Registered domestic partnerships are similar to marriage, but do not create all of the same rights and responsibilities. Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, most people in registered domestic partnerships were same-sex couples who lived in states that did not recognize same-sex marriage. Registered domestic partnerships remain an option for domestic partners in some cities and states. Some cities and states require one or both of the individuals to be at least 62 years of age to create a registered domestic partnership.

Laws vary from state to state, and some states refer to such a domestic arrangement as a civil union rather than a domestic partnership. Some of the benefits of a registered domestic partnership may include (1) the ability for one partner to secure health insurance for the other partner through an employer’s family health insurance plan; (2) visitation rights in hospitals and jails; (3) the right to take family leave to care for a sick partner; and (4) the right to take bereavement leave for the death of a partner under an employer’s bereavement leave policy.

In Hawaii, registered domestic partnerships are not recognized as they are in some other states. Instead, since the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, same-sex marriage has been recognized and treated equally to opposite-sex marriage, providing same-sex couples with the same rights and responsibilities as married couples. This means that in Hawaii, there is no need for a separate registered domestic partnership status for same-sex couples. However, for individuals who are at least 62 years of age, Hawaii does offer a Reciprocal Beneficiary Relationship which provides certain rights and benefits similar to those of marriage. These benefits include some of those mentioned such as health insurance coverage through a partner's employer, visitation rights in hospitals, and the ability to take leave to care for a sick partner. It's important to note that the specific rights and benefits may vary and are not as extensive as those conferred by marriage.