Introduction
The minimum marriage age in the United States varies from state to state, with some states allowing marriages at a much younger age than others. Most states have a minimum marriage age of 16 years old, some states have a minimum marriage age that goes as high as 18 years old, while other states go as low as 14.
In total, there are 36 states that allow marriages at 16 years old. There are 5 states that allow marriage at 17 years old – Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington. Three states have a minimum marriage age at the age of 18 – Kentucky, Louisiana, and West Virginia. Two states have a minimum marriage age at 15 years old, Hawaii and Missouri, and two states have the lowest minimum marriage age, which is 14 years old. Those states are Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
It is worth noting that while the minimum marriage age is set by state law, there are federal laws that prohibit marriage between certain individuals, such as close relatives. Additionally, some states have recently changed their laws to increase the minimum marriage age in an effort to combat child marriage.
Minimum Age by State
State | Minimum Marriage Age | Minimun Working Age | Minimum Driving Age | Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone |
---|---|---|---|---|
Massachusetts | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
New Hampshire | 14 Years Old | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Hawaii | 15 Years Old | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Missouri | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Alabama | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Alaska | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Arizona | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Colorado | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 12 Years Old |
Connecticut | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Delaware | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 12 Years Old | |
Florida | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Georgia | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 8 Years Old | |
Idaho | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Illinois | 16 Years Old | 12 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 14 Years Old |
Iowa | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Kansas | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 6 Years Old | |
Maine | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Maryland | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 9 Months | 8 Years Old | |
Michigan | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old, 9 Months | 11 Years Old | |
Minnesota | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Montana | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age | |
Nevada | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
New Jersey | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
New Mexico | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
New York | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
North Carolina | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 8 Years Old | |
North Dakota | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 9 Years Old |
Ohio | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Oklahoma | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age | |
Pennsylvania | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Rhode Island | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
South Carolina | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
South Dakota | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Tennessee | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 10 Years Old | |
Texas | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Utah | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Vermont | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Virginia | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | No Minimum Age |
Wisconsin | 16 Years Old | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Wyoming | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Arkansas | 17 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Indiana | 17 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Nebraska | 17 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Oregon | 17 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
Washington | 17 Years Old | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 10 Years Old |
Kentucky | 18 Years Old | 16 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
Louisiana | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age | |
West Virginia | 18 Years Old | 15 Years Old | No Minimum Age |
Minimum Marriage Age by State
Alabama
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Alaska
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Arizona
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Arkansas
Minimum Marriage Age
17 Years Old
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Colorado
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
12 Years Old
Connecticut
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Delaware
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
12 Years Old
Florida
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Georgia
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
8 Years Old
Hawaii
Minimum Marriage Age
15 Years Old
18 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Idaho
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
14 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Illinois
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
12 Years Old
15 Years Old
14 Years Old
Indiana
Minimum Marriage Age
17 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Iowa
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Kansas
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
6 Years Old
Kentucky
Minimum Marriage Age
18 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Louisiana
Minimum Marriage Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Maine
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Maryland
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 9 Months
8 Years Old
Massachusetts
Minimum Marriage Age
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Michigan
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old, 9 Months
11 Years Old
Minnesota
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Missouri
Minimum Marriage Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Montana
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Nebraska
Minimum Marriage Age
17 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Nevada
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
New Hampshire
Minimum Marriage Age
14 Years Old
18 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
New Jersey
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
New Mexico
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
10 Years Old
New York
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
North Carolina
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
8 Years Old
North Dakota
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
14 Years Old
9 Years Old
Ohio
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Oklahoma
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Oregon
Minimum Marriage Age
17 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
10 Years Old
Pennsylvania
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Rhode Island
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
No Minimum Age
South Carolina
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
South Dakota
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Tennessee
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
10 Years Old
Texas
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Utah
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Vermont
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Virginia
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
15 Years Old, 6 Months
No Minimum Age
Washington
Minimum Marriage Age
17 Years Old
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
10 Years Old
West Virginia
Minimum Marriage Age
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Wisconsin
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
18 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age
Wyoming
Minimum Marriage Age
16 Years Old
15 Years Old
No Minimum Age