document_title: Marriageable age

question_text: what age can you get married in italy

question_tokens: what age can you get married in italy

root

text: Marriageable age

text: History and social attitudes[edit]

text: Ancient times[edit]

text: Historically, the age of consent for a sexual union was determined by tribal custom, or was a matter for families to decide. In most cases, this coincided with signs of puberty: such as menstruation for a girl and pubic hair for a boy.[1]

tag: p

text: In Jewish oral tradition, men cannot consent to marriage until they reach the age of majority of 14 years and one day and have undergone puberty. With no signs of puberty, they are considered minors until the age of twenty. After twenty, they are not considered adults if they show signs of impotence. If they show no signs of puberty or do show impotence, they automatically become adults by age 35 and can marry. The same rules apply to women, except their age of majority is 13 years and a day.[2][3]

text: In Ancient Rome, it was very common for girls to marry and have children shortly after the onset of puberty. Roman law required brides to be at least 12 years old.[4] In Roman law, first marriages to brides from 12 to 24 required the consent of the bride and her father; by the late antique period, Roman law permitted women over 25 to marry without parental consent.[5] The Catholic canon law followed the Roman law. In the 12th century, the Catholic Church drastically changed legal standards for marital consent by allowing daughters over 12 and sons over 14 to marry without their parents' approval, even if their marriage was made clandestinely.[6] Parish studies have confirmed that late medieval women did sometimes marry without their parents' approval.[7]

text: In western Europe, the rise of Christianity and manorialism had both created incentives to keep families nuclear, and thus the age of marriage increased; the Western Church instituted marriage laws and practices that undermined large kinship groups. The Church prohibited consanguineous marriages, a marriage pattern that had been a means to maintain clans (and thus their power) throughout history.[8] The church also forbade marriages in which the bride did not clearly agree to the union.[9]

text: Middle Ages[edit]

text: After the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, manorialism also helped weaken the ties of kinship and thus the power of clans; as early as the 9th century in northwestern France, families that worked on manors were small, consisting of parents and children and occasionally a grandparent. The Church and State had become allies in erasing the solidarity and thus the political power of the clans; the Church sought to replace traditional religion, whose vehicle was the kin group, and substitute the authority of the elders of the kin group with that of a religious elder; at the same time, the king's rule was undermined by revolts by the most powerful kin groups, clans or sections, whose conspiracies and murders threatened the power of the state and also the demands by manorial lords for obedient, compliant workers.[10] As the peasants and serfs lived and worked on farms that they rented from the lord of the manor, they also needed the permission of the lord to marry. Couples therefore had to comply with the lord[clarification needed] and wait until a small farm became available before they could marry and thus produce children; those who could and did delay marriage were presumably rewarded by the landlord and those who did not were presumably denied that reward.[11] For example, marriage ages in Medieval England varied depending on economic circumstances, with couples delaying marriage until their early twenties when times were bad, but might marry in their late teens after the Black Death, when there was a severe labour shortage;[12] by appearances, marriage of adolescents was not the norm in England.[13]

text: In medieval Eastern Europe, on the other hand, the Slavic traditions of patrilocality of early and universal marriage (usually of a bride aged 12–15 years, with menarche occurring on average at 14) lingered;[14] the manorial system had yet to penetrate into eastern Europe and had generally had less effect on clan systems there; and the bans on cross-cousin marriages had not been firmly enforced.[15]

text: The first recorded age-of-consent law dates back 800 years. In 1275, in England, as part of the rape law, the Statute of Westminster 1275, made it a misdemeanour to "ravish" a "maiden within age", whether with or without her consent. The phrase "within age" was interpreted by jurist Sir Edward Coke as meaning the age of marriage, which at the time was 12 years.[16] In the 12th century, the jurist Gratian, an influential founder of Canon law in medieval Europe, accepted the age of puberty for marriage to be between 12 and 14, but acknowledged consent to be meaningful if the children were older than 7. Some authorities claimed that consent could take place earlier. Marriage would then be valid as long as neither of the two parties annulled the marital agreement before reaching puberty, and the marriage had not already been consummated. Gratian noted that "If one over the age of seven takes a prepubescent wife of less than seven and transfers her to his house, such a contract gives rise to the impediment of public propriety".[17] In spite of this, there are recorded marriages of 2 and 3 year olds: in 1564, a three year old named John was married to a two year old named Jane in the Bishop's Court in Chester, England[1]

