Sacramento, CA — California has banned child marriage without exceptions, becoming the 18th state to completely prohibit minors from marrying after years of unsuccessful attempts to close one of the nation’s most permissive legal loopholes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1267, which establishes 18 as the minimum age for both marriage and domestic partnerships. Previously, California had no statutory minimum marriage age, allowing minors to marry with parental consent and court approval. The legislation passed with bipartisan support and no opposition in the Legislature.
Advocates have argued that minors entering marriages face increased risks of coercion, abuse and financial dependence. California officials estimate roughly 35,000 minors were married in the state between 2000 and 2021.
Newsom signed the bill alongside survivors and advocates, including Courtney Stodden, who was 16 when she married 50-year-old actor Doug Hutchison in 2011. Stodden has since described the relationship as exploitative and advocated nationally for ending child marriage.
The new law contains no parental, judicial or pregnancy exceptions. Newsom called the prohibition “long overdue,” while advocates with Unchained At Last said they intend to continue pushing for similar bans in the remaining states.
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