§PlainStatute

Family · Marriage License

Legal Age to Marry, by State

The general age and the absolute minimum age to marry in each state, and the parental-consent or court-order rules that let a minor marry where the state permits it. Each cited to the statute, stated as written.

6 of 50 states published. 3 verified against the official statute; the rest drafted from corroborating sources while the official portal is confirmed.Every state sets the general age at 18. The difference is entirely in the exceptions, and these laws have moved in several states since 2018.

Read this first: 18 everywhere, but the exceptions differ

In all of these states, the general age to marry is 18. The variation is in whether a minor may marry with permission, and the absolute minimum age. New York and Pennsylvania set 18 with no exceptions. Florida allows a 17-year-old with acknowledged parental consent and a two-year age-gap limit. Texas and Illinois allow 16, through a court order or parental consent, and California sets no numeric minimum at all.

This is a fast-moving area. Several states raised their floor to 18 with no exceptions between 2018 and 2021, and bills to change the rule are pending in others, so each page carries a current-as-of note. These pages state the law neutrally and by number, without opinion. Every figure links to the statute, and pages still pending verification say so.

Pick your state

The general age, the absolute minimum, and the statute on each card.

What these pages are, and what they aren't

Each state page is a reference for the minimum marriage age and the consent or court rules, stated as written. They are deliberately not advice or commentary: the permission path, the age gap, and recent changes can all matter, so each page links to the statute and a court or attorney resource. This is legal information, not legal advice.