text: Modern times[edit]

text: The policy of the Roman Catholic Church, and later various protestant churches, of considering clandestine marriages and marriages made without parental consent to be valid was controversial, and in the 16th century both the French monarchy and the Lutheran Church sought to end these practices, with limited success.[18] Before 1929, Scots law followed Roman law in allowing a girl to marry at twelve years of age and a boy at fourteen, without any requirement for parental consent. However, marriage in Scotland at such young ages was in practice almost unknown.[19] In England and Wales, the Marriage Act 1753 required a marriage to be covered by a licence (requiring parental consent for those under 21) or the publication of banns (which parents of those under 21 could forbid).

text: In most of Northwestern Europe, marriage at very early ages was rare. One thousand marriage certificates from 1619 to 1660 in the Archdiocese of Canterbury show that only one bride was 13 years old, four were 15, twelve were 16, and seventeen were 17 years old; while the other 966 brides were at least 19 years old.[citation needed] Additionally, the Church dictated that both the bride and groom must be at least 21 years of age to marry without the consent of their families; in the certificates, the most common age for the brides is 22 years. For the grooms 24 years was the most common age, with average ages of 24 years for the brides and 27 for the grooms.[20] While European noblewomen often married early, they were a small minority of the population,[21] and the marriage certificates from Canterbury Muddy Mullins show that even among nobility it was very rare to marry women off at very early ages.[20]

text: The American colonies followed the English tradition, but the law was more of a guide. For example, Mary Hathaway (Virginia, 1689) was only 9 when she was married to William Williams. Sir Edward Coke (England, 17th century) made it clear that "the marriage of girls under 12 was normal, and the age at which a girl who was a wife was eligible for a dower from her husband's estate was 9 even though her husband be only four years old".[1] Reliable data for when people would actually marry are very difficult to find. In England, for example, the only reliable data on age at marriage in the early modern period come from records relating only to those who left property after their death. Not only were the records relatively rare, but not all bothered to record the participants' ages, and it seems that the more complete the records are, the more likely they are to reveal young marriages, giving a biased sample. Additionally, 20th- and 21st-century historians have sometimes shown reluctance to accept data regarding a young age of marriage, and would instead explain the data away as a misreading by a later copier of the records.[1]

text: In France, until the French Revolution, the marriageable age was 12 years for girls and 14 for boys. Revolutionary legislation in 1792 increased the age to 13 years for girls and 15 for boys. Under the Napoleonic Code in 1804, the marriageable age was set at 15 years for girls and 18 for boys.[22] In 2006, the marriageable age for women was increased to 18, the same as for men.

text: In jurisdictions where the ages are not the same, the marriageable age for girls is more commonly two or three years lower than that for boys.

text: Marriageable age as a right vs exceptions[edit]

text: In the majority of countries the marriageable age as a right is 18. However, most of these countries have exceptions for minors, usually requiring parental or judicial authorization. These exceptions vary considerably by country. The United Nations Population Fund stated the following:[23]

text: In 2010, 158 countries reported that 18 years was the minimum legal age for marriage for women without parental consent or approval by a pertinent authority. However, in 146 countries, state or customary law allows girls younger than 18 to marry with the consent of parents or other authorities; in 52 countries, girls under age 15 can marry with parental consent. In contrast, 18 is the legal age for marriage without consent among males in 180 countries. Additionally, in 105 countries, boys can marry with the consent of a parent or a pertinent authority, and in 23 countries, boys under age 15 can marry with parental consent.

