GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S D
SENATE BILL DRS35185-NJ-25
Short Title: End Child Marriage. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Everitt, Grafstein, and Bradley (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to:
*DRS35185 -NJ-25*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT ONLY INDIVIDUALS EIGHTEEN YEARS OR OLDER MAY 2
LAWFULLY MARRY . 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. G.S. 51-2 reads as rewritten: 5
"§ 51-2. Lawful age to marry. 6
(a) All Only unmarried persons of 18 years, or older, may lawfully marry. 7
(a1) Persons over 16 years of age and under 18 years of age may marry a person no more 8
than four years older, and the register of deeds may issue a license for the marriage, only after 9
there has been filed with the register of deeds a certified copy of an order issued by a district 10
court authorizing the marriage as provided in G.S. 51-2.1, or a written consent to the marriage, 11
said consent having been signed by the appropriate person as follows: 12
(1) By a parent having full or joint legal custody of the underage party; or 13
(2) By a person, agency, or institution having legal custody or serving as a 14
guardian of the underage party. 15
Such written consent shall not be required for an emancipated minor if a certificate of 16
emancipation issued pursuant to Article 35 of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes or a certified 17
copy of a final decree or certificate of emancipation from this or any other jurisdiction is filed 18
with the register of deeds. 19
(b) Repealed by Session Laws 2021-119, s. 1, effective August 26, 2021, and applicable 20
to marriage licenses pending or issued on or after that date. 21
(b1) It shall be unlawful for any person under 16 years of age to marry. 22
(c) When a license to marry is procured by any person under 18 years of age by fraud or 23
misrepresentation, a parent of the underage party, a person, agency, or institution having legal 24
custody or serving as a guardian of the underage party, or a guardian ad litem appointed to 25
represent the underage party pursuant to G.S. 51-2.1(b) is a proper party to bring an action to 26
annul the marriage." 27
SECTION 2. G.S. 51-2.1 reads as rewritten: 28
"§ 51-2.1. Marriage of certain underage parties. 29
(a) A district court judge may issue an order authorizing a marriage between a person 30
over 16 years of age and under 18 years of age, to a person no more than four years older under 31
this section only upon finding as fact and concluding as a matter of law that the underage party 32
is capable of assuming the responsibilities of marriage and the marriage will serve the best 33
interest of the underage party. In determining whether the marriage will serve the best interest of 34
an underage party, the district court shall consider the following: 35
FILED SENATE
Mar 24, 2025
S.B. 452
PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 DRS35185-NJ-25
(1) The opinion of the parents of the underage party as to whether the marriage 1
serves the best interest of the underage party. 2
(2) The opinion of any person, agency, or institution having legal custody or 3
serving as a guardian of the underage party as to whether the marriage serves 4
the best interest of the underage party. 5
(3) The opinion of the guardian ad litem appointed to represent the best interest 6
of the underage party pursuant to G.S. 51-2.1(b) as to whether the marriage 7
serves the best interest of the underage party. 8
(4) The relationship between the underage party and the parents of the underage 9
party, as well as the relationship between the underage party and any person 10
having legal custody or serving as a guardian of the underage party. 11
(5) Any evidence that it would find useful in making its determination. 12
There shall be a rebuttable presumption that the marriage will not serve the best interest of 13
the underage party when all living parents of the underage party oppose the marriage. The fact 14
that the female is pregnant, or has given birth to a child, alone does not establish that the best 15
interest of the underage party will be served by the marriage. 16
(b) An underage party seeking an order granting judicial authorization to marry pursuant 17
to this section shall file a civil action in the district court requesting judicial authorization to 18
marry. The clerk shall collect court costs from the underage party in the amount set forth in 19
G.S. 7A-305 for civil actions in district court. Upon the filing of the complaint, summons shall 20
be issued in accordance with G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4, and the underage party shall be appointed a 21
guardian ad litem in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 1A-1, Rule 17. The guardian ad litem 22
