Is it illegal to marry your first cousin?
Legal in roughly half of U.S. states, but prohibited or criminalized in others.
First-cousin marriage is legal in approximately 25 U.S. states, while others categorize it as a criminal offense or simply refuse to recognize the union. While federal law does not prohibit such marriages, the authority to regulate domestic relations rests solely with individual states. In states where it is banned, many follow the 'incest' statutes which can range from a civil voiding of the marriage to felony charges. Some states allow it only under specific conditions, such as both parties being over a certain age or being infertile.
RELEVANT LAWS
- Utah Code § 30-1-1Cousins may marry if both are 65+, or 55+ and infertile
- Texas Family Code § 6.201Absolute prohibition on marriage between first cousins
- New York Dom. Rel. Law § 5Not listed as incestuous; therefore legally permitted
- Rhode Island Gen. Laws § 15-1-1Explicitly permits marriage between first cousins
POTENTIAL PENALTIES
- Voidance of the marriage contract, rendering it legally non-existent
- Potential criminal charges for incest in states like Mississippi
- Loss of spousal rights including inheritance, social security, and medical proxy
- Fines and potential jail time in jurisdictions where the act is a misdemeanor or felony
JURISDICTION
The legality varies drastically by state, and while most states recognize a valid out-of-state cousin marriage, some explicitly refuse to do so for their own residents.
Cousin marriage was historically common in the U.S. and is currently legal in most of Europe and the Middle East.
Got a different scenario? Get a custom AI verdict in seconds.
Try it free →RELATED QUESTIONS
- Is it illegal to ride an e-scooter drunk?
- Is it illegal to challenge someone to a duel?
- Is it illegal to carry a sword in public?
- Is it illegal to record a police officer?
- Is it illegal to set a trap for burglars?
- Is it illegal to buy a hand grenade?
- Is it illegal to SWAT someone?
- Is it illegal to scatter human ashes anywhere?
FOR EDUCATIONAL & ENTERTAINMENT USE ONLY · NOT LEGAL ADVICE