text: In Western countries, marriages of teenagers have become rare in recent years, with their frequency having rapidly declined during the past few decades. For instance, in Finland, where underage youth can obtain a special judicial authorization to marry, there are only 30–40 such marriages per year in the early 21st century (with most of the spouses being aged 17), while in the early 1990s, more than 100 underage marriages were registered each year.[24]

text: By country[edit]

text: Africa[edit]

text:
Country
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Algeria
19
under 19 with judicial consent (Article 7 of the Family Code[25])

Angola
18
16 with parental consent males, 15 with parental consent females.[26]

Benin
18
[27]

Botswana
21
18 with parental consent.[28]

Burkina Faso
20
17
18 with parental consent males, 15 with parental consent females.[27]

Burundi
21
18
[29]

Cameroon
15
18
[30]

Central African Republic
22
18
[31]

Chad
18
15
[32]

Democratic Republic of Congo
18
15
[33]

Djibouti
18
[34]

Egypt
21
18 with parental consent.[35]

Equatorial Guinea
12
[36]

Eritrea
18
[37]

Ethiopia
18
[38]

Gabon
21
18 with parental consent males, 15 with parental consent females.[39]

Guinea-Bissau
18
[40]

Guinea-Conakry
18
[41]

Ivory Coast
20
18
[42]

Kenya
18
As per section 4, Marriage Act 2014.[43]

Lesotho
21
18 with parental consent males, 16 with parental consent females.[44]

Liberia
21
18
18 with parental consent males, 16 with parental consent females[45]

Libya
20
But lower with judicial permission on grounds of benefit or necessity and with wali's agreement.[46]

Mauritius
18
16 with parental consent[47]

Madagascar
18
17
[48]

Mali
18
16
[49]

Mauritania
18
[50]

Morocco
18
[51]

Mozambique
18
16 with parental consent[52]

Namibia
21
18 with parental consent[53]

Niger
18
15
under with parental consent[54]

Nigeria
18
[55]

Republic of the Congo
21
18
under with parental consent[56]

Rwanda
21
under with parental consent[57]

São Tomé and Príncipe
18
16 with parental consent males, 14 with parental consent females.[58]

Senegal
18
16
[59]

Sierra Leone
18
[60]

Somalia
18
16 with parental consent females[61]

South Africa
18

For a marriage under the Marriage Act, 1961, parental consent is required for the marriage of a party under the age of majority,[62] which was formerly 21 but is now 18. The special consent of the Minister of Home Affairs is also required for the marriage of a girl under the age of 15 or a boy under the age of 18.[63]
Under the Civil Union Act, 2006, which allows for same-sex or opposite-sex marriages, both parties must be 18 or older.[64]
Under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998, a customary marriage entered into after the passage of the act will only be recognised if both parties were 18 or older.[65]

Sudan
Puberty
With requirement for willing consent of both parties.[66]

South Sudan
18
[67]

Swaziland
21
18 with parental consent males, 16 with parental consent females.[68]

Tanzania
18
14 with parental consent[69]

Togo
20
17
[70]

Tunisia
18
[71]

Uganda
18
[72]

Zambia
21
[73]

Zimbabwe
18
16 with parental consent.[74]

tag: table

text: Americas[edit]

text:
Country
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Antigua & Barbuda
18
15 with parental consent.[75] Section 25 of The Marriage Act reads: "A marriage solemnized between persons either of whom is under the age of fifteen shall be null and void."[76]

Argentina
18
16 with parental consent, lower with judicial consent in exceptional cases (Art 403 and 404 of Código Civil y Comercial de la Nación).[77]

Bahamas
18
The Marriage Act (1908) provides no minimum age with parental consent or with a Supreme Court ruling.[78]

Barbados
18
16 with parental consent.[79]

Belize
18
14 with parental consent.[80] Section 4.-(1) of the Marriage Act reads: A marriage solemnised between persons either of whom is under the age of fourteen shall be void.[81]

Bolivia
21
Males can marry at 16 and females at 14 with permission from parents or guardians. Exceptions can be made for pregnant minors.[82]

Brazil
18
16 with parental or guardian consent.[83]

