Florida State Laws About Marriage Before You Are Eighteen
Marriage licenses are required for every wedding ceremony in the United States. Couples that do not apply for a marriage license before their wedding are not considered legally married. Florida residents about to get married must obtain their marriage license from their local clerk of the court. The laws and requirements regarding marriage in Florida must be followed by anyone applying for a license.
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Parental Consent
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Marriage licenses in Florida can be issued to applicants younger than 18. The state requires that any party who is 16 or 17 must have parental consent to apply for a marriage license. If the parents of a minor are deceased, the legal guardians of the minor must provide their consent. This means the parents or guardians of any minor must be present with the minor when applying for a marriage license and must sign the license granting permission for the minor to wed.
Expectant Parents
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If a minor couple are expectant parents or already have a child together, it may not be necessary for them to have parental consent. County judges in Florida have the ability to waive the parental consent requirement if a couple can prove they are expecting or they already have a child together. Proof that a couple is expecting must come from the doctor of the pregnant minor. Proof that a couple already has a child comes in the form of the birth certificate of the child listing the names of both applicants.
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Court Orders
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In Florida, no one under 16 may marry, even with parental consent. A 15-year-old may petition the court for permission to wed. Regardless whether the 15-year-old's application has parental consent, he must have a court order from a Florida judge granting him permission to be married. No one under 15 will be granted a court order.
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References
- Photo Credit marriage image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
