How to
Annulment: grounds and time limits in every state, and how it differs from divorce
Short answer
An annulment is a court order that a marriage was never legally valid. Void marriages, such as bigamy or close relatives, can usually be challenged at any time. Voidable ones have deadlines: from 90 days after you learn of fraud in Delaware, Illinois and Minnesota to 4 years in California. Living together afterward can bar it.
Date calculator · 51 states
How long do you have to ask for an annulment in your state?
Each state's annulment grounds and time limits read from its statute, court form or court self-help page, an archived copy of the official page where the state's site refused our checking location, or marked not checked · checked Oct 22, 2026
Which state?
Each rule comes from the official source linked in the result. It runs on your device: nothing you type is stored or sent. General information, not legal advice.
Key points
- Void or voidable
- A void marriage (bigamy, close relatives) was never valid and usually has no deadline. A voidable one (fraud, force, incapacity, underage) stands until a court annuls it, often within a set time.
- Deadlines
- From 90 days after you learn of fraud in Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota and Kentucky, to 6 months in Colorado, 2 years in Ohio and Virginia, and 4 years in California, Idaho and the Dakotas.
- Living together
- In most states, choosing to keep living together after you learn the truth, or after the force ends, cancels the ground. Then the way out is a divorce.
- Church annulment
- A religious annulment does not end a civil marriage. Only a court judgment does, and only a court's annulment lets you remarry as if the marriage never happened.
An annulment is a court judgment that your marriage was never legally valid. It is not a divorce, which ends a valid marriage. Each state sets its own grounds and deadlines: a void marriage, such as one where a spouse was already married, was never valid, while a voidable marriage, such as one entered because of fraud or force, stands until a court annuls it, often only within a set time. A short marriage, by itself, is not a reason.
Below: the date tool for your state and your ground, void and voidable marriages, the grounds, the time limits, which fits better (annulment, divorce or legal separation), what happens to property, support, children and your name, church annulments, how to file, how to get a copy of the judgment, worked examples, a table of all 50 states and DC, and answers to common questions. Part of the Family & divorce guide. This page explains the law; it is not legal advice.
What an annulment is
An annulment is a court judgment that your marriage was never legally valid. California's courts put it simply: a judge says in a court order that the marriage is not legally valid, because something was legally wrong with it from the start, and it is as if the marriage never happened. A divorce is different: it ends a marriage that was valid. California Courts Self-Help Guide
- You need a legal reason that existed at the wedding. A judge can annul a marriage only for a reason the law recognizes, such as bigamy, fraud or force. A very short marriage is not a legal reason for an annulment, and neither is the fact that it did not work out.California Courts Self-Help Guide
- Even if you both agree, a judge decides. Even if you and your spouse agree to the annulment, you go in front of a judge to explain why the marriage was never legal. A judicial proceeding is required to annul a marriage in Wisconsin, and a marriage may not be annulled there after the death of a party.California Courts Self-Help Guide · Wis. Stat. § 767.313
- The names differ from state to state. California calls it a nullity, Colorado, Illinois and Montana a declaration of invalidity, Washington a petition to invalidate (annul) a marriage, and Rhode Island ends a void or voidable marriage with a divorce from the bond of marriage. Louisiana speaks of absolutely null and relatively null marriages.Form FL-100 · C.R.S. § 14-10-111 · 750 ILCS 5/301 · R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-1 · La. Civ. Code arts. 94, 95
Void and voidable marriages
Every state sorts invalid marriages into two kinds, and the difference decides whether you face a deadline.