Canada
18/19
Marriage in Canada is governed by both federal and provincial law. The minimum age to marry is set at 16 by a federal statute, the Civil Marriage Act, which states: "No person who is under the age of 16 years may contract marriage."[84] In addition, the provinces may impose procedural requirements for the marriage of a minor who is over 16 but under the age of majority (18 or 19), such as requiring parental consent or permission from a judge. The Criminal Code also prohibits marriage under the age of 16: "Everyone who celebrates, aids or participates in a marriage rite or ceremony knowing that one of the persons being married is under the age of 16 years is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years."[85]

Chile
18
16 with parental consent.[86]

Colombia
18
14 with parental consent[87]

Costa Rica
18
Since 2017, the minimum age is 18.[88]

Cuba
18
16
16 with parental consent males, 14 with parental consent females.[89]

Dominica
18
16 with parental consent.[90]

Dominican Republic
18
16 with parental consent.[91]

Ecuador
18
Since 2015, the minimum age is 18.[92]

El Salvador
18
15 with parental consent males, 14 with parental consent females.[93]

Grenada
21
16 with parental consent.[94]

Guatemala
18
16 with judicial consent.[95][96]

Guyana
18
16 with parental consent[97]

Haiti
18
15 with parental consent females.[98]

Honduras
18[99]
Since 2017, the minimum age is 18. Before 2017 females could marry from 16, with parental consent.[100]

Jamaica
18
16 with parental consent.[101]

Mexico
18
Varies by state. The General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents 2014 establishes 18 years as the general age of marriage, but allows girls to marry at 14 and boys at 16 with parental consent. At state level, as of May 2017, 22 states have made marriage before 18 illegal, while another ten allow it under certain circumstances.[102]

Nicaragua
18
16 with parental consent (under the new 2014 Código de Familia, Articles 54, 57(a) and 58(c))[103]

Panama
18
Since 2015, the minimum age is 18; prior to that date girls could marry from age 14 years and boys from age 16, with parental consent.[104]

Paraguay
20
16 with parental consent[105]

Peru
18
16 with parental consent[106]

Puerto Rico
21
(Younger parties may obtain license in case of pregnancy or birth of child), and 18 with parental consent.[107]

Saint Kitts and Nevis
16
[108]

Saint Lucia
18
16 with parental consent[109]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
16
15
[110]

Suriname
21
17 with parental consent males, 15 with parental consent females.[111]

Trinidad & Tobago
18
Since 2017, the minimum age is 18.[112]

United States
18 (19 for Nebraska, 21 for Mississippi)
All states allow minors to marry. In most states, children under 16 may be married with parental consent or judicial approval. In 25 states, there is no statutory minimum age if other legal conditions are met.
Main article: Age of marriage in the United States

Uruguay
18
16 with parental consent[113]

Venezuela
18
14 for females and 16 for males with parental consent.[114]

text: Asia[edit]

text:
Country
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Afghanistan
18
16
15 for females with the consent of the father or with judicial approval. Under the Civil Code, Article 70 sets the marriageable age at 18 for males and 16 for females. However, Article 71 creates an exception to the above, stating: "(1) Where the girl does not complete the age provided under Article 70 of this law, the marriage may be concluded only through her father or the competent court. (2) The marriage of a minor girl whose age is less then [sic] 15 shall never be permissible."[115] In practice, however, marriage often occurs at much younger ages, as different ethnic groups in Afghanistan have various traditions, many accepting marriage at young ages.[116]

Bangladesh
21
18 (under 18 for special cases, with parental consent and permission of court)
Bangladeshi law provides penal sanctions for the contraction of under-age marriages, although such unions are not considered invalid.[117] Despite the law, child marriage rates in Bangladesh are among the highest in the world. Every 2 out of 3 marriages involve child marriages.[118]

Bhutan
18
[119]

Brunei
18
Minimum legal age for marriage without parental consent varies across states/provinces, ethnic groups, religious groups or forms of marriage.[120]

Cambodia
18
[121]

