas
US-CourtOfAppeals-6thCircuit-Seal.png
Sixth
Kentucky
Michigan
Ohio
Tennessee
US-CourtOfAppeals-7thCircuit-Seal.png Seventh Illinois
Indiana
Wisconsin
US-CourtOfAppeals-8thCircuit-Seal.png
Eighth
Arkansas
Iowa
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
40px
Ninth
Alaska
Arizona
California
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Northern Mariana Islands
Oregon
Washington
US-CourtOfAppeals-10thCircuit-Seal.png
Tenth
Colorado
Kansas
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Utah
Wyoming
US-CourtOfAppeals-11thCircuit-Seal.png
Eleventh
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
District of Columbia Court of Appeals Seal.svg
District of Columbia
District of Columbia
Federal circuit Civil marriage for same-sex couples Notes
Banned Ban overturned,
but order stayed
Unrecognized contrary to
Obergefell
Legal and recognized

See also

In general

In the United States

References

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External links