If you are a minor applicant aged 16 or 17, you must provide proof of age with your birth certificate when applying for your marriage certificate, in addition to your parental consent from a notary. You may also need to show government-issued identification for your parent or guardian who gives parental consent. Each state regulates the age at which individuals can legally marry in the state. In South Carolina, the general age of consent to marriage is the same as the general legal age of majority of 18. However, there are exceptions to the Marriage Act that allow persons under the age of 18 to marry with the consent of a parent or guardian in certain circumstances. “These are not adults,” said Hutto, a Democrat from Orangeburg. “We won`t let them drink until they`re 21, and we`re going to suggest they get married at 16? It just doesn`t make sense. The 2019 law raising the age of marriage to 16 came after The Post and Courier reported that thousands of girls, some as young as 12 or 13, had married older men in the state over the past two decades. Hutto said many teenage girls who marry choose marriage after becoming pregnant, an outdated idea that data shows can limit their future because these women are less likely to return to school and more likely to live in poverty. Of the 5,400 children who married in South Carolina between 2000 and 2018, 79 percent were girls who married adult men, and the vast majority of those girls were 16 and 17, Hutto said. In South Carolina, in most cases, you must be 18 years of age or older to apply for your marriage license. However, as long as you are 16 years old and have parental consent to get married, you can do so with a notarized consent form.

In addition, there is an exception to the parental eligibility rule. If a woman under the age of 18 is pregnant or has a child, she can marry the father of her child without parental consent in the state of South Carolina. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and its inhabitants are U.S. citizens. In Puerto Rico, the general age of marriage is 21, as that is the age of majority. The general age of marriage in Puerto Rico is 21 or 18 with parental consent. [35] In Guam, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian. [36] In American Samoa, the age of marriage has been 18 for both sexes since September 2018. Previously, the age of marriage for women was 14. [37] American Samoa does not allow marriages with minors.

In the District of Columbia, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with exceptions. [35] In the United States. Virgin Islands The age of marriage is 14 for women and 16 for men. [38] In the Northern Mariana Islands, men must be 18 to marry, while women can marry at 16 with parental consent. [39] If you and your future spouse have decided to marry in South Carolina and have confirmed that you can legally marry in the state (remember age requirements), you must apply for your marriage license. Here`s everything you need to know about the SC marriage certificate application process. In Massachusetts, the general age of marriage is 18, but minors can be married with judicial approval. Unlike many other states,[2] child marriage in Massachusetts does not automatically emancipate the minor or increase his or her legal rights beyond allowing the minor to consent to certain medical treatments. [3] If you have questions about your situation or marriage before you turn 18, you should speak to an experienced family law attorney in South Carolina.

A lawyer can guide you through the process of applying for a marriage certificate with or without parental permission (if eligible). Neither party needs to be South Carolina residents to marry in the state (good news for non-residents who have an SC marriage in mind!) And no blood test is required. Don`t forget to consider the 24-hour wait here! In most cases, it doesn`t take long to apply for your marriage license in South Carolina, but keep in mind that the state can`t issue you your license until that 24-hour period expires. And you need to make sure you go to probate court offices Monday through Friday during normal business hours. In many states (but not Massachusetts),[2] the marriage of a minor automatically emancipates him or increases his or her legal rights beyond the minor`s permission to consent to certain medical treatments. [3] Getting married legally in South Carolina is pretty easy, but there are a few important things to consider when planning your big day. Here`s what you need to know about the legal requirements and how to get married in South Carolina. Give your guests a dose of southern hospitality with almost any location in South Carolina.

No matter where you want to get married, you should choose a place that suits you and has everything to offer to bring your big day to life. The good news is that your options are endless and we`ve rounded up some of the best options for you. In California, the applicable law is found in California Family Code Sections 302 and 304 (2019): “An unmarried person under the age of 18 may obtain a marriage certificate upon receipt of a court order authorizing the person or persons to marry in accordance with the requirements described in Section 304.” [11] Historically, Section 56 of the California Civil Code (1872) established 15 as the age at which a woman could marry without her parents` consent.