- Void: never valid at all. In most states a marriage where one spouse was still married to someone else, or between close relatives, is void. Minnesota calls such marriages absolutely void, without any decree or other legal proceedings; Michigan and Massachusetts say the same for marriages solemnized there. Nobody can make a void marriage valid by waiting, and many states set no deadline to challenge it.Minn. Stat. § 518.01 · MCL 552.1 · M.G.L. c. 207, § 8
- Voidable: valid until a court says otherwise. A marriage entered because of fraud, force, lack of capacity or underage is usually voidable: New York says such a marriage is void from the time its nullity is declared by a court. Only the wronged spouse (or a parent or guardian) can usually ask, often within a deadline, and living together after learning the truth can cancel the ground.N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 7 · D.C. Code § 46-403
- A court order still helps with a void marriage. Even when no decree is legally required, New Hampshire, Maine, Iowa, Nebraska and Massachusetts let a spouse ask the court to annul or affirm a marriage whose validity is doubted, which gives you a clear record before you marry again or claim benefits.RSA 458:2 · 19-A M.R.S. § 752 · Iowa Code § 598.30 · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-376 · M.G.L. c. 207, § 14
- Some states treat every listed marriage as voidable. West Virginia lists even a prior spouse and close relatives as voidable marriages, void from the time a judgment order of nullity is entered. Hawaii's family court declares void, by a decree of nullity, each of its six listed causes.W. Va. Code § 48-3-103 · HRS § 580-21
Grounds for annulment
These are the grounds the tool at the top uses. Each state words them differently, and some states list only a few: Arkansas annuls only for causes set out in its statutes, while Kansas may annul for any reason that justifies rescinding a contract of marriage, and Utah and New Hampshire also allow grounds that exist at common law.
- Fraud. A lie or concealment about something essential to the marriage. California's courts give examples such as marrying only to get a green card or hiding that you cannot have children, and you must show you would not have married had you known. Illinois and Kentucky require fraud involving the essentials of marriage; Colorado and Delaware, fraud that goes to the essence of the marriage.California Courts Self-Help Guide · 750 ILCS 5/301 · KRS 403.120 · C.R.S. § 14-10-111 · 13 Del. C. § 1506
- Force or duress. Consent obtained by force, threats or pressure. Vermont adds the threat of force and other forms of coercion or deception. If you are in danger now, see restraining orders.15 V.S.A. § 516
- Mental incapacity. A spouse could not understand what it meant to marry, called unsound mind in California, Idaho and the Dakotas, or want of understanding in New York and Nevada.Cal. Fam. Code § 2210 · N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 7 · NRS 125.330
- Alcohol or drugs. Texas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Washington name the influence of alcohol or drugs that left a spouse unable to consent. Texas adds that you must not have lived together voluntarily since the effects ended.Tex. Fam. Code § 6.105 · Wis. Stat. § 767.313
- Unable to consummate. A spouse could not have sexual intercourse and the other did not know. It does not mean being unable to have children. In New Hampshire impotency is a cause for divorce instead.Tex. Fam. Code § 6.106 · RSA 458:7
- Underage. A spouse was under the state's marriage age or married without the consent or court approval the state required. Many states now require 18: Texas has made an underage marriage void since September 1, 2017 and Kentucky since July 14, 2018, and Virginia voids, by a court decree, marriages under 18 on or after July 1, 2024.Tex. Fam. Code § 6.205 · KRS 402.020 · Va. Code § 20-45.1
- Already married to someone else. Bigamy makes a marriage void in most states. California, South Carolina, South Dakota and Idaho treat it differently when the earlier spouse had been absent for 5 years and was not known to be alive.Cal. Fam. Code § 2201 · S.C. Code § 20-1-80 · SDCL § 25-1-8 · Idaho Code § 32-207
- Close relatives. Parents and children, siblings, and uncles or aunts with nieces or nephews are barred in every state we read; Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Delaware and Wyoming add first cousins. Wisconsin allows a suit within 10 years of the wedding for a prohibited marriage, except bigamy.A.R.S. § 25-101 · Wis. Stat. § 767.313
- State-specific grounds. A marriage entered as a jest or dare (Colorado, Delaware); a wedding within 72 hours of the license or a divorce hidden within the 30 days before it (Texas); an undisclosed felony conviction, a pregnancy by another person or prostitution (Virginia); a concealed loathsome disease (Hawaii); a sexually transmitted disease (West Virginia); a claimed pregnancy followed by separation within 45 days (North Carolina); incurable mental illness for 5 years (New York).Tex. Fam. Code §§ 6.109, 6.110 · Va. Code § 20-89.1 · HRS § 580-21 · N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-3
How long after the wedding can you get an annulment?
There is no single answer: it depends on your state and your ground, and the clock does not always start at the wedding. Some states count from the day you learned of the fraud or the incapacity, some from the wedding, and for underage marriages some from the 18th birthday. The tool at the top does the counting; enter your date of birth when the deadline is your 18th birthday, and it counts 18 years.