appointed shall be an attorney and shall be governed by the provisions of subsection (d) of this 23
section. The underage party shall serve a copy of the summons and complaint, in accordance 24
with G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4, on the father of the underage party; the mother of the underage party; 25
and any person, agency, or institution having legal custody or serving as a guardian of the 26
underage party. The underage party also shall serve a copy of the complaint, either in accordance 27
with G.S. 1A-1, Rule 4, or G.S. 1A-1, Rule 5, on the guardian ad litem appointed pursuant to this 28
section. A party responding to the underage party's complaint shall serve his response within 30 29
days after service of the summons and complaint upon that person. The underage party may 30
participate in the proceedings before the court on his or her own behalf. At the hearing conducted 31
pursuant to this section, the court shall consider evidence, as provided in subsection (a) of this 32
section, and shall make written findings of fact and conclusions of law. 33
(c) Any party to a proceeding under this section may be represented by counsel, but no 34
party is entitled to appointed counsel, except as provided in this section. 35
(d) The guardian ad litem appointed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall 36
represent the best interest of the underage party in all proceedings under this section and also has 37
standing to institute an action under G.S. 51-2(c). The appointment shall terminate when the last 38
judicial ruling rendering the authorization granted or denied is entered. Payment of the guardian 39
ad litem shall be governed by G.S. 7A-451(f). The guardian ad litem shall make an investigation 40
to determine the facts, the needs of the underage party, the available resources within the family 41
and community to meet those needs, the impact of the marriage on the underage party, and the 42
ability of the underage party to assume the responsibilities of marriage; facilitate, when 43
appropriate, the settlement of disputed issues; offer evidence and examine witnesses at the 44
hearing; and protect and promote the best interest of the underage party. In fulfilling the guardian 45
ad litem's duties, the guardian ad litem shall assess and consider the emotional development, 46
maturity, intellect, and understanding of the underage party. The guardian ad litem has the 47
authority to obtain any information or reports, whether or not confidential, that the guardian ad 48
litem deems relevant to the case. No privilege other than attorney-client privilege may be invoked 49
to prevent the guardian ad litem and the court from obtaining such information. The 50
confidentiality of the information or reports shall be respected by the guardian ad litem, and no 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
DRS35185-NJ-25 Page 3
disclosure of any information or reports shall be made to anyone except by order of the court or 1
unless otherwise provided by law. 2
(e) If the last judicial ruling in this proceeding denies the underage party judicial 3
authorization to marry, the underage party shall not seek the authorization of any court again 4
under this section until after one year from the date of the entry of the last judicial ruling rendering 5
the authorization denied. 6
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the rules of evidence in civil cases shall 7
apply to proceedings under this section. All hearings pursuant to this section shall be recorded 8
by stenographic notes or by electronic or mechanical means. Notwithstanding any other provision 9
of law, no appeal of right lies from an order or judgment entered pursuant to this section." 10
SECTION 3. G.S. 51-2.2 reads as rewritten: 11
"§ 51-2.2. Parent includes adoptive parent. 12
As used in this Article, the terms "parent", "father", or "mother" includes one who has become 13
a parent, father, or mother, respectively, by adoption." 14
SECTION 4. G.S. 51-3 reads as rewritten: 15
"§ 51-3. Want of capacity; void and voidable marriages. 16
All marriages between any two persons nearer of kin than first cousins, or between double 17
first cousins, or between a male person under 16 years of age and any female, or between a female 18
person under 16 years of age and any male, or between persons either of whom has a husband or 19
wife living at the time of such marriage, or between persons either of whom is at the time 20
physically impotent, or between persons either of whom is at the time incapable of contracting 21
from want of will or understanding, shall be void. No marriage followed by cohabitation and the 22
birth of issue shall be declared void after the death of either of the parties for any of the causes 23
