California has officially banned marriage for anyone under the age of 18 after Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1267 on September 30, 2026. The new law removes previous exceptions that allowed minors to marry with parental consent and court approval.Key Highlights• California has set 18 as the minimum age for marriage and domestic partnerships.• Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1267 on September 30, 2026.• The law removes the previous parental consent and court approval exceptions.• The legislation was authored by Assembly member Gail Pellerin.• The new rules are set to take effect on January 1, 2027.• California becomes the 18th US state to completely ban child marriage, according to reports.California Bans Marriage for Under-18sGovernor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1267 into law on Wednesday, officially ending the legal pathway for minors to marry in California.Under the previous system, people under 18 could obtain permission to marry through a court order and parental or guardian consent. The new law repeals those provisions and establishes 18 as the minimum age for marriage and domestic partnerships.The law is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.What the New California Law ChangesAB 1267 eliminates provisions that allowed minors to receive marriage licences after meeting specific court and parental consent requirements.The legislation also applies to domestic partnerships, meaning people under 18 will no longer be able to establish a domestic partnership under the previous exception system.California previously had no fixed minimum age for marriage in its statutory framework because minors could qualify through the court process. The new legislation removes that exception.Newsom signed the legislation at his office alongside advocate Courtney Stodden, who has spoken publicly about her experience of marrying at 16.The governor described the measure as a step aimed at protecting minors. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who authored the bill, also credited survivors of child marriage for sharing their experiences during the campaign for legislative change.Why California Changed Its Marriage LawThe legislation followed years of advocacy around the legal protections available to minors who enter marriages.Before the new law, California required judicial approval and parental consent for a minor to marry. Data cited during the legislative process showed that 88 marriage licences involving at least one minor were issued in California between 2019 and 2025.Supporters of the new law argued that removing the exception would provide a clearer legal age threshold and prevent minors from being placed in situations where they could face pressure or coercion.When Will the New Law Take Effect?The new minimum age requirement will take effect on January 1, 2027. From that date, California law will prohibit marriage and domestic partnerships involving anyone under 18 under the new rules.The move adds California to the growing number of US states that have adopted laws completely prohibiting child marriage.
