What Age Can You Get Married in Illinois? Consent and Minor Rules

You can get married in Illinois at 18 without anyone’s permission. At 16 or 17, you can marry only with written consent from both parents or a legal guardian, or with a court order. No one under 16 can get a marriage license in the state, period.¹

Getting Married at 18

Once you turn 18, you can walk into any county clerk’s office and apply for a marriage license on your own. No parental sign-off, no judge involved. You meet the same requirements as any other adult applicant: valid photo identification, your Social Security number on the application, and the county’s license fee.¹

Getting Married at 16 or 17

A 16- or 17-year-old can marry in Illinois, but only with consent. There are two ways to get it: written approval from both parents (or a legal guardian), or a court order authorizing the marriage.¹

When Only One Parent Can Sign

If one parent genuinely cannot be located, the other parent’s consent alone can carry the application. That parent has to sign an affidavit naming the missing parent, stating that person cannot be found, and describing the effort made to locate them. The single consent plus that affidavit stands in for the two-parent requirement.¹

When Parents Refuse or Cannot Consent

A 16- or 17-year-old whose parents refuse consent, or who has no parent able to give it, can ask a court to authorize the marriage. Before ruling, the court has to make a reasonable effort to notify the parents or guardian. A judge will grant approval only if two things are true: the minor is capable of assuming the responsibilities of marriage, and the marriage is in the minor’s best interest. The statute is explicit that pregnancy by itself does not establish best interest.²

No Marriage Under 16

Illinois sets 16 as an absolute floor. Section 203 authorizes county clerks to issue licenses only to applicants who are 18 or older, or who are 16 or 17 with proper consent. There is no exception for a 15-year-old with willing parents, a supportive judge, or any other circumstance. The pathway does not exist.¹

If a 16- or 17-year-old manages to marry without proper consent, the marriage is not automatically void, but a court can declare it invalid.³

What a Minor Applicant Needs at the Clerk’s Office

A 16- or 17-year-old applying for a marriage license should plan to bring more than a standard adult applicant. That means a certified birth certificate to prove age, plus one of the following:

The signed consent form from both parents or the legal guardian. Most county clerks post the form on their website or provide it in person.
The affidavit from one parent, in the situation where the other parent cannot be located.
The court order granting judicial approval.

Both applicants also need valid, government-issued photo identification. A state driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID, permanent resident card, or a Mexican Matricula or Guatemalan Consular ID all qualify. A Social Security card is not accepted as identification, though the application itself asks for each applicant’s Social Security number.⁴⁵

Both people must appear in person at the county clerk’s office together, sign the application, and pay the license fee. Fees vary by county but typically fall in the $35 to $60 range.⁶

Timing After the License Is Issued

An Illinois marriage license does not take effect the moment you’re handed it. It becomes effective one day after issuance, so a license picked up on a Thursday cannot be used for a ceremony until Friday at the earliest. A court can waive this one-day wait in extraordinary circumstances; the circuit court clerk’s office in your county can explain how to request that.⁷⁸

Once effective, the license is good for 60 days. Apply in the county where you plan to marry. If the ceremony inadvertently ends up in a different Illinois county, the statute protects the marriage from being invalidated on that basis alone.⁷

1
Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act – Section 203
2
Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act – Section 208
3
Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act – Section 301
4
Kane County Clerk’s Office. Acceptable Forms of Identification
5
Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act – Section 202
6
Cook County. Marriage Licenses
7
Illinois General Assembly. 750 ILCS 5 Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act – Section 207
8
19th Judicial Circuit Court, IL. Marriages by a Judge