stated in this section except for bigamy. A marriage contracted under a representation and belief 24
that the female partner to the marriage is pregnant, followed by the separation of the parties 25
within 45 days of the marriage which separation has been continuous for a period of one year, 26
shall be voidable unless a child shall have been born to the parties within 10 lunar months of the 27
date of separation." 28
SECTION 5. G.S. 51-16 reads as rewritten: 29
"§ 51-16. Form of license. 30
License shall be in the following or some equivalent form: 31
To any ordained minister of any religious denomination, minister authorized by a church, any 32
magistrate, or any other person authorized to solemnize a marriage under the laws of this State: 33
A.B. having applied to me for a license for the marriage of C.D. (the name of the man to be 34
written in full) of (here state his residence), aged ____ years (race, as the case may be), the son 35
of (here state the father and mother, if known; state whether they are living or dead, and their 36
residence, if known; if any of these facts are not known, so state), and E.F. (write the name of 37
the woman in full) of (here state her residence), aged ____ years (race, as the case may be), the 38
daughter of (here state names and residences of the parents, if known, as is required above with 39
respect to the man). (If either of the parties is under 18 years of age, the license shall here contain 40
the following:) And the written consent of G.H., father (or mother, etc., as the case may be) to 41
the proposed marriage having been filed with me, man) and there being no legal impediment to 42
such marriage known to me, you are hereby authorized, at any time within 60 days from the date 43
hereof, to celebrate the proposed marriage at any place within the State. You are required within 44
10 days after you shall have celebrated such marriage, to return this license to me at my office 45
with your signature subscribed to the certificate under this license, and with the blanks therein 46
filled according to the facts, under penalty of forfeiting two hundred dollars ($200.00) to the use 47
of any person who shall sue for the same. 48
Issued this ____ day of ____, ____ 49
____________________ L.M. 50
Register of Deeds of ____ County 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 DRS35185-NJ-25
Every register of deeds shall, at the request of an applicant, designate in a marriage license 1
issued the race of the persons proposing to marry by inserting in the blank after the word "race" 2
the words "white," "black," "African-American," "American Indian," "Alaska Native," "Asian 3
Indian," "Chinese," "Filipino," "Japanese," "Korean," "Vietnamese," "Other Asian," "Native 4
Hawaiian," "Guamarian," "Chamorro," "Samoan," "Other Pacific Islander," "Mexican," 5
"Mexican-American," "Chicano," "Puerto Rican," "Cuban," "Other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino," or 6
"other," as the case may be. The certificate shall be filled out and signed by the minister, officer, 7
or other authorized individual celebrating the marriage, and also be signed by two witnesses 8
present at the marriage, who shall add to their names their place of residence, as follows: 9
I, N.O., an ordained or authorized minister or other authorized individual of (here state to 10
what religious denomination, or magistrate, as the case may be), united in matrimony (here name 11
the parties), the parties licensed above, on the ___ day of ______, ___, at the house of P.R., in 12
(here name the town, if any, the township and county), according to law. 13
________________ N.O. 14
Witness present at the marriage: 15
S.T., of (here give residence)." 16
SECTION 6. G.S. 51-17 reads as rewritten: 17
"§ 51-17. Penalty for issuing license unlawfully. 18
Every register of deeds who knowingly or without reasonable inquiry, personally or by 19
deputy, issues a license for the marriage of any two persons to which there is any lawful 20
impediment, or where either of the persons is under the age of 18 years, without the consent 21
required by law, shall forfeit and pay two hundred dollars ($200.00) to any parent, guardian, or 22
other person standing in loco parentis, who sues for the same: Provided, that requiring a party to 23
a proposed marriage to present a certified copy of his or her birth certificate, or a certified copy 24
of his or her birth record in the form of a birth registration card as provided in G.S. 130-102, in 25
accordance with the provisions of G.S. 51-8, shall be considered a reasonable inquiry into the 26
matter of the age of such party." 27
SECTION 7. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to marriages 28
solemnized on or after that date. 29