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 New Mexico, registered domestic partnerships are not recognized at the state level. Instead, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, same-sex marriage became legal nationwide, and New Mexico recognizes these marriages with the same rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex marriages. Therefore, the concept of registered domestic partnerships as a separate legal status from marriage is largely obsolete in New Mexico for the purpose of state-level recognition and benefits. However, some cities within the state may offer domestic partnership registries that provide limited local benefits. It's important to note that these local benefits, where they exist, may include some of the ones listed such as health insurance coverage, visitation rights, and leave policies, but they do not equate to the full legal recognition and rights afforded by marriage. For individuals seeking the full extent of legal benefits, marriage is the primary option in New Mexico.