Domestic partnerships and marriages are very different from a legal perspective. A marriage is a legally binding contract that both spouses sign to ensure they have read and agree to it. In the state of North Carolina, domestic partnerships are not legally recognized. Couples who live together but are not married must create contracts for themselves to have similar protections. It is an option to create a domestic partnership agreement, which is a legal document that lays out the division of assets and other support if the relationship ends.