The West Hollywood City Council approved a proposal to recognize multi-partner domestic relationships under local law and create a registration process for these couples at its Oct. 19 meeting. The measure would allow people in committed relationships involving three or more partners to register with the city and receive protections similar to those available to domestic partners.

Under the proposal, which was passed without discussion, the city would add a new category called “multi-partner domestic relationships.” People in committed relationships involving three or more people could register with the city clerk’s office and receive protections that include hospital and jail visitation rights, as well as certain protections involving rent increases and evictions.

The proposal would be similar to a domestic partnership program already in place, but would involve three or more adults. There is no limit on the number of people who can be included in the relationship, but everyone must be over 18 and share responsibility for one another’s welfare. People are only allowed to be registered in one multi-partner relationship at a time.

If a member of the multi-partner domestic relationship wants to leave, they can end the registration by filing paperwork with the City Clerk’s office. After leaving a registered relationship, a person must wait at least six months before registering a new one.

Registration would not allow people to marry legally, provide health insurance to registered partners, gain inheritance rights, receive federal tax benefits or access other benefits that come with marriage because those are governed by state and federal law.

According to the staff report, California currently does not recognize multi-partner domestic relationships in the same way it recognizes marriage. The West Hollywood ordinance seeks to establish baseline protections for the multi-partner relationships within the city’s authority.

The measure represents another step in the city’s efforts to recognize non-traditional family and relationship structures. The proposal follows a May 2025 council decision to direct the city attorney to examine how West Hollywood could strengthen protections for diverse family and relationship structures, including multi-parent families, stepfamilies and polyamorous relationships.

In March 2026, the council adopted an ordinance that altered the city’s municipal code to prohibit discrimination based on a family’s relationship structure, including people who are in multi-partner, consensual non-monogamous or polyamorous relationships. During that process, the council also directed staff to create a task force and explore a potential registration program that might allow partners to share in city benefits.

The proposal calls for the city clerk to schedule a public hearing on a registration fee after the ordinance is adopted. Council approval does not mean the ordinance is in effect. The ordinance must go through the city’s adoption process before taking effect.