In South Carolina, it is legal to marry your cousin. The state’s marriage laws explicitly prohibit marriages between close relatives such as siblings, parents, grandparents, and step-relatives, but first cousins are notably not included in the list of prohibited relationships. This means that cousins, including first cousins, half first cousins, first cousins once removed, and more distant cousins, can legally marry in South Carolina without restrictions under state law.
What Relationships Are Prohibited
South Carolina’s legal restrictions focus on closer familial relationships. The law prohibits marrying immediate family members such as:
Mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, stepmother, sister
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
However, these prohibitions do not extend to cousins, meaning first cousins and other cousin relationships are permitted to marry legally.
Marriage License Requirements
To legally marry in South Carolina, cousins must apply for a marriage license, which is valid throughout the state regardless of which county it is obtained in. Neither party needs to be a resident of South Carolina to apply for this license, making the state accessible for cousin couples from other states where cousin marriage may be restricted.
Some counties require applicants to appear in person at the Probate Court to complete the application and sign in the presence of an official, while others may have online application options. The marriage license process does not require applicants to disclose whether they are related as cousins.
Recognition Across States
While cousin marriage is legal in South Carolina, it is important to note that some states do not recognize cousin marriages performed in other states. Couples marrying cousins in South Carolina who plan to move to or reside in states where cousin marriage is prohibited should be aware that their marriage may not be recognized.
South Carolina neighbors like Georgia and North Carolina also allow cousin marriage, which may reduce travel concerns for couples residing nearby.
Social and Cultural Considerations
Cousin marriage remains a controversial topic in many parts of the United States due to cultural attitudes and genetic concerns. However, legally in South Carolina, cousin marriage has long been accepted and uninterrupted by state law, reflecting more permissive views relative to several other states.
In summary, South Carolina does not prohibit cousin marriage by law. First cousins and other cousin relations are legally allowed to marry, provided they obtain a valid marriage license. The law’s explicit prohibitions address closer relatives but leave cousins outside those restrictions.
Couples should consider interstate recognition issues if they live in or plan to relocate to states with stricter laws, but South Carolina itself remains a state where cousin marriage is fully legal and recognized.
Sources
(https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/legally-marry-cousin-sc-law-100000048.html)
(https://dataminingdna.com/can-first-cousins-marry-in-south-carolina/)
(https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t20c001.php)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage)
