<P> Unlike most Western countries, 18 of the U.S. states do not have a legal minimum age of marriage . Individuals aged 18 have the ability to marry in U.S. states except Nebraska (19) and Mississippi (21). In addition, all states, except Delaware and New Jersey, allow minors to marry in certain circumstances, such as parental consent, judicial consent, pregnancy, or a combination of these situations . Most states allow parties aged 16 and 17 to marry with parental consent alone . In most states, children under 16 can be married too . In the 32 states which have an absolute minimum age set by statute, this age varies between 14 and 18, while in 18 states there is no statutory minimum age if other legal conditions are met . Although in such states there is no set minimum age by statute, the traditional common law minimum age is 14 for boys and 12 for girls - ages which have been confirmed by case law in some states . Over the past 15 years, more than 200,000 minors married in US, and in Tennessee girls as young as 10 were married in 2001, before the state finally set a minimum age of 17 in 2018 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> State / Territory </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Minimum age </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Statutory age when all exceptions are taken into account </Th> <Th> General age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alabama </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alaska </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Arizona </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since 2018, the minimum age with approval of a superior court judge and parental consent is 16 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Arkansas </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> California </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> No minimum age with approval of a superior court judge and parental consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Colorado </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> No minimum age with judicial approval and parental consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Connecticut </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since 2017, the minimum age is 16 with parental and judicial consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Delaware </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since May 2018, the Delaware child marriage ban bill was signed into law and went into effect immediately to implement a clear minimum age of 18 with no exceptions . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> District of Columbia </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Florida </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since July 1, 2018 17 - year - olds need both parental and judicial approval and may not marry anyone more than 2 years older . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Georgia </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hawaii </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 15 with parental or judicial consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Idaho </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Illinois </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indiana </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 15 in the case of pregnancy with both parental and judicial consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iowa </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kansas </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kentucky </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since 2018, 17 - year - olds need judicial approval . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Louisiana </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maine </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maryland </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Massachusetts </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Consent can be just judicial, but is normally both parental and judicial . In the absence of any statutory minimum age, one opinion is that the traditional minimum common law marriageable age of 12 for girls and 14 for boys may still be in effect . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Michigan </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 16 with parental consent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Minnesota </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mississippi </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> females 15--21 and males 17--21 can marry with parental consent alone </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Missouri </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> In July 2018 a bill was signed into law by the Governor of Missouri, to implement an absolute minimum age of 16 and to ban people over 21 years old marrying people under the age of 18 . The law went into effect on August 28, 2018 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Montana </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nebraska </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nevada </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Hampshire </Td> <Td> 16 (in effect from January 1, 2019) </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> In 2018, the minimum age was set at 16 (in effect from 1 January, 2019). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Jersey </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since June 2018, the New Jersey child marriage ban bill was signed into law and went into effect immediately to implement a clear minimum age of 18 with no exceptions . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Mexico </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New York </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since 2017, the minimum age is 17 with parental and judicial consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> North Carolina </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> North Dakota </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 16 with parental consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ohio </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 18 for males regardless of parental consent . 16 for females with parental consent, 18 for females without parental consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oklahoma </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oregon </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Consenting parent or guardian must accompany the applicant when applying for the marriage license . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pennsylvania </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Under 16 years of age if a Judge of the Orphans Court "decides that it is to the best interest of the applicant and authorizes the issuance of the license ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Puerto Rico </Td> <Td> 18 (males), 16 (females) </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, and its people are Americans . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rhode Island </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Carolina </Td> <Td> 16 / none (conflicting laws) </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> The age is 16, with parental consent, but there is controversy regarding the interpretation of the law, which some judges consider to allow marriage without an age limit in case of pregnancy . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Dakota </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tennessee </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> In 2018, the minimum age was set to 17 and no minor can marry someone more than 4 years older . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Texas </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Since 2017, the minimum age is 18, however emancipated minors aged 16--17 have an exemption to legally marry . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Utah </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 15 with court approval and parental consent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vermont </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Virginia </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> In 2016, VA made 18 the minimum age; and 16 with court approval in special cases </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Washington </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> May be waived by superior court judge . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> West Virginia </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> No minimum with both parental and judicial consent </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wisconsin </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wyoming </Td> <Td> none </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> State / Territory </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Minimum age </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

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