Is Child Marriage Legal In The United States?

Child marriage is a form of forced marriage where at least one party is under 18 years old. In the United States, each state and territory sets the marriage age in its jurisdiction. As of March 2024, in four states, there is no statutory minimum age for marriage. Child marriage was legal in all 50 states until 2018, but since then, 10 states have passed bans, and advocates continue to push lawmakers to end the practice.

There is no federal law regarding child marriage, and every state sets its own requirements. Between 2000 and 2018, almost 300,000 children were married in the United States alone, with an average of forty-five child marriages per day. The United States government frequently advocates for an end to child marriage around the globe.

Currently, child marriage remains legal in 46 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia, and 10 states’ laws still do not specify a minimum age for marriage. The UN Sustainable Development Goals call for the elimination of child marriage before 2030, and progress toward this goal is measured by estimating the proportion of women aged 20-24 who were married before age 18.

Child marriage is legal in most of the United States, with the majority of states having an age floor of 16 for marriage. As of April 2024, 12 states have banned underage marriages, with no exceptions. Congress has set some limits on child marriage, but because marriage is regulated at the state level, the United States has no national law banning child marriage.

To curb child marriage abroad, the U.S. must first end it at home.

Is child marriage legal in Florida?

In Florida, you can’t marry until you’re 17.

Last updated August 14, 2020. The last updated date is when this article was last reviewed. We try to keep our articles up to date. For legal help, contact an attorney in your area.

Young love in the Sunshine State. We all remember our first crushes and early romances. But if your relationship is more serious, how young is too young to get married? In Florida, your parents must consent to marriage. Here is a brief overview of marriage age requirements in Florida.

What is the youngest age to get married in the United States?

Two states have a minimum marriage age of 15, and two have the lowest minimum age of 14. Massachusetts and New Hampshire have the lowest minimum marriage age.

Can 10 year olds get married in California?

The minimum age to marry varies by state. Seven states have no minimum age. UNICEF USA is working with Unchained at Last to end child marriage in the United States. Eleven U.S. states have banned marriage before 18 with no exceptions. California could be next.

Ask your elected officials to end child marriage with no exceptions. Child marriage violates children’s rights. Janette was 14 and in ninth grade in Southern California when she met her future husband, who was 21. Her mom let him sleep on the couch. I wondered why he was there. Next thing I know, I’m at his place, said Janette, now an activist working to end child marriage. I know now. She sold me.

Can a 10 year old get married in the US?

As of April 2024, the lowest age for marriage in states with a minimum age is: Four states have no minimum age. Two states have a minimum age of 15, and 23 states have a minimum age of 16. In the United States, a child marriage is a marriage in which at least one party is under 18. Each state and territory and the federal district sets the marriage age. In March 2024, four states had no minimum age, including all exemptions. These are California, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. As of April 2024, 12 states have banned underage marriages. In 2018, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania banned underage marriages. In 2020, Minnesota and Rhode Island did the same. In 2021, New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont followed suit. Connecticut and Michigan did the same in 2023. Washington and Virginia will do the same in 2024. American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands also ended child marriage. Other US states have similar bills pending.

How is child marriage still legal in the US?

Congress has set some limits on child marriage, but the United States has no national law banning it. Some states have recently discussed child marriage again. Earlier this year, Michigan banned it. But many more states need to act. David French: How to fix America’s child pornography crisis. Child marriage deprives children—mostly girls—of agency and puts them in abusive situations. In most states, if a man has sex with a girl who is underage and he is married to her, he can avoid being charged with statutory rape. In some cases, child custody can be changed if a child gets married with the permission of a noncustodial parent. In most cases of child marriage, the minor cannot get divorced until they are 18. They may also not be allowed to stay in domestic violence shelters because they are not an adult.

Can a 15 year old marry a 18 year old in Florida?

In Florida, children age 16 or older could get married with parental consent. The minimum age without parental consent was 18. This year, the state passed a law banning all marriages for children under 17, regardless of parental consent. The law was a compromise between those who wanted to ban all marriages for children under 18 and those who wanted to allow some children to marry with parental consent. Child marriage is legal in the United States, but each state has its own rules. In Florida, 17-year-olds can still get married with parental consent, but they have to meet some extra requirements. These include premarital preparation courses. Also, a 17-year-old can’t marry someone more than two years older.

Which country has the lowest marriage age?

In Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Principe, children can marry at 14 with their parents’ consent, but must wait until 18 otherwise. Many countries allow children to marry at 15 or 16 with their parents’ permission. Most countries have 18 as the minimum age for marriage without parental consent. Some countries set their minimum legal marriage age higher than 18. These countries require 21 to get married. Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Eswatini, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Zambia.

Which country has the youngest marriage age?

Sudan had a different policy about marriage age. Muslim children could get married at puberty. Non-Muslim children could only marry after they were 13 or 15. In late 2020, Sudan changed the legal age for marriage to 18, making child marriage illegal.

Is it illegal to get married at 14 in the US?

Five states set an age floor below 16: Alaska, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, and North Carolina. Some states suggest an age floor through case law.

Can a 14 year old get married in Texas?

You must be at least 18 to marry. You must be 18 to marry. If you’re between 16 and 18, you need parental consent or a court order to marry. If you’re under 16, you need a court order to marry.

Can a 17 year old get married in Texas?

You must be at least 18 to marry. You must be 18 to marry. If you’re between 16 and 18, you need parental consent or a court order to marry.