{"id":351901,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:42","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/marriage\/marriage-law-overview.html"},"modified":"2023-06-07T08:34:51","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T13:34:51","slug":"marriage-law-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/marriage-law-overview.html","title":{"rendered":"Marriage Law Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Marriage Law Overview<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/hanan-zaki-j-d-ll-m\/\">Hanan Zaki, J.D., LL.M.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/rhonda-earhart-esq\/\">Rhonda Earhart, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            June 07, 2023\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Marriage represents a lifetime commitment between two partners. While this partnership typically involves mutual romantic interest, such marriages are also legal contracts that confer special rights and responsibilities to the married couple.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>For instance, married couples are not bound by hospital visitation restrictions and are eligible for survivor benefits if a partner dies. They can also receive Social Security benefits. Additionally, the possessions of married couples are normally shared (and divided if the marriage ends).<br>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>This section covers the basics of marriage law, including marriage license requirements, state-specific marriage license information, the meaning of marital property, and how to obtain the legal status of a valid marriage.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Marriage Laws at a Glance<\/h2>\r\n<p>In family law, marriage laws are determined by state laws. State laws on marriage determine:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Valid marriage requirements<\/li>\r\n<li>Common law marriage requirements<\/li>\r\n<li>The minimum age required for child marriages (with and without parental consent)<\/li>\r\n<li>Whether blood tests are required<\/li>\r\n<li>When a marriage is eligible for annulment<\/li>\r\n<li>How marital property is divided in the event of a divorce<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>However, federal courts and federal law have intervened in certain marriage issues.<\/p>\r\n<h3>The United States Supreme Court<\/h3>\r\n<p>The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 2015 landmark decision&nbsp;<i><a href=\"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/supreme-court-insights\/obergefell-v--hodges-case-summary-and-significance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Obergefell v. Hodges<\/a><\/i>&nbsp;that the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution requires all states to license same-sex marriages between same-sex couples. Additionally, all states must recognize all lawful, out-of-state marriages.<\/p>\r\n<p>Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court&#8217;s opinion in&nbsp;<i>Dobbs v. Jackson Women&#8217;s Health Organization<\/i>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/supreme-court\/looking-at-future-supreme-court-abortion-fights\/\">raised concerns that same-sex marriages and interracial marriages<\/a>&nbsp;were vulnerable and may no longer be recognized as legal rights or valid marriages.<\/p>\r\n<h3>The United States Congress and the President<\/h3>\r\n<p>Out of concern after&nbsp;<i>Dobbs<\/i>, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/117th-congress\/house-bill\/8404\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Respect for Marriage Act<\/a>&nbsp;was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in 2022. The Respect for Marriage Act protects same-sex and interracial marriages. It also repeals the 1996&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/wex\/defense_of_marriage_act_(doma)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Defense of Marriage Act<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act stated:<\/p>\r\n<p>\u201c[T]he word &#8216;marriage&#8217; means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word &#8216;spouse&#8217; refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.&quot;<\/p>\r\n<p>The Respect for Marriage Act repealed this language and now defines \u201cmarriage&quot; as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/117th-congress\/house-bill\/8404\/text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">between two &quot;individuals.&quot;<\/a><\/p>\r\n<h2>Legal Requirements for Getting Married<\/h2>\r\n<p>In family law, each state has different requirements for the process of entering a valid marriage.<\/p>\r\n<p>Usually, future married couples will need to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Get a marriage license<\/li>\r\n<li>Wait 0-3 days (before or after) receiving a marriage license (known as a waiting period)<\/li>\r\n<li>Participate in a marriage ceremony<\/li>\r\n<li>Receive a marriage certificate<\/li>\r\n<li>File the marriage certificate (as proof of your marriage)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Marriage License Requirements<\/h2>\r\n<p>In family law, jurisdictions (states) have different requirements for a marriage license.<\/p>\r\n<p>Generally, couples will need to:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Fill out a&nbsp;marriage license application&nbsp;(online or in person) and pay a fee<\/li>\r\n<li>Wait 0-3 days (before or after) receiving a marriage license (known as a&nbsp;waiting period)<\/li>\r\n<li>Receive a&nbsp;marriage license<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Marriage License Application<\/h3>\r\n<p>In order to get a marriage license, the premarital couple will have to go to the local county clerk&#8217;s office and pay a fee to file a marriage license application. Some states allow you to fill out a form online.<\/p>\r\n<p>You will need photo identification (usually a driver&#8217;s license), proof of residence, and a birth certificate. If you have been divorced or widowed, you will need a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. Most states have ended blood test requirements (an old method to test for diseases).<\/p>\r\n<p>In most cases, partners can get married at the courthouse. Additionally, partners can also have a separate ceremony officiated by someone legally qualified (like an ordained minister).<\/p>\r\n<h3>Waiting Periods<\/h3>\r\n<p>Some states require couples to wait either before or after receiving a marriage license. Each state has different waiting periods.<\/p>\r\n<p>While waiting periods may seem inconvenient, they are intended to ensure that the future married couple is ready to make a big commitment.<\/p>\r\n<p>States with&nbsp;no waiting periods:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Alabama<\/li>\r\n<li>Colorado<\/li>\r\n<li>Georgia<\/li>\r\n<li>Kentucky<\/li>\r\n<li>Mississippi<\/li>\r\n<li>Montana<\/li>\r\n<li>New Hampshire<\/li>\r\n<li>North Carolina<\/li>\r\n<li>Oklahoma:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklahomacounty.org\/pay-or-apply\/-marriage-license\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(If under 18 years of age: 72-hour waiting period)<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklahomacounty.org\/pay-or-apply\/-marriage-license\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><\/i><\/a><\/i>Rhode Island<\/li>\r\n<li>Utah<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>States with&nbsp;waiting periods:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Iowa: 3 days<\/li>\r\n<li>Kansas: 3 days<\/li>\r\n<li>New York: 24 hours (may be waived by<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cityclerk.nyc.gov\/content\/marriage-frequently-asked-questions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;a judge or justice of the Supreme Court of New York State<\/a>&nbsp;or by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.ny.gov\/publications\/4210\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">county judge of the county in which either party to be married resides)<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.ny.gov\/publications\/4210\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>Pennsylvania: 3 days<\/li>\r\n<li>South Carolina: 24-hours<\/li>\r\n<li>Texas: 72 hours (may be waived by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/FA\/htm\/FA.2.htm#A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a judge; completes a premarital education course; if a member of the armed forces; on active duty; or is an employee or contractor with the Department of Defense)<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/FA\/htm\/FA.2.htm#A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>Wisconsin: 3 days<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>When Will I Receive My Marriage License?<\/h3>\r\n<p>You should receive a marriage license after 1) filling out a marriage license application and 2) waiting during your state&#8217;s waiting period.<\/p>\r\n<p>It is important to remember that some marriage licenses expire after a certain amount of time. So, you should have your wedding ceremony or get married at the courthouse shortly after getting your marriage license.<\/p>\r\n<p>Some marriage licenses expire&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.logancountyok.com\/262\/Marriage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">30 days after issuance (Oklahoma)<\/a>, while other marriage licenses expire after&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov\/records\/marriage-licenses-passports\/marriage-licenses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one year (Arizona)<\/a>. In other jurisdictions (including the District of Columbia), marriage licenses never expire.<\/p>\r\n<p>Click on a link below for more general information about marriage laws.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    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width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div 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