There is a 24-hour waiting period from the time of application before the South Carolina marriage certificate can be issued. At the end of the waiting period, either party can pick up the marriage certificate. In addition to the marriage certificate application itself, there are a few important documents you should bring to your probate court appointment. These documents vary by age, so check your probate court`s specific requirements based on your age. Here`s what we were able to identify. If you are planning a wedding in the state of Palmetto, you will need to take certain steps to obtain a marriage license in South Carolina. Understanding the rules and laws on how to formalize your marriage can be a bit overwhelming, but if you follow a few simple steps, you`ll be officially married in no time. English common law applied in all jurisdictions in the United States, unless a state law replaced or modified it. In the United States, particularly in recent years, the general age of marriage has been revised downwards to between 18 and 21. [1] You may be able to complete parts of the online process to apply for a marriage certificate. However, you and your future spouse must go to the office of the probate court to complete your application and submit your official documents. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States and its inhabitants are U.S.
citizens. In Puerto Rico, the general age of marriage is 21, as that is the age of majority. The general age of marriage in Puerto Rico is 21 or 18 with parental consent. [35] In Guam, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with the consent of at least one parent or guardian. [36] In American Samoa, the age of marriage has been 18 for both sexes since September 2018. Previously, the age of marriage for women was 14. [37] American Samoa does not allow marriages with minors. In the District of Columbia, the general age is 18, but 16-year-olds may marry with exceptions. [35] In the U.S.
Virgin Islands, the age of marriage is 14 for women and 16 for men. [38] In the Northern Mariana Islands, men must be 18 to marry, while women can marry at 16 with parental consent. [39] In recent years, there has been a trend towards lowering the general age of marriage and raising the age of women to that of men. In 1971, about 80 percent of states had a general age of marriage of 18 for women, while for men, the general age of marriage was 21 in about 85 percent of states. [1] Don`t forget to consider the 24-hour wait here! In most cases, it doesn`t take long to apply for your marriage license in South Carolina, but keep in mind that the state can`t issue you your license until that 24-hour period expires. And you need to make sure you go to probate court offices Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Note: As you may know, state laws change frequently. Therefore, you should do your own legal research or contact an attorney to confirm the laws of the state you are reviewing.
If you have questions about your situation or marriage before you turn 18, you should talk to an experienced family law attorney in South Carolina. A lawyer can guide you through the process of applying for a marriage certificate with or without parental permission (if eligible). In South Carolina, in most cases, you must be 18 years of age or older to apply for your marriage license. However, as long as you are 16 years old and have parental consent to get married, you can do so with a notarized consent form. In addition, there is an exception to the parental eligibility rule. If a woman under the age of 18 is pregnant or has a child, she can marry the father of her child without parental consent in the state of South Carolina. There is little variation over time or between states in laws without parental consent. [1] Prior to 1971, about 80% of states reported an age of 18 for marriage without parental consent for women and about 85% reported an age of 21 for men.
[1] The age of marriage in the United States is the age at which a person can marry in the United States as a right or with parental consent or other approval. This age is determined by each state and territory, either by statute or by common law. In general, a person can marry after reaching the age of 18 in all states except Nebraska, where the general age of marriage is 19, and Mississippi, where the general age of marriage is 21. [1] The general age of marriage is generally the age of majority, although in Alabama the general age of marriage is 18, while the age of majority is 19. In Massachusetts, the general age of marriage is 18, but minors can be married with judicial approval. Unlike many other states,[2] child marriage in Massachusetts does not automatically emancipate the minor or increase his or her legal rights beyond allowing the minor to consent to certain medical treatments. [3] If you are a minor applicant aged 16 or 17, you must provide proof of age with your birth certificate when applying for your marriage certificate, in addition to your consent from a notary. You may also need to show government-issued identification for your parent or guardian who gives parental consent.