China
22
20
[122]

Hong Kong
21
16 with parental consent.[123][124]

India
21
18
If any partner(s) engages in marriage at a younger age, (s)he can ask for the marriage to be declared void. A recent recommendation by the Law Commission aims to equalize the marriage age for males and females to 16.[125] Official policy automatically declares marriages under 15 as "null and void", while marriages at the age of 14 or 15 are "voidable". In 2012, the high court declared that Muslim women can marry at 15.[125] Additionally, the report declares that "In spite of these legal provisions, child marriage is still widely practiced and a marriage solemnized in contravention of these provisions is not void even under the new PCMA, 1929, the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and also under the Muslim Law."[125]

Indonesia
18
16
Marriage at younger ages is legal with parental consent and judicial approval.[126]

Iran
18
15
15 for males and 13 for females with parental consent and judicial approval.[127][128]

Iraq
18
15 with judicial permission if fitness, physical capacity and guardian's consent (or unreasonable objection on part of guardian) are established. (These rules may have been revised after Saddam Hussein's fall.[citation needed])[129]

Israel
18
Minimum marriageable age increased from 17 to 18 in November 2013. Family courts able to recognise marriage for 16 and above in special cases.[130]

Japan
20
18 for males and 16 for females with parental consent.[131]

Jordan
18
[132]

Kazakhstan
18
17
16 with parental consent.[133]

South Korea
19
18 with parental consent

Kuwait
17
15
[134]

Kyrgyzstan
18
Local self-government agencies may, at the request of the parties entering the marriage, provided that justifiable reasons exist, lower the marriage age. The marriage age may not be lowered by more than 1 year.[135]

Laos
18
15 with parental consent.[136]

Lebanon
18
17
15, or 9 with judicial permission for Shi'a.[citation needed] 18 or 17 and 16 or 15 with judicial permission for Druze.[137]

Malaysia
21
18 with parental consent. Muslim girls under 16 can marry with the permission of sharia authorities.[138]

Maldives
18
According to custom, the minimum age for marriage is 15. The Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child discourages marriage before the age of 16.[139]

Myanmar
20
14 with parental consent females.[140]

Nepal
20
18 with parental consent.[141]

North Korea
18
17
[142]

Oman
18
While the legal minimum age is 18, "custom still recognises marriages below the age of 18".[143]

Pakistan
18
16 (18 in Sindh and Punjab[144])[145]
Despite the law[146] against child marriage, the practice is widespread. According to two 2013 reports, nearly 50% of all marriages in Pakistan involve girls less than 18 years old.[147][148] However, in Punjab and Sindh, severe punishments are given for marriages before the age of 18.[149][150]

Palestine
16
15
With parental consent.

Mongolia
18
[151]

Philippines
21
18 with parent consent.[152]

Qatar
18
16
Under with parental consent. No minimum age for marriage with parental consent, and permitted only when in conformity with religious and cultural norms and with permission of a competent court.[153]

Russia
18
16 in special circumstances; may vary in different regions.

Saudi Arabia
None
[154]

Singapore
21
18 with parental consent; below 18 with special marriage license.

Sri Lanka
18
However, the parties must have a Qadi's permission to marry before contracting into marriage if they are Muslims.[155]

Syria
18
Thomson Reuters Foundation notes that child marriage occurs from 13 years.[156]

Republic of China（Taiwan）
20
18 for males and 16 for females with statutory agent's consent.[157][158]

Tajikistan
18
17 with parental consent.[159]

Thailand
20
17 with parental consent.[160]

Timor-Leste
17
16 with parental consent.[161]

Turkmenistan
16
[162]

United Arab Emirates
18
While UAE is based on Sharia law, a minimum age for marriage exists.[163]

Uzbekistan
18
17
[164]

Vietnam
20
18
[165]

