Civil Union

Similar to a marriage, a couple in a civil union receives a license from their state and many of the same protections of a marriage. However, unlike a marriage, other states are not required to recognize a civil union, so if the couple moves, they will not receive the protections they received in the state where they formed the civil union.

When same-sex marriage was not a Constitutional right, same-sex couples often applied for a civil union license in states that did not recognize same-sex marriages.