Marriage Age by State

USA Data Hub Web Stories

10 months ago

Marriage Age by State: Understanding State Statutes

Marriage laws across the United States vary significantly, with each state having its own regulations regarding the minimum age at which individuals can legally marry. This article provides comprehensive insights into the minimum marriage age requirements in each state, shedding light on this crucial aspect of family law.

State-by-State Marriage “Age of Consent” Laws:

Marriage laws in the United States vary from state to state, with each state having its own set of regulations regarding the minimum age at which individuals can legally marry. Known as the “age of consent” for marriage, these laws aim to protect the rights and well-being of minors while recognizing the freedom to enter into marriage for adults.

Here are the minimum marriage age by state, ranked from lowest to highest:

Massachusetts: 14 years old
New Hampshire: 14 years old
Hawaii: 15 years old
Kansas: 15 years old
Mississippi: 15 years old

(Table: Minimum Marriage Age by State with Parental Consent)

Key Points:

Massachusetts and New Hampshire have the lowest marriage age requirements in the United States, with a minimum age of 14 years old.
No state in the United States permits marriage at the age of 12.
In Texas, the minimum marriage age with parental consent is 16 years old. Therefore, a 14-year-old cannot legally marry in Texas without special circumstances or exceptions.
In New York, individuals who are 16 years old can marry with both parental consent and judicial approval, while the minimum marriage age with parental consent is 17 years old.
Some states allow individuals as young as 16 years old to get married with parental consent, but the minimum marriage age varies by state.

Engagement vs. Marriage:

It’s important to note that engagement is not a legally binding contract like marriage. Individuals can become engaged at any age with the mutual agreement of both parties. However, marriage laws dictate the minimum age at which individuals can legally marry, typically requiring parental consent for minors.

Rank	State	Minimum Marriage Age with Parental Consent	Emancipation Age	Judicial Bypass	Common Law Marriage Recognized	Additional Notes
1	Massachusetts	14	18	Yes	No	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209, § 6
2	New Hampshire	14	18	Yes	No	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 457:1
3	Hawaii	15	18	Yes	No	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 572-1
4	Kansas	15	18	Yes	No	Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-1101
5	Mississippi	15	18	Yes	No	Miss. Code Ann. § 93-1-1
6	Missouri	15	18	Yes	No	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 451.010
7	Alabama	15	19	Yes	No	Ala. Code § 26-17-1
8	Alaska	18	–	Yes	No	Alaska Stat. § 25.20.010
9	Arizona	16	18	Yes	No	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 25-101
10	Arkansas	17	18	Yes	No	Ark. Code Ann. § 9-26-201
11	Idaho	16	18	Yes	No	Idaho Code § 32-2101
12	Indiana	17	18	Yes	No	Ind. Code § 31-11-2-2
13	Nebraska	17	19	Yes	No	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-101
14	Nevada	16	18	Yes	No	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 122.020
15	New Mexico	16	18	Yes	No	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 40-1-2
16	Connecticut	16	18	Yes	No	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-120
17	Georgia	16	18	Yes	No	Ga. Code Ann. § 19-3-3
18	Wyoming	16	18	Yes	No	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-1-102
19	Colorado	18	18	Yes	No	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-2-102
20	California	18	18	Yes	No	Cal. Fam. Code § 300
21	Delaware	18	18	Yes	No	Del. Code Ann. tit. 13, § 101
22	Florida	18	18	Yes	No	Fla. Stat. § 741.01
23	Illinois	18	18	Yes	No	750 ILCS 5/601
24	Iowa	18	18	Yes	No	Iowa Code § 595.1
25	Kentucky	18	18	Yes	No	Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 402.010
26	Louisiana	18	18	Yes	No	La. Civ. Code Art. 147
27	Maine	18	18	Yes	No	19-A M.R.S.A. § 201
28	Maryland	18	18	Yes	No	Md. Code, Fam. Law § 2-102
29	Michigan	18	18	Yes	No	Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.51
30	Minnesota	18	18	Yes	No	Minn. Stat. § 517.05
31	Montana	16	18	Yes	No	Mont. Code Ann. § 40-1-201
32	New Jersey	18	18	Yes	No	N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:34-2
33	New York	18	18	Yes	No	N.Y.
34	North Carolina	16	18	Yes	No	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-1
35	North Dakota	16	18	Yes	No	N.D. Cent. Code § 14-03-03.1
36	Ohio	18	18	Yes	No	Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3101.01
37	Oklahoma	16	18	Yes	No	Okla. Stat. tit. 43, § 3
38	Oregon	17	18	Yes	No	Or. Rev. Stat. § 106.020
39	Pennsylvania	16	18	Yes	No	23 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 1303
40	Rhode Island	16	18	Yes	No	R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-2-1
41	South Carolina	16	18	Yes	No	S.C. Code Ann. § 20-1-250
42	South Dakota	16	18	Yes	No	S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 25-1-1
43	Tennessee	16	18	Yes	No	Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-104
44	Texas	16	18	Yes	No	Tex. Fam. Code § 2.101
45	Utah	16	18	Yes	No	Utah Code Ann. § 30-1-9
46	Vermont	16	18	Yes	No	Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 15, § 1
47	Virginia	16	18	Yes	No	Va. Code Ann. § 20-48
48	Washington	17	18	Yes	No	Wash. Rev. Code § 26.04.010
49	West Virginia	16	18	Yes	No	W. Va. Code § 48-2-301
50	Wisconsin	16	18	Yes	No	Wis. Stat. Ann. § 765.02
51	Wyoming	16	18	Yes	No	Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-1-102

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Can a 20-year-old marry a 16-year-old in Texas?
- The youngest age to independently consent to marriage in Texas is 18. Between ages 16-18, only parental consent is required to obtain a marriage license.
What age can a girl get married in the USA?
- In the U.S., individuals can marry without parental consent at age 18 in most states. Exceptions include Nebraska (age 19), the District of Columbia (age 16), and Mississippi (age 21).
What age can you get married in New Jersey?
- To marry in New Jersey, individuals must be at least 18 years old. They cannot be party to another civil union, domestic partnership, or marriage in the state.
Can a 10-year-old get married in the US?
- Marrying before age 18 was legal in all states until 2017. Since then, 10 states have passed legislation banning child marriage, with Delaware being the first in 2018.
Can a 22-year-old date an 18-year-old?
- Legally, there’s no issue with a romantic or sexual relationship between a 22-year-old and an 18-year-old. However, societal norms may vary regarding age differences in relationships.
Can I marry my girlfriend at 16?
- Over half of U.S. states allow marriage between ages 16-18 with parental consent alone. Fifteen states allow marriage even younger, depending on judicial approval or if one party is pregnant or has had a child.

Source:

State Legislature Websites: (Replace “STATE” with the name of the specific state) Example: Alabama Legislature – https://www.legislature.state.al.us/
Cornell Legal Information Institute (LII): Website: https://www.law.cornell.edu/
Legal Information Institute (LII) by Cornell University: Website: https://www.law.cornell.edu/
Westlaw: Website: https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/en/products/westlaw
LexisNexis: Website: https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/home.page
Bloomberg Law: Website: https://pro.bloomberglaw.com/