In England and Wales you must be 18 or over to marry or form a civil partnership, and since 27 February 2023 a marriage where either person is under 18 is void. In Scotland you can marry at 16. In Northern Ireland you can marry at 16, but anyone under 18 needs permission from a parent or guardian, or a court order.
Key points
✓You can get married or form a civil partnership in England or Wales if you are 18 or over.
✓A marriage in England or Wales where either person is under the age of eighteen is void.
✓In England and Wales it is an offence to do anything to cause a child to marry before their 18th birthday, even without pressure, and even in a ceremony that is not legally binding.
✓In Scotland you can get married or have a civil partnership if you are aged 16 or over.
✓In Northern Ireland both people must be at least 16, and anyone under 18 needs permission from a parent or guardian, or a court order.
What is the legal marriage age in the UK?
Nation
Minimum age
Consent needed under 18?
England and Wales
18
Not possible under 18
Scotland
16
Not listed as a requirement
Northern Ireland
16
Yes, a parent or guardian, or a court order
Can you get married at 16 in England or Wales?
No. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the minimum age in the Marriage Act 1949 from sixteen to eighteen, and removed section 3 of that Act, on marriages of persons under eighteen. The change came into force on 27 February 2023.
A marriage solemnised between people either of whom is under the age of eighteen is void. GOV.UK says you can get married or form a civil partnership in England or Wales if you are 18 or over, not already married or in a civil partnership, and not closely related. Our guide to prenuptial agreements covers planning before a marriage.
Is it a crime to arrange a child marriage?
Yes, in England and Wales. A person commits an offence if they carry out any conduct for the purpose of causing a child to marry before their eighteenth birthday. It does not matter whether the conduct involves violence, threats, coercion or deception, or whether it happens in England and Wales.
Marriage here means any religious or civil ceremony of marriage, whether or not it is legally binding. The maximum sentence on conviction on indictment is 7 years in prison. GOV.UK says that if you are under 18, any marriage is considered a forced marriage, even if there is no physical or emotional pressure.
If you or someone you know is being forced to marry, contact the Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or 020 7008 5000 out of hours. Call 999 in an emergency.
Can someone from England marry at 16 in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
The child marriage offence covers conduct outside England and Wales, where the person or the child is habitually resident in England and Wales. nidirect says that if a person aged over 16 and under 18 has a home address in England or Wales, the registrar in Northern Ireland cannot accept a notice of marriage, and it is an offence for a registrar to allow a child under 18 who is habitually resident in England and Wales to marry there.
Scotland
You can get married or have a civil partnership in Scotland if you are aged 16 or over, not married or in a civil partnership with someone else, not closely related, and capable of understanding what marriage means and of consenting to it. Under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977, no person domiciled in Scotland may marry before the age of 16, and a marriage in Scotland where either person is under 16 is void.
Northern Ireland
Both people must be at least 16 on the day of the marriage. Anyone under 18 needs permission from their parent or guardian, or if suitable a court order, for the marriage to go ahead.
A marriage in Northern Ireland where one person is 16 or 17 is not legally recognised in the Republic of Ireland, where the minimum age is 18.