Introduction
Following the landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2015, Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriages became legal in all 50 states for the first time in U.S. history. Same-sex marriage is defined as a formal and legally recognized union between two people of the same biological sex. However, many states still have laws prohibiting same-sex marriage which would otherwise be in effect, if not for the aforementioned court ruling.
The Supreme Court ruling of June 2015 specifically points to the due process and equal protection clauses within the 14th Amendment in the U.S. constitution as reasons for the prior ban on same-sex marriage being unconstitutional. If the ruling was to be overturned by the Supreme Court, bans and restrictions of same-sex marriages would immediately take effect in more than half of the states in the U.S., as many states never rescinded their bans on same-sex marriage after the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
However, in spite of that, there are a handful of U.S. states that have no laws banning or restricting same-sex marriage, should that occur. Nevada, in a more proactive way, has guaranteed the right of same-sex marriages by codifying the Supreme Court ruling into law, after the 2015 ruling. Many states in the Northeastern U.S., moreover, have either passed marriage equality legislation or a ballot measure ensuring the same.
To learn more about same sex marriages by state, scroll the data in the charts.
| State | Same Sex Marriage Legality | Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | No | Yes |
| Georgia | No | Yes |
| Kentucky | No | Yes |
| Louisiana | No | Yes |
| Michigan | No | Yes |
| Mississippi | No | Yes |
| Missouri | No | Yes |
| Nebraska | No | Yes |
| North Dakota | No | Yes |
| Ohio | No | Yes |
| South Dakota | No | Yes |
| Tennessee | No | Yes |
| Texas | No | Yes |
| Alabama | Yes | Yes |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes |
| California | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | No |
| Delaware | Yes | No |
| Florida | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaii | Yes | Yes |
| Idaho | Yes | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes | No |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes |
| Maine | Yes | No |
| Maryland | Yes | No |
| Massachusetts | Yes | No |
| Minnesota | Yes | No |
| Montana | Yes | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes | No |
| New Hampshire | Yes | No |
| New Jersey | Yes | No |
| New Mexico | Yes | No |
| New York | Yes | No |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes | No |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes |
| Utah | Yes | Yes |
| Vermont | Yes | No |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | Yes | No |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes |
Same Sex Marriage Legality by State
Alabama
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Alaska
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Arizona
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Arkansas
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
California
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Colorado
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Connecticut
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Delaware
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Florida
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Georgia
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Hawaii
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Idaho
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Illinois
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Indiana
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Iowa
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Kansas
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Kentucky
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Louisiana
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Maine
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Maryland
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Massachusetts
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Michigan
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Minnesota
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Mississippi
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Missouri
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Montana
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Nebraska
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Nevada
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
New Hampshire
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
New Jersey
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
New Mexico
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
New York
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
North Carolina
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
North Dakota
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Ohio
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Oklahoma
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Oregon
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Pennsylvania
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Rhode Island
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
South Carolina
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
South Dakota
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Tennessee
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Texas
Same Sex Marriage Legality
No
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Utah
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Vermont
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
Virginia
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Washington
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
No
West Virginia
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Wisconsin
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes
Wyoming
Same Sex Marriage Legality
Yes
Same-Sex Marriage Ban Status
Yes