In some states, a domestic partnership is a legally recognized relationship between members of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of a marriage relationship.
As of the knowledge cutoff in 2023, North Carolina does not legally recognize domestic partnerships for same-sex couples at the state level. In 2012, North Carolina voters approved Amendment One, which amended the state constitution to define marriage between one man and one woman as the only domestic legal union that is valid or recognized in the state. However, the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, effectively overriding state bans. While some local municipalities in North Carolina may offer domestic partnership registries that provide limited rights and benefits, these do not carry the same legal weight as marriage and are not recognized statewide. Same-sex couples in North Carolina seeking legal recognition of their relationship with rights similar to those of marriage would need to get married under state law.