GETTING MARRIED IN MICHIGAN? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW….
Who can marry….
To be able to marry you must not be married to someone else. (MCL 551.5) If you have been married before, you may be
asked to document that the earlier marriage has ended due to death or divorce.
To obtain a Michigan marriage license the couple must be 18 years of age or older and be able to enter into legal
contracts. (MCL 551.103)
If 16 or 17 years of age, a person can apply for a license but must have parental consent or consent of their legal
guardian to marry. If custody of a person applying for a license under the age of 18 has been awarded by the court, the
consent must be from a custodial parent. (MCL 551.51 and 551.103)
Where to apply and where to marry….
If either of the couple are Michigan residents, they must apply with the county clerk where one or both have legal
residence. Once the license is issued, Michigan residents can marry anywhere in the state. (MCL 551.101)
If neither of the couple lives in Michigan, they must apply with the county clerk where the marriage ceremony is to be
performed. Once issued, the license can be used only in the issuing county. (MCL 551.101)
In either case, a Michigan license is not valid outside the state of Michigan.
Who can you marry….
There are restricons on who someone can marry. (MCL 551.3 and 551.4)
A man cannot marry his mother, sister, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, stepmother, grandfather's wife, son's
wife, grandson's wife, wife's mother, wife's grandmother, wife's daughter, wife's granddaughter, brother's daughter,
sister's daughter, father's sister, mother's sister, or cousin of the rst degree.
A woman cannot marry her father, brother, grandfather, son, grandson, stepfather, grandmother's husband,
daughter's husband, granddaughter's husband, husband's father, husband's grandfather, husband's son, husband's
grandson, brother's son, sister's son, father's brother, mother's brother, or cousin of the rst degree.
The three day waiting period….
Generally, a marriage license is not issued for a period of three days from the date of the applicaon. Applicants can,
however, request a waiver of the three day waing period from the clerk issuing the license. (MCL 551.103a)
Special notice of perjury….
Note that the applicaon for a marriage license is a sworn adavit. Making false statements in the marriage license
adavit is an act of perjury which is a prosecutable oense. (MCL 551.108)
