Guide Rankings Law Updated June 22, 2026

Cousin Marriage Legality

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Cousin Marriage Legality

Ranking - Law

First-cousin marriage law is set entirely at the state level in the United States. As of June 2026, 16 states allow it outright, 8 allow it with conditions, and 26 ban it.

Quick Answer

Cousin Marriage Legality

  1. 1

    Alabama is in the legal group, one of 16 states where first-cousin marriage is legal without age, infertility, or counseling conditions.

  2. 2

    Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin allow first-cousin marriage only with conditions. Arizona requires both parties to be 65 or older, or one party to be infertile.

  3. 3

    Connecticut moved into the banned group on October 1, 2025. Arizona, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin are the eight states with a yes in the criminal-offense column.

Map

Cousin Marriage Legality by State Map

status
Banned
Legal
Allowed with conditions
Sixteen states are fully legal, eight allow first-cousin marriage with conditions, and 26 ban it. Connecticut joined the banned group on October 1, 2025, while California and New York remain fully legal.
Cousin Marriage Legality by State Map
State status
Alabama Legal
Alaska Legal
Arizona Allowed with conditions
Arkansas Banned
California Legal
Colorado Legal
Connecticut Banned
Delaware Banned
Florida Legal
Georgia Legal
Hawaii Legal
Idaho Banned
Illinois Allowed with conditions
Indiana Allowed with conditions
Iowa Banned
Kansas Banned
Kentucky Banned
Louisiana Banned
Maine Allowed with conditions
Maryland Legal
Massachusetts Legal
Michigan Banned
Minnesota Allowed with conditions
Mississippi Banned
Missouri Banned
Montana Banned
Nebraska Banned
Nevada Banned
New Hampshire Banned
New Jersey Legal
New Mexico Legal
New York Legal
North Carolina Allowed with conditions
North Dakota Banned
Ohio Banned
Oklahoma Banned
Oregon Banned
Pennsylvania Banned
Rhode Island Legal
South Carolina Legal
South Dakota Banned
Tennessee Banned
Texas Banned
Utah Allowed with conditions
Vermont Legal
Virginia Legal
Washington Banned
West Virginia Banned
Wisconsin Allowed with conditions
Wyoming Banned

Sixteen states are fully legal, eight allow first-cousin marriage with conditions, and 26 ban it. Connecticut joined the banned group on October 1, 2025, while California and New York remain fully legal.

Cousin Marriage Legality Table

Legality

Download as PDF

Print-ready table — Cousin Marriage Legality

States Where Cousin Marriage Is Banned

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In the banned states, marriage itself is void or prohibited, and a smaller subset also criminalizes the relationship. That distinction is why the map separates marriage legality from the criminal-offense column.

Twenty-six states ban first-cousin marriage. Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan, and Connecticut are all in that banned group.

Eight states have a yes in the criminal-offense column. Arizona, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin make up that group.

Quick Answers

Is it legal to marry your cousin in California?
Yes. California lists first-cousin marriage as legal, with no age or infertility condition in the table.
Is it legal to marry your cousin in New York?
Yes. New York lists first-cousin marriage as legal, and the table also notes that New York generally allows avunculate marriage.
Is it legal to marry your cousin in Texas?
No. Texas bans first-cousin marriage, and the criminal-offense column is also marked yes.
Is it legal to marry your cousin in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama is in the legal group, and its criminal-offense column is marked no.
Which states allow cousin marriage with conditions?
Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin allow first-cousin marriage with conditions. Arizona uses a 65-or-older or infertility rule, while North Carolina blocks only rare double first cousins.
Is it legal to marry your cousin in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut moved to banned status on October 1, 2025, under the table update used for this page.

Methodology

Legality categories use the supplied Wikipedia state table on first-cousin marriage law in the United States. Connecticut was updated from legal to banned based on Public Act 25-72, effective October 1, 2025.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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