Mississippi Marriage Age Requirements Laws

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016

If you’ve thought about getting married, you’ve probably daydreamed about running off with your first crush. And if you’re a parent you might have worried about your children doing the same. But for any Magnolia State marriage to be legal, both parties must meet certain age requirements first. The minimum age can vary from state to state and can depend on whether the kids have their parents’ permission to get hitched. Here is a brief overview of the marriage age requirements in Mississippi.

State Marriage Age Laws

As noted above, state marriage age requirements can vary depending on where you live. Mississippi’s statutes set the minimum age at 21, but allow males aged 17 and females aged 15 to marry with parental permission.

Marriage Age Statutes in Mississippi

Mississippi’s marriage age statutes are listed in the table below.

Code Section	Mississippi Code 93-1-5
Minimum Legal Age With Parental Consent	Male: 17; Female: 15
Minimum Legal Age Without Parental Consent	Male: 21; Female: 21
Comments	Minors under minimum age may obtain license with parental consent and approval of court. Minor females age 15 yrs. and older and males 17 yrs. and older but under 21 may obtain license with parental consent and court order.

Marriage Requirements

Unfortunately, age restrictions aren’t the only legal hurdles to a valid marriage. Prospective couples must also meet the technical marriage requirements and obtain an actual marriage license. If you’re hoping to get married in Mississippi, you must submit a marriage license application to a County Court Clerk and provide the following information:

Full names and addresses of both parties applying for marriage license;
Full names and addresses of the parents of both parties, including the maiden name of both mothers;
Age, date of birth, and state of birth;
Proof of age;
Highest grade completed in school; and
If either party previously married:
- Number of previous marriages;
- How the last marriage ended (divorce, death, etc.); and
- Date the last marriage ended (along with proof of divorce, if it was within the last six months).

Marriage license fees vary by county, so contact your local county clerk for details and any additional requirements.