When Did California Stop Requiring Blood Test For Marriage?

California no longer requires blood tests for couples seeking a marriage license, joining the rest of the US. The practice of requiring blood tests for marriage gradually declined from the 1980s onwards, with most states abandoning this mandate as medical advancements made. In the 1930s, Surgeon General Thomas Parran called for mandatory blood tests to slow the epidemic.

Mandatory premarital blood tests were repealed throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with Montana remaining to have women tested for rubella until 2019. Outside the U.S., premarital blood testing is still mandatory in more than 25 countries due to the serious risk of HIV. Prenatal blood tests are no longer required as of July 1, 2003.

In California, marriage licenses are only valid for 90 days, so applicants must obtain their license within the 90 days immediately prior to their wedding date. There is no blood test required, and there is no waiting period. While a standard marriage license in California required a blood test prior to 1995, a confidential marriage license did not.

In summary, California no longer requires blood tests for couples seeking a marriage license, joining the rest of the US. The practice of requiring blood tests for marriage has been discontinued by most states, with Montana being the last state to repeal its requirement in 2019.

Why did people have to get blood test before they got married years ago?

Historically, many states have required applicants for a marriage license to obtain a blood test. These tests were for venereal diseases (most commonly syphilis), for genetic disorders (such as sickle-cell anemia), or for rubella. The tests for syphilis were part of a broad public health campaign enacted in the late 1930s by U.S. Surgeon General Thomas Parran. Parran argued that premarital testing was necessary to inform the potential marriage partner of the risk of contracting a communicable disease, and to reduce the risk of birth defects associated with syphilis. According to Brandt, “by the end of 1938, twenty-six states had enacted provisions prohibiting the marriage of infected individuals.” Screenings for genetic disorders and for rubella were also implemented in the interest of minimizing the risk of genetic disease or birth defects in the couples offspring.

Buckles, et al., note that it soon became apparent that the cost of the mandate was very high and benefits were quite low:

In the case of syphilis, however, it was soon recognized that premarital blood testing was not a cost-effective way to screen for the disease. Despite reports that 10% of Americans were infected, only 1.34% of applicants in New York Citys first year of testing were found to have the disease. Brandt notes that a premarital exam was “not the optimal locus for screening,” since couples seeking to marry were not likely to be in the most at-risk groups, and individuals who knew they were infected could wait until the infection cleared to apply for a license…. Nationwide, couples spent over $80 million to reveal 456 cases.

Why did you need a blood test to get married in the USA?

Summary. In the late 1930s, states began to pass laws requiring men and women applying for marriage licences to demonstrate proof of a blood test showing that they did not harbour communicable syphilis.

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Why does Montana require a blood test for marriage?

• Why get a rubella blood test? What will the results show? What are the risks of not knowing your rubella antibody status? Where can you get more information about rubella and testing? Montana County Clerk Office Locations
• Marriage License Information by State
• Marriage Law Overview

State laws change. For marriage license and blood test requirements, contact a local family law lawyer.

What are the requirements for a marriage license in California?

• REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE IN PERSON:. Both parties must appear together in person and be 18 years of age and older.
• Parties must present valid government-issued photo identification as proof of name and date of birth. Examples of acceptable forms of Identification include, Drivers license or State Identification, Passport, Military I.D., Consulate Card. A certified copy of a birth certificate or court ordered name change will also need to be provided if photo identification does not contain full name.
• Applicants must be unmarried. You may not be currently married to each other or to other individuals.
• If either party was previously married or in a State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP), you must provide the exact date the previous marriage or SRDP ended and how it ended (death, dissolution, divorce, or annulment).
• If the previous marriage or SRDP ended by dissolution, divorce, or annulment within the last 30 days, you must present a certified copy of the final judgment issued by the court.
• The license may be used only in the State of California and is valid for 90 days from the date it was issued.
• For information and forms regarding Power of Attorney for military marriages pursuant to SB7, select the following link:SB7 Military Power of Attorney and Instructions (PDF)
• We are only accepting cash, check, or debit card payments for in person services at this time.

