{"id":374279,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:43","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/minnesota-law\/minnesota-marriage-age-requirements-laws.html"},"modified":"2020-08-18T16:45:50","modified_gmt":"2020-08-18T21:45:50","slug":"minnesota-marriage-age-requirements-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/minnesota-law\/minnesota-marriage-age-requirements-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Marriage Age Requirements Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Minnesota Marriage Age Requirements Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

The decision to get married is very personal, but states do have an interest in regulating the institution of marriage<\/a>. Most states require individuals to be a certain age to be eligible for a marriage license — typically the age of majority (18 in most states) — but also allow younger people to get married with written parental consent. However, in 2020, Minnesota became the second state to ban child marriage, meaning that minors under the age of 18 cannot be legally married.<\/p>\r\n

Minnesota Marriage Age Requirements at a Glance<\/h2>\r\n

Prior to 2020, minors as young as 16 were able to get married in Minnesota with parental consent or court approval, but Minnesota now prohibits child marriage outright and requires people applying for marriage licenses to verify their age. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
 <\/th>\r\nState<\/td>\r\nMN<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
 <\/th>\r\nCode Section<\/td>\r\n517.02<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
 <\/th>\r\nMinimum Legal Age With Parental Consent<\/td>\r\nN\/A<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
 <\/th>\r\nMinimum Legal Age Without Parental Consent<\/td>\r\n18<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
 <\/th>\r\nComments<\/td>\r\n <\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\r\n

Note:<\/i><\/b> State laws are constantly changing, usually as a result of legislation, case law, or ballot initiative. FindLaw works hard to maintain the accuracy of these pages, but you may also want to contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.<\/i><\/p>\r\n

Why Are There Age Limits for Getting a Marriage License?<\/h2>\r\n

Marriage age limits are meant to protect children from being coerced or encouraged to enter into a lifelong contract without having the capacity to consent. While some may claim cultural or religious freedom to marry at a younger age (often without the bride’s input), state laws always prevail. The push to ban child marriage is based on the concern that minors, typically girls, are prone to exploitation and abuse when entering marriage at such a young age.<\/p>\r\n

How Do I Get a Marriage License in Minnesota?<\/h2>\r\n

To get a Minnesota marriage license, you’ll need to make an appointment at the service center at your county courthouse<\/a> (search by zip code or county in the upper right-hand corner). In the Twin Cities, you would want to start the online application process at the Hennepin County marriage license portal<\/a>. You can search for Minnesota marriage license records through the Minnesota Official Marriage System<\/a> (MOMS).<\/p>\r\n

Research the Law<\/h2>\r\n