In Arkansas, you can get married at 18 without anyone’s permission, or at 17 with parental or guardian consent and a few extra requirements. Anyone younger than 17 cannot legally marry in the state.1Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental or Guardian Consent – Definition
Getting Married at 18 or Older
Once you turn 18, Arkansas treats you as old enough to marry on your own.1Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental or Guardian Consent – Definition You and your partner both appear at a county clerk’s office, present a valid photo ID, and provide your Social Security numbers.2Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-201 – Licenses Required There is no waiting period, so the clerk can issue the license the same day. The fee is $60, and some clerks take only cash, so call before you go.3Pulaski County Circuit Clerk. Marriage License The license is good for 60 days.
You do not have to apply in the county where you live or plan to hold the ceremony. Any Arkansas county clerk’s office can issue the license.2Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-201 – Licenses Required
Getting Married at 17
A 17-year-old can marry in Arkansas, but the state adds several requirements on top of the standard license process.1Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental or Guardian Consent – Definition
Who Has to Consent
Both parents of the 17-year-old must consent. If the parents are divorced and one has sole custody, only the custodial parent’s consent is required. The same holds if one parent has abandoned or deserted the child. Where a court has established paternity and awarded custody to the father, his consent alone is enough. When a court-appointed guardian has custody, the guardian consents instead of the parents.4Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental Consent – Definition
Documents to Bring
The 17-year-old needs a state-certified birth certificate and a valid photo ID. The consenting parent or guardian needs a government-issued photo ID.5Garland County, AR. Garland County AR – Underage Applicants The parent or guardian must also sign a verified affidavit in front of a notary public stating that they consent to the marriage.1Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental or Guardian Consent – Definition Get the affidavit notarized before your visit. Both applicants and the consenting parent or parents must appear at the clerk’s office together.3Pulaski County Circuit Clerk. Marriage License
Five-Business-Day Waiting Period
When a 17-year-old applies, the license is not issued the same day. Arkansas requires a five-business-day waiting period before the license can be picked up.3Pulaski County Circuit Clerk. Marriage License Adult applicants do not face this delay.
When a Court Can Block the Marriage
Parental consent is not the last word. A circuit court can void a parent’s or guardian’s consent if there is clear and convincing evidence that the consenting adult is unfit to make decisions for the minor and that the marriage is not in the minor’s best interest.1Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-102 – Minimum Age – Parental or Guardian Consent – Definition
Marriages Arkansas Will Not Allow
Meeting the age rule does not by itself make every marriage valid. Arkansas treats the following marriages as void from the start:
- Parents and children, including grandparents and grandchildren of any degree
- Brothers and sisters, whether full or half-blood
- Uncles and nieces
- Aunts and nephews
- First cousins
These restrictions apply equally to relationships involving children born outside of marriage.6Justia. Arkansas Code 9-11-106 – Incestuous Marriages A marriage that falls into any of these categories is treated as though it never legally existed, so no annulment is needed to end it.