Please note: After submitting your application online and within 30 days, both parties to the marriage must come into the office to make a payment, complete the process and receive the marriage license. The couple must appear together in-person and present valid identification.

Please note: A valid California marriage license is required before a ceremony can be performed. We encourage customers to complete the marriage license application online (Step 1 below).

Do you need a blood test to get married in Texas?

No blood test is required in the State of Texas. Coming into the Clerks Office to get your license (Texas Family Code § 2.006): 1. Both applicants must be present to apply for a marriage license.

What makes a marriage license invalid in California?

Marriages between parents and children, ancestors and descendants of every degree, and between siblings of the half as well as the whole blood, and between uncles or aunts and nieces or nephews, are incestuous, and void from the beginning, whether the relationship is legitimate or illegitimate.

This means that a marriage between certain family members is automatically void and does not exist.

(a) A subsequent marriage contracted by a person during the life of his or her former spouse, with a person other than the former spouse, is illegal and void, unless: The former marriage has been dissolved or adjudged a nullity before the date of the subsequent marriage. The former spouse (A) is absent, and not known to the person to be living for the period of five successive years immediately preceding the subsequent marriage, or (B) is generally reputed or believed by the person to be dead at the time the subsequent marriage was contracted.(b) In either of the cases described in paragraph of subdivision (a), the subsequent marriage is valid until its nullity is adjudged pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2210.

When did NY stop requiring blood tests for marriage license?

A blood test is not required for a marriage license in New York. The Breitbard-Desmond pre-marital blood test bill aimed at preventing the spread of syphilis became a New York State law in 1938, but the law was repealed in 1985.

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Do you have to consummate a marriage in Canada?

The marriage is not consummated. A marriage can also be annulled if one spouse didn’t want to have sex. Consummation means the spouses had sex at least once after getting married. Non-consummation is the most common reason for annulling a marriage in Ontario. If one spouse knew the other never wanted to have sex, or entered into the marriage on a platonic basis, then the non-consummation ground doesn’t apply. Also, not having time or the chance to consummate the marriage is not grounds for an annulment. Not grounds for annulment. Religious marriages and marriages of convenience are not grounds for annulment. A religious annulment is not valid under Ontario law. The law doesn’t consider why people get married when deciding if a marriage can be annulled. Marriages of convenience, like those for immigration, cannot be annulled. Spouses can get an annulment at any time, but they’re usually used to end short marriages.

Do you need a blood test to get married in Canada?

Blood tests are not required. A marriage licence is valid for 3 months from the date it is issued. A marriage ceremony may take place the same day a marriage licence is issued. There is no waiting time.

Overview. A marriage licence shows the person performing your marriage that you have met all the legal requirements to be married in Alberta.

Alberta marriage licences are available from a registry agent office.

A registry agent issues a 2-part document. The top part is a Registration of Marriage and the bottom part is the marriage licence.

Does California require a blood test for a marriage license?

An important function of the local registrar of marriages is to produce an index of marriages registered in his/her jurisdiction (Government Code, Section 27252). performed. Blood tests are NOT required to obtain a marriage license in California.

What is required to marry a couple in California?

Both parties must appear in person and bring valid picture identification to the County Clerks Office to apply for a marriage license in California. Valid picture identification is one that contains a photograph, date of birth, and an issue and expiration date, such as a state-issued identification card, drivers license, passport, military identification, etc. Some counties may also require a copy of your birth certificate.

• If you have been married before, you will need to know the specific date your last marriage ended, and how it ended (Death, Dissolution, Divorce or Nullity). Some counties may require a copy of the final judgment if your previous marriage ended by dissolution or nullity.
• Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. If you do not get married within 90 days, the license will no longer be valid. You must purchase a new license.
• Many County Clerks in California perform civil marriage ceremonies in their offices. For further information regarding civil marriage ceremonies, please contact the County Clerks Office directly to see if they provide this service.

California Family Code, Section 400, states the persons authorized to solemnize marriage ceremonies in California are as follows: