What Is the Legal Age to Get Married in England and Wales?
Last updated: 31 October 2026 · Written by the family law paralegal team at Court Help Limited
In short: The legal age to get married in England and Wales is 18. Since 27 February 2023, nobody aged 16 or 17 can marry or form a civil partnership, even with a parent's consent. A marriage involving someone under 18 is void, and doing anything to cause a child to marry, including a religious ceremony, is a crime.
Key facts | Detail |
What changed | Minimum age to marry or form a civil partnership raised from 16 to 18; parental consent no longer allowed |
In force from | 27 February 2023 (SI 2023/88) |
Where it applies | England and Wales |
The law | Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022; Marriage Act 1949 s2; Civil Partnership Act 2004 s3; Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 s121(3A) |
Who it affects | 16 and 17 year olds, their families, faith and community leaders, registrars |
Source checked | legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, 31 October 2026 |
What was the legal age to get married before 2023?
Until February 2023, 16 and 17 year olds in England and Wales could marry or form a civil partnership as long as their parents (or a court) agreed. Section 2 of the Marriage Act 1949 set the minimum age at 16, and section 3 dealt with the consent needed for anyone under 18. The criminal offence of forced marriage also had a gap. Under section 121 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, prosecutors usually had to show violence, threats or some other kind of coercion, and that could be hard to prove where a 16 or 17 year old had gone along with their family's wishes.
What changed, and when?
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 became law on 28 April 2022. It came into force on 27 February 2023, under the commencement regulations (SI 2023/88).
The minimum age is now 18 for marriage. Section 2 of the Marriage Act 1949 now says that a marriage where either person is under 18 is void. The old consent rules in section 3 were repealed, so a parent's signature makes no difference.
The same goes for civil partnerships. The Civil Partnership Act 2004 now says nobody under 18 is eligible to form one, and the parental consent section was repealed.
A void marriage isn't a valid marriage in law at all, from the start. Section 11 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, which lists when a marriage is void, was updated to say "under the age of eighteen".
A new criminal offence covers child marriage. Section 121(3A) of the 2014 Act makes it an offence to do anything with the aim of causing a child to marry before their 18th birthday. It doesn't matter whether there was violence, threats, coercion or deception.
The offence covers ceremonies that aren't legally binding. Section 121(4) says marriage means any religious or civil ceremony of marriage, whether or not it's legally binding.
The penalty is serious. On conviction in the Crown Court, the maximum sentence is 7 years in prison.
There were also transitional rules for couples who had already given notice to marry before 27 February 2023. If one of them would still be under 18 when the notice ran out, the paperwork became void. If they would both turn 18 in time, they had to wait until both were 18 before marrying.
Marriages that took place lawfully before 27 February 2023, at 16 or 17 with consent, weren't undone by the change.
Before and after | Before 27 Feb 2023 | From 27 Feb 2023 |
Youngest age to marry | 16, with consent | 18 |
Parental consent | Needed for 16 and 17 year olds | Makes no difference |
Civil partnership | 16, with consent | 18 |
Marriage under the minimum age | Void | Void |
Arranging a child's marriage | Offence usually needed coercion | Any conduct is an offence, up to 7 years |
Religious or unregistered ceremony | Covered only if coercion was used | Covered for any under-18 |
Is it illegal to marry under 18 in England and Wales?
Yes, in two different ways, and it helps to keep them apart. First, a marriage or civil partnership involving someone under 18 isn't valid. A registrar or minister can't lawfully carry it out, and if it happens anyway it's void. Second, the people who arrange or push for a child's marriage can commit a crime. The 17 year old isn't the one breaking the law here. The offence is aimed at the adults around them.
GOV.UK now puts it simply: any marriage involving someone under 18 is treated as a forced marriage, even if nobody has used physical or emotional pressure.
What about a religious or community ceremony?
This is where many families get caught out. Some people think that because a nikah, a church blessing or a community ceremony isn't registered, it doesn't count. For the criminal offence it does. Section 121(4) covers any religious or civil ceremony of marriage, legally binding or not. So arranging a religious wedding for a 16 year old, with a plan to register it later, can still be an offence.
If you're worried about pressure building up in a relationship or a family, our guide on what coercive control looks like in UK law may help you put words to it.
What does this mean for you?
For most families it means one simple rule: wait until both people are 18. But we speak to parents and relatives who are worried about something already in motion, so here's what the law gives you.
If you think a young person is being pushed into marriage, you don't have to wait for a wedding date. You can contact the Forced Marriage Unit for free advice, even if you don't want to go to court. You can also ask the family court for a forced marriage protection order (more on that below). If the young person is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you're a parent and the other parent is planning the marriage, you may also be thinking about where the child lives and who makes decisions. Our guide to parental responsibility and who makes decisions for a child explains how that works. In some cases a prohibited steps order can stop a parent from taking a particular step, such as taking a child out of the country.
