UtahUtah requires court approval for minors seeking to marry
Starting May 6, 2026, minors seeking to marry in Utah need parent or guardian consent and court approval, and out-of-state marriages must meet Utah's conditions.
What it does
Minors seeking to marry must get a parent or guardian's consent and written court approval. The court must check that the choice is voluntary and in the minor's best interest.
Several kinds of conduct involving unlawful marriages of minors are third degree felonies, including certain out-of-state trips to marry a minor and bring them back to Utah.
Utah treats an out-of-state or foreign marriage involving a minor as invalid unless the minor was 16 or 17, the parties met age and consent rules, and a court approved it in writing beforehand.
Argument forCourt review could help protect minors by checking that they choose freely, that marriage serves their interests, and that the parties are close in age.
Argument againstCourt approval, counseling, and the four-year age limit could make it harder for some minors to marry, even when they and their families want to proceed.
More detail
A minor seeking to marry in Utah must get a parent or guardian's consent and written court approval. These requirements apply when someone younger than 18 applies for a marriage license in Utah. The minor and consenting parent or guardian must appear before the county clerk and provide documents proving their relationship, identities, and ages. The court must find that the minor is choosing freely and that marriage is in the minor's best interest. Both parties must complete premarital counseling unless it is not reasonably available. The court cannot approve a marriage if the parties are more than four years apart in age. The court cannot approve the marriage until at least 72 hours after the petition is filed. These provisions take effect May 6, 2026.
The law provides that several kinds of conduct involving an unlawful marriage of a minor are third degree felonies. The offenses cover adults, parents or guardians, officiants, and people involved in certain out-of-state marriages of minors. The offenses include an adult marrying a minor when the marriage does not meet Utah's requirements; a parent or guardian knowingly allowing such a marriage; and an officiant solemnizing a marriage in specified circumstances. They also include knowingly pretending to be a parent or guardian, or forging that person's consent, to obtain a marriage license. The rules cover knowingly taking a Utah resident minor out of state for a marriage invalid in Utah and bringing the minor back. They also cover a Utah resident adult who marries a minor out of state in a marriage invalid in Utah and brings the minor into Utah. For unlawfully marrying a minor, transporting a minor out of state for an illegal marriage, or traveling out of state to marry a minor, prosecution must begin within 15 years after the minor turns 18. These provisions take effect May 6, 2026.
A marriage performed outside Utah involving someone who was a minor is invalid in Utah unless it meets all listed conditions. This rule applies to marriages performed in another country, state, or territory when at least one person was younger than 18 at the time. The minor must have been 16 or 17 at the time of the marriage, the parties must be no more than four years apart in age, and the minor must have had parent or guardian consent. The minor must have entered the marriage voluntarily, and a court must have given written approval before the marriage. This provision takes effect May 6, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 26Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 16House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 16House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 10Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 10Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 3House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 3Senate/ to House
- Mar 3Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 3Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Mar 3Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Mar 2Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 2Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 25Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 25Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 20Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 3Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Feb 3House/ to Senate
- Feb 3House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 3House/ substituted
- Feb 3House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Jan 28LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0103S01
- Jan 28LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0103S01
- Jan 26LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0103S01
- Jan 26LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0103S01
- Jan 26House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Jan 26House/ committee report favorable [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 23House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 22House/ to standing committee [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 14House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 8LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0103
- Jan 8LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0103
- 2025
- Dec 29Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 29Bill Numbered but not Distributed
- Sep 15LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0103
- Sep 2LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0103
- Sep 2LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0103Introduced
Criminal Justice