Bill Raising Minimum NC Marriage Age To 16 Keeps Advancing

Legislation to raise the minimum age for marriage in North Carolina from 14 to 16 has now cleared a House committee after getting Senate approval last month. The measure also would prevent the young person’s spouse from being no more than four years older. And 16- and 17-year-olds would need either written parental consent or a judge’s order to marry. Backers of the measure approved by a judiciary committee on Tuesday say that North Carolina has become a destination for out-of-state couples involving an underage partner because of its rules. The legislation represents a compromise by some who wanted a minimum age of 18.