If you're a professional or a family friend, you can raise a concern with the local authority. Our page on how a referral to children's services works explains what happens after you call.
For example, imagine a father whose 17 year old daughter has been told by relatives abroad that a wedding has been arranged for the summer holidays. The daughter is frightened but doesn't want anyone in trouble. The father can call the Forced Marriage Unit for advice first. If there's a real risk of the trip going ahead, he or his daughter can apply for a forced marriage protection order, which can include a term stopping anyone from taking the daughter abroad to be married. The order is aimed at protecting the daughter, not at punishing the family.
How do you get a forced marriage protection order?
Forced marriage protection orders come from Part 4A of the Family Law Act 1996. The family court can make one to protect someone from being forced into a marriage, or to help someone who's already been forced into one. When it decides, the court has to think about the person's health, safety and wellbeing, and give weight to their wishes and feelings in light of their age and understanding.
Who can apply: the person who needs protecting, a "relevant third party" appointed to apply on other people's behalf, or anyone else with the court's permission (they use form FL430 to ask for it). A child can apply too. The court can also make an order of its own accord in other family proceedings.
The form: form FL401A, with a witness statement ending in a statement of truth. You take it to a family court. For an urgent application without notice, the court's guidance (FL701) says a sworn statement is needed.
Cost: GOV.UK says it's free, and legal aid is available.
Emergencies: the court can make an order without telling the other side first if it's just and convenient, for example where there's a risk of significant harm. You can read more about orders made without notice to the other person.
What it can say: whatever the court thinks is needed, and it can cover conduct outside England and Wales and people who help or encourage the marriage.
Breaking the order: breaching it without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence, with a maximum of 5 years in prison.
Hearings are normally held in private, and screens or video links may be available. The court sends a copy of the order to the police, so they know it exists if it's broken. In an urgent case the court can hear the application straight away, and it will weigh up the risk of significant harm if it doesn't act immediately.
What if the marriage is planned abroad?
Taking the wedding overseas doesn't get round the law. The child marriage offence applies to conduct anywhere if, for example, the marriage is meant to take place in England or Wales, or the person or the child is habitually resident in England and Wales. It can also apply where the child is a UK national who has lived in England and Wales and doesn't now live in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
If someone has already been taken abroad, the Forced Marriage Unit can contact the British embassy in that country, and anyone overseas can contact the nearest British embassy directly. If a parent is planning to take a child abroad without the other parent's agreement, our guide on international parental child abduction explains the separate rules on that.
Who does the change affect?
Young people aged 16 and 17, who can no longer marry or form a civil partnership in England and Wales.
Parents, relatives and community or faith leaders, who can commit the child marriage offence if they help bring about a child's marriage.
Registrars and ministers, who can't lawfully carry out a marriage where either person is under 18.
Teachers, social workers and health staff, who are often the first to hear about a planned wedding.
It doesn't affect anyone who married lawfully at 16 or 17 before 27 February 2023. If a marriage did take place with someone under 18 after that date, it's void. People in that situation sometimes still ask the court for a decree of nullity to confirm the position. Our guide on how annulment works in England and Wales explains the difference between void and voidable marriages.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get married at 16 with parental consent?
Not in England and Wales. Since 27 February 2023, the legal age to get married or form a civil partnership is 18, and parental or court consent no longer makes a marriage at 16 or 17 possible.
Is my marriage valid if I married at 17 before 2023?
Yes, if it was lawful at the time. The 2022 Act wasn't backdated, so marriages that took place at 16 or 17 with the right consent before 27 February 2023 still stand.
Is it a crime for a 17 year old to marry?
The young person doesn't commit the offence. The crime under section 121(3A) is committed by whoever does something to cause a child to marry, such as arranging or pressuring them, and it carries up to 7 years in prison.
Does the change apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The 2022 Act changed the law for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own marriage laws, so check the rules for where the wedding would take place.
How much does a forced marriage protection order cost?
GOV.UK says applying for a forced marriage protection order is free, and legal aid is available. You use form FL401A and take it to a family court.
Who can I call about a forced marriage?
The Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), or 020 7008 5000 out of hours. From abroad, call +44 (0)20 7008 0151. You can also email fmu@fcdo.gov.uk. In an emergency, call 999.
How we can help
Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm in England and Wales. We're not solicitors, and we don't represent clients in court, but we can help you understand your options, prepare applications and witness statements, and get your paperwork in order for the family court. If you're worried about a planned marriage or need help with a forced marriage protection order application, email us at help@incourt.co.uk or use the contact form on our website. You can read what other families say about us in our Google reviews.
Related guides
Sources
All sources checked on 31 October 2026.
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk)
SI 2023/88: commencement and transitional provisions (legislation.gov.uk)
Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, section 121 (legislation.gov.uk)
Implementation of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 (GOV.UK)
This article is general information about the law in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts, and court fees and procedures change, so check GOV.UK for the latest position. Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm, not a firm of solicitors, and does not represent clients in court.
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