Yemen
15
HRW notes no legal minimum age for marriage under Sharia law, and UNSD notes that child marriage is permitted where "such marriage will entail some clear benefit."[166]

text: Europe[edit]

text: The marriageable age as a right is 18 in all European countries, with the exception of Andorra and Scotland where it is 16 (for both sexes). Existing exceptions to this general rule (usually requiring special judicial or parental consent) are discussed below. In both the European Union and the Council of Europe the marriageable age falls within the jurisdiction of individual member states. The Istanbul convention, the first legally binding instrument in Europe in the field of violence against women and domestic violence,[167] only requires countries which ratify it to prohibit forced marriage (Article 37) and to ensure that forced marriages can be easily voided without further victimization (Article 32), but does not make any reference to a minimum age of marriage.

text:
Country
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Albania
18
[168][169]

Andorra
16
14 with judicial authority[170]

Armenia
18
The age was set at 18 for both sexes in 2012,[171] prior to that date it was 17 for females and 18 for males.[172] However, marriage at age 17 is allowed with parental consent, and at age 16 with parental consent and the condition that the other intending spouse is at least 18.[173]

Austria
18
16 with parental consent but the other partner must be 18 or older.[174]

Azerbaijan
18
17 in special cases with judicial authorization. (Article 10 of the Family Code[175]). The marriageable age for females was raised in 2011 to 18, equalizing it to that of males; prior to that date it was 17.[176]

Belarus
18
[177]

Belgium
18
Younger with judicial consent (with no strict minimum age). With parental consent, serious reasons are required for a minor to marry; without parental consent, the unwillingness of the parents has to constitute an abuse.[178]

Bulgaria
18
The new 2009 Family Code fixes the age at 18, but allows for an exception for 16 years olds, stating that "Upon exception, in case that important reasons impose this, matrimony may be concluded by a person at the age of 16 with permission by the regional judge". It further states that both persons wanting to marry, as well as the parents/guardians of the minor, must be consulted by the judge. (Chapter 2, Article 6)[179]

Croatia
18
16 with court permission.

Cyprus
18
16 with parental consent, if there are serious reasons for the marriage.[180][181]

Czech Republic
18
Article 672 of Act No. 89/2012 Coll. the Civil Code (which came into force in 2014) states that the court may, in exceptional cases, allow a marriage of a 16 year old, if there are serious reasons for it.[182] Moreover, a minor can marry if he or she has been granted full capacity by a court decision as given by Article 37 of the Civil Code.

Denmark
18
Since 2017, marriage is no longer allowed under 18.[183]

Estonia
18
15 with court permission.[184][185]

Finland
18
Under 18 with the consent of the ministry of justice in extraordinary circumstances, in which case parents or other guardian must be heard, but actual parental consent is not required.

France
18
Under 18 permission from a court and both parents.

Georgia
18
16 with parental consent.[186]

Germany
18
The minimum age was explicitly set to 18 on July 22, 2017.[187] (Before this day, a Family Court could issue an exception for 16-18 year-olds if one party was over 18.) Marriages with a spouse under 16 are legally void. For a 16-17 year old spouse the marriage is repealed. [188][189]

Gibraltar
18

Greece
18
Under 18 requires court permission, which may be given if there are serious reasons for such a marriage[180][190]

Hungary
18
16 with authorization from the guardianship authority[191]

Iceland
18
Under 18 with parental consent and permission of the Ministry of the Interior.

Ireland
18
Under 18 with the permission of the Circuit Family Court or High Court.[192][193] In December 2015, the government announced its intention to remove this exception.[194]

Italy
18
16 with court consent.

Latvia
18
16 with court or parental permission.

Liechtenstein
18
Required court decision to marry people who are under 18 years old.[195]

Lithuania
18
15 with court permission, minors can only marry below 15 if they are pregnant females with court permission.[196]

Luxembourg
18
New laws of 2014 fixed the marriageable at 18 for both sexes; prior to these regulations the age was 16 for females and 18 for males. The new laws still allow both sexes to obtain judicial consent to get married under 18.[197]

Macedonia
18
possible with age of 16 and court approval for male and female, their consent and their parents consent is needed

Malta
18
16 with parental consent, specifically for "a person who is subject to paternal authority or to tutorship". (However if this is unattainable, the court can provide the consent.)[198]

Netherlands
18
Under 18 with permission from the Minister of Justice; 16 with parental consent in case of pregnancy.[180][199]

Norway
18
16 with consent from parents (guardian) and permission from the County Governor. The County Governor may only give permission when there are 'special reasons for contracting a marriage'.[200][201]

Poland
18
16 for women with judicial approval.

