What is the minimum age requirement to marry in WA? It just changed. Here’s the new law
Up until two weeks ago, minors in Washington could get legally married at the same time as getting a driver’s license.
As of June 5, minors in Washington are no longer allowed to get married in the state. House Bill 1455 amended Washington State law that once made it legal for a 17-year-old to be married with parental consent, and anyone younger than 17 could be married with a judge’s permission.
According to the Tahirih Justice Center, more than 4,800 children under the age of 18 were allowed to marry in Washington between 2000 and 2018.
McClatchy News previously reported that Rep. Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, sponsored the bill and said it’s intended to end child marriage in the state by prohibiting courts or anyone else acting on behalf of a minor from consenting to marriage.
“This is important because young people who are married before they are legal adults do not have access to the full range of legal services, counseling, therapy, financial support they might need if they were in a coercive and abusive relationship…,” Stonier said in January 2024.
The bill passed the House unanimously on Jan. 10, making Washington join other states, including Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania in outlawing child marriage.
Marriage age limits in other states
There are 40 states where the minimum age required to marry is 16. In the U.S., 12 is technically the youngest age at which you can get married with parental consent. Additionally, Mississippi and California have no age limit on marriage as long as there is guardian approval.
In Massachusetts, girls can marry as young as 12 and boys as young as 14. Hawaii and Missouri are the next youngest at 15 years old, but minors can only obtain a marriage license in Missouri under special circumstances.
Mississippi is the only state that allows minors to obtain a marriage license without parental permission. The state enables 17-year-old boys and 15-year-old girls to get married without permission.
Every state has different laws. Here is the full list of states and their minimum age requirement for marriage:
Alabama: 16. Parental consent is not required if the minor was previously married. Other statutory requirements apply.
Alaska: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Arizona: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental and judicial consent.
Arkansas: Male: 17, female: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
California: No age limits. Other statutory requirements apply, such as a judge’s approval.
Colorado: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Connecticut: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental and judicial consent.
Delaware: Male: 18, female: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Florida: 16. Parental consent is not required if the minor was previously married. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or childbirth.
Georgia: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child. Parental consent and/or permission of the judge are required.
Hawaii: 15. Parental consent and/or permission of the judge is required.
Idaho: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Illinois: 16. Judicial consent may be given when parents refuse to consent.
Indiana: 17. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Iowa: 16. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Kansas: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental and judicial consent.
Kentucky: 18. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Louisiana: 18. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Maine: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
Maryland: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child. If parties are at least 16 years of age, proof of age and consent of parties in person are required. If a parent is ill, an affidavit by the incapacitated parent and a physician’s affidavit are required.
Massachusetts: Male: 14, female: 12. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Michigan: 16
Minnesota: 16. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Mississippi: No age limits. Parental consent and/or permission of the judge is required for minors.
Missouri: 15. Younger parties may obtain a license in special circumstances.
Montana: 16. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Nebraska: 17
Nevada: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent.
New Hampshire: Male: 14, female: 13. Parties under the age of consent need parental consent and the judge’s permission.
New Jersey: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
New Mexico: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child. Younger parties may obtain licenses in special circumstances.
New York: 16. Parties under the age of consent need parental consent and the judge’s permission, no younger than 14 for males and 13 for females.
North Carolina: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
North Dakota: 16
Ohio: Male: 18. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required. Female: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Oklahoma: 16. Younger parties may marry with parental consent. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Oregon: 17. If a party has no parent residing within the state, and one party has residence there for six months, no permission is required.
Pennsylvania: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in special circumstances.
Rhode Island: Male: 18, female: 18. Younger parties may obtain a license in special circumstances.
South Carolina: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
South Dakota: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Tennessee: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in special circumstances.
Texas: 16. Parental consent and/or permission of a judge are required. Parties under the age of consent need parental consent and permission of a judge, no younger than 14 for males and 13 for females.
Utah: 16. Parental consent is not required if the minor was previously married.
Vermont: 16. Parental consent and/or permission of judge required.
Virginia: 16. Parental consent is not required if the minor was previously married. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Washington: 18
West Virginia: 18. Younger parties may obtain a license in case of pregnancy or birth of a child.
Wisconsin: 16
Wyoming: 16. Younger parties may obtain a license in special circumstances.
District of Columbia: 16. Parental consent is not required if the minor was previously married.