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In family law, the minimum age for marriage varies from state to state, and may be lower if the parties have the consent of their parents. For example, the minimum age to get married might be 18, but if a parent consents to the marriage, then the minimum age might be 16.

What if you couldn't get married in my state because you were too young, but got married in another state where family law allows marriages for people your age? The general rule is that if a marriage is valid in the state where it took place, it will be considered valid by all other states.

May I marry anyone I want?

No. All state family laws prohibit marriages between close relatives, such as brother or sister or parent and child. Most states also prohibit marriages between uncle and niece or aunt and nephew and many prohibit marriages between first cousins. At this time, no state permits
marriage between persons of the same sex.

Marriage and formal requirements

Marriage involves certain formal requirements. Generally, people who want to get married must get a license from a designated public official, might have a brief waiting period before they can actually marry, might have to have certain blood tests, and must go through some sort of formal marriage ceremony.

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