Alarming Marriage Age Laws in Colorado and Beyond

There is no shortage of laws in Colorado and certainly beyond that that make one scratch their head, and the laws regarding the minimum age at which someone can get married are definitely some of those.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Marry in Colorado?

As a whole, in Colorado, as long as you’re an adult, you can get married. So, an 18-year-old can marry whoever they want, whenever they want, with no special permission from parents or guardians or the courts.

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Interestingly, in Nebraska, this number is increased to 19 years of age or older, and in Mississippi, an adult can get married without parental and/or court permission at 21.

Circumstances Allow You to Marry Underage in Colorado

However, in Colorado, a person as young as 16 years of age can get married under certain circumstances. First of all, the 16 or 17-year-old wishing to get married must not be more than three years younger than their potential spouse; the minor must obtain parental consent, as well as a court order deeming that the matrimony is in the “best interest of the child.”

The minimum age of marriage, with exceptions, is also 16 in states like Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona. However, in Kansas, a child can be married at 16 with parental approval, and, rather alarmingly, a 15-year-old can be married with judicial approval.

Other states have similar laws, some of which require the courts to determine that there is no abuse or coercion apparent, and in some states, if one of the parties is pregnant, a judge is more likely to grant permission for a minor to get married.

In addition, there are 16 states in the nation in which minors can’t marry under any circumstances.

Read More: New Colorado Laws to Benefit Renters + Mental Health

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