Guide Rankings Law Updated May 10, 2026

Marriage Age by State

Map of the United States showing minimum marriage age by state, with states that ban child marriage shown in dark blue

Marriage Age by State

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Quick Answer

Marriage Age by State

  1. 1

    Marriage age without parental consent is 18 in every U.S. state except Nebraska, where the age of majority is 19. As of 2025, at least 18 states have enacted absolute bans on marriage under 18 with no exceptions.

  2. 2

    Delaware was the first state to ban child marriage in 2018. California has no statutory minimum marriage age; a superior court must approve any marriage involving a minor, but no age floor is set in state law.

Map

Minimum Marriage Age by State Map

minimum age
No data
States in dark blue have enacted absolute bans on marriage under 18 with no exceptions. Lighter states allow marriage at 16 or 17 with parental and court approval. California has no statutory minimum age.
Minimum Marriage Age by State Map
Rank State minimum age
1 Alabama 16
2 Alaska 16
3 Arizona 16
4 Arkansas 17
5 California 0
6 Colorado 16
7 Connecticut 18
8 Delaware 18
9 Florida 18
10 Georgia 17
11 Hawaii 18
12 Idaho 16
13 Illinois 18
14 Indiana 17
15 Iowa 16
16 Kansas 16
17 Kentucky 17
18 Louisiana 16
19 Maine 18
20 Maryland 18
21 Massachusetts 18
22 Michigan 18
23 Minnesota 18
24 Mississippi 17
25 Missouri 16
26 Montana 18
27 Nebraska 17
28 Nevada 16
29 New Hampshire 16
30 New Jersey 18
31 New Mexico 16
32 New York 18
33 North Carolina 16
34 North Dakota 16
35 Ohio 18
36 Oklahoma 16
37 Oregon 17
38 Pennsylvania 18
39 Rhode Island 18
40 South Carolina 16
41 South Dakota 16
42 Tennessee 17
43 Texas 16
44 Utah 16
45 Vermont 18
46 Virginia 18
47 Washington 17
48 West Virginia 16
49 Wisconsin 16
50 Wyoming 16

States in dark blue have enacted absolute bans on marriage under 18 with no exceptions. Lighter states allow marriage at 16 or 17 with parental and court approval. California has no statutory minimum age.

Marriage Age by State Table

Age without parental consent

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Print-ready table — Marriage Age by State

States That Ban Marriage Under 18

Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover with its brick facade and white cupola
Delaware Legislative Hall has housed the state legislature since 1933; Delaware became the first state to end marriage under 18 in 2018.

As of 2025, at least 18 states have enacted laws setting 18 as the absolute minimum marriage age with no exceptions: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. These states allow no marriages involving anyone under 18. There are no parental consent exceptions, no court overrides, and no pregnancy exceptions.

Delaware became the first state to ban child marriage in 2018. New Jersey followed the same year. Vermont also enacted its ban in 2018. The reform wave accelerated between 2019 and 2023, with Florida's 2023 law completing the most recent wave. Florida previously allowed marriage at 16 or 17 with parental consent and court approval.

The legal landscape continues to shift. Advocacy organizations including Unchained At Last have tracked legislative activity in the remaining states and report that reform efforts are ongoing in several legislatures as of 2026. Check the National Conference of State Legislatures for the most current status.

States Where 16- or 17-Year-Olds May Marry

Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles with palm trees along the entrance
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse is part of the Los Angeles Superior Court system, where California family-law petitions involving minors are heard under state court rules.

In states that have not enacted an absolute ban, minors may marry under specific conditions. Most require both parental consent and judicial approval. States with a 17-year minimum include Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. States with a 16-year minimum include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Nebraska is a special case: its age of majority is 19, not 18. Without parental consent, a person in Nebraska must be 19 to marry. With parental consent and court approval, the minimum is 17. No other state has a consent-free marriage age above 18.

California has no statutory minimum marriage age at all. Under California Family Code Section 302, a person under 18 may marry only with a superior court order. The judge must find the marriage is in the minor's best interest. There is no age floor set by statute — meaning the court could theoretically approve a marriage for someone younger than 16, though this is rare in practice.

Quick Answers

What is the legal age to get married in the United States?
The minimum age to marry without parental consent is 18 in every state except Nebraska, where it is 19. In states that have not banned child marriage, minors as young as 16 may marry with parental consent and court approval. California has no statutory minimum age but requires a court order for anyone under 18.
Can you get married at 16 in the U.S.?
Yes, in more than 20 states, a 16-year-old may marry with parental consent and, in most cases, court approval. States where this is permitted include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
What states ban marriage under 18?
As of 2025, at least 18 states have enacted absolute bans on marriage under 18 with no exceptions: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. Delaware was the first to act, in 2018.
What states allow minors to marry?
States that still allow marriage under 18 with parental consent and court approval include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Can you get married without parental consent before 18?
In most states, no. The standard age to marry without any parental consent is 18. Nebraska requires 19. Emancipated minors in some states may be treated as adults for marriage purposes, bypassing the parental consent requirement, but emancipation itself requires a court order.
What is the minimum marriage age in California?
California has no statutory minimum marriage age. Under California Family Code Section 302, any marriage involving a person under 18 requires a superior court order. The judge must determine the marriage is in the minor's best interest. No age floor appears in state law, which makes California an outlier among all 50 states.

Methodology

Minimum ages and consent requirements reflect state statutes reviewed as of January 2026. Laws in this area have changed frequently since 2018 and continue to change. Marriage laws change by state and may be updated by new legislation. This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Always check the official state statute or county clerk before applying for a marriage license.

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