West Hollywood legalizes polygamous domestic partnerships, throuples

The ordinance, approved Tuesday, allows individuals in polyamorous relationships to file a statement with the city clerk establishing an official record of their relationship. While the registration does not grant the same legal rights and protections as marriage or state-recognized domestic partnerships, it provides certain benefits, including hospital visitation rights and additional tenant protections.

Under the ordinance, groups of three or more people can register their relationships provided all parties consent, and the relationships are not incestuous. Individuals who live outside the city may also register.

“This law is just the beginning,” Christina Fialho, founder of sexual media representation advocacy group Rewrite the BiLine, told the LA Times. Fialho brought the proposal for polyamory protections to West Hollywood Councilmember Chelsea Lee Byers in 2025.

“I think it makes it possible for people to dream about a future they once thought was out of reach,” Fialho added.

Fialho said the registry would help legitimize polyamorous relationships on paper for things like school pickups. She also said that as a bisexual woman, it makes her “feel protected.”

In March, West Hollywood’s council approved an anti-discrimination ordinance for polyamorous couples. The ordinance was introduced by Councilmember Byers and instructed city staff to work out details of a potential multi-partner domestic registry.

The concept of multi-partner families is increasingly common, particularly in left-wing cities. Somerville, Massachusetts, and Cambridge were the first cities to explicitly permit multi-partner relationships to register with the city.