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 my knowledge cutoff in 2023, West Virginia does not legally recognize domestic partnerships. The state does not offer a registry or legal status for domestic partnerships, whether for same-sex or opposite-sex couples. This means that couples in a domestic partnership in West Virginia do not have the state-level legal rights similar to those of marriage, such as property rights, hospital visitation rights, or decision-making powers regarding healthcare for a partner. However, same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, which means that same-sex couples in West Virginia have the option to marry and thereby obtain the same legal rights as opposite-sex married couples.