Portugal
18
16 with parental consent (or if this is unattainable, the court can provide the consent).

Romania
18
16 with permission from the district's administrative board.[202]

Russia
18
16 in special circumstances, but different rules apply in some regions.[203]

Serbia
18
16 with court consent.

Slovakia
18
16 with court consent, with a serious reason such as pregnancy.[204]

Slovenia
18
Under 18 may be approved by the Social Work Center if there are "well founded reasons" arising upon the investigation of the situation of the minor. (Art 23, 24 of the Law on Marriage and Family Relations).[205]

Spain
18
16 with court consent[206]

Sweden
18
Not possible to marry under the age of 18 since July 1st 2014.[207]

Switzerland
18
[208]

Turkey
18
17 with parental consent, 16 in special circumstances with court approval.

Ukraine
18
Age was equalized at 18 for both sexes in 2012, but courts may still grant permission from age 16 if there are special reasons.[209]

United Kingdom
18 (16 in Scotland)

England and Wales: 16 with parental consent or the permission of the court.[210]
Scotland: 16[211]
Northern Ireland: 16 with parental consent (with the court able to give consent in some cases).[212]

text: Oceania[edit]

text:
Country
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Australia
18
16 with permission from a court and both parents (only granted in exceptional circumstances).[213]

Fiji
18
16 with parental consent[214]

Kiribati
21
18 with parental consent.[215]

Micronesia
18
16
[216]

Nauru
18
16
[217]

New Zealand
18
16 with parental consent.[218]

Niue
21
19
18 with parental consent males, 15 with parental consent females.[219]

Palau
18
16
[220]

Papua New Guinea
21
[221]

Samoa
21
19
18 with parental consent males, 16 with parental consent females.[222]

Solomon Islands
18
15 with parental consent.[223]

Tonga
18
16 for females with parental consent.[224]

Tokelau
21
19
18 with parental consent males, 16 with parental consent females.[225]

Tuvalu
21
16 with parental consent.[226]

Vanuatu
21
18 with parental consent.[227]

text: By religion[edit]

text: Catholic Church[edit]

text:
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Catholic Church
16
14
Diriment impediment (can. 1083 § 1).[228] Conferences of Bishops can adopt a higher age for liceity[229] (§ 2). Marriage against the worldly power's directive need permission by the Ordinary for liceity (can. 1071 § 1 no. 2), which in case of sensible and equal laws regarding marriage age is regularly not granted. The permission by the Ordinary is also required in case of a marriage of a minor child (i.e. under 18 years old) when his parents are unaware of his marriage or if his parents reasonably oppose his marriage (can. 1071 § 1 no. 6).

text: Higher ages set by Conferences of Bishops[edit]

text:
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Canada
18
18
[230]

England and Wales
16
16
[231]

Gambia
18
16
[232]

Liberia
18
16
[232]

New Zealand
18
18
[230]

Nigeria
see note
Each bishop has the authority to set a higher prohibitive minimum age.[233]

Philippines
21
18
[234]

Sierra Leone
18
16
[232]

text: Islam[edit]

text: In Quran, the "age of marriage" coincides with puberty. Classical Islamic law (Sharia) does not have a marriageable age because there is no minimum age at which puberty can occur. However, many schools of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) set marriageable ages for men and women.[235]

text:
Male consent
Female consent
Notes

Shafi'i
15
15

Hanbali
15
15

Maliki
17
17

Jafari
15
9

Hanafi
12
9

text: In Islam there is no set age for marriage, the condition is physical (bulugh) maturity and mental (rushd) maturity. So the age is variable.

tag: ul