- 90 days after you learn
- Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, KentuckyFraud, force or duress, mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs (Delaware also a jest or dare; Kentucky also inability to consummate).
- 6 months
- Colorado, MississippiColorado: after you learn of incapacity, fraud, duress or a jest or dare. Mississippi: after fraud or physical incapacity is or should have been discovered; lack of mental capacity, after the wedding.
- 1 year
- Wisconsin, Montana, DelawareWisconsin: after you learn, for most grounds. Montana: mental incapacity and alcohol or drugs. Delaware: inability to consummate (after you learn) and underage (after the wedding).
- 2 years
- Ohio, Virginia, MontanaOhio: from the discovery of fraud, or from the wedding for force or a marriage never consummated. Virginia: no decree once you have been married 2 years before filing. Montana: force, duress or fraud, after you learn.
- 24 months
- ColoradoUnderage without consent, from the wedding.
- 4 years
- California, Idaho, North Dakota, South DakotaFraud: after you discover it. Force and physical incapacity: after the wedding. Underage: after you turn 18 or reach the age of consent.
- 5 years
- New YorkPhysical incapacity, from the wedding.
- No fixed deadline
- Texas, Washington, Nebraska, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and othersBut living together after you know the truth, or ratifying the marriage, cancels most grounds, and no voidable marriage can be annulled after a spouse dies.
Can you get an annulment after 2 years? In many states yes, if your ground has a longer limit or none: California allows 4 years after you discover fraud, and Texas sets no fixed deadline for fraud if you have not lived together since you learned of it. In Virginia no decree can be entered once you have been married 2 years before filing for fraud, duress, mental incapacity or its other voidable grounds, and in Ohio fraud must be raised within 2 years after you discover it.
Annulment vs divorce vs legal separation
| Annulment | Divorce | Legal separation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it says | The marriage was never legally valid | A valid marriage has ended | The marriage continues; you live apart |
| Reason needed | A ground the law recognizes, existing at the wedding | Usually only that the marriage has broken down | Usually the same as for a divorce |
| Deadline | Often: from 90 days to 4 years, depending on the state and ground | None | None |
| Residence | Often none or short: California requires only that you live there when you file; Colorado 30 days if you married elsewhere; Ohio, Vermont, Virginia and Delaware 6 months | Most states require months of residence, such as 6 months in California and Texas | Varies |
| Property and support | Only in some cases: a putative spouse in California; the divorce rules apply by statute in Minnesota, Colorado and Texas | Divided and decided under the divorce rules | Decided by the court |
| Children | Parentage, custody and support can be decided; children are legitimate in many states | Custody and support decided | Custody and support decided |
If you are not sure you qualify, you can ask for an annulment or, in the alternative, a divorce: if the judge decides you do not qualify for an annulment, the case can go forward as a divorce. Washington's annulment petition includes the same fallback. Residency rules, waiting periods and fees for divorce are on filing for divorce. California Courts Self-Help Guide · form FL Divorce 205
Quick guide
Annulment, divorce or legal separation: which one fits?
1. What best describes your marriage?
Since you learned the truth, or the force ended, or you came of age, have you chosen to keep living together as spouses?
It points to the part of this page that fits, in the page's own words. Nothing you choose is saved or sent. Not legal advice.
What happens to property, support, children and your name
- Property and spousal support depend on the state. In California a judge can divide property and debts or order spousal support only if one of you is a putative spouse, someone who believed in good faith that the marriage was legal. Minnesota and Montana give a putative spouse a legal spouse's rights, including maintenance. Minnesota, Colorado, Delaware and Wyoming apply their divorce rules on property (Minnesota and Colorado also on maintenance) to annulments, Texas divides the estate of the parties in a decree of divorce or annulment, and Connecticut can order alimony. See property division and alimony.California Courts Self-Help Guide · Minn. Stat. §§ 518.03, 518.055 · Mont. Code Ann. § 40-1-404 · Tex. Fam. Code § 7.001 · Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-60
- A spouse who married in good faith is protected. Iowa lets the court award an innocent spouse compensation as in a divorce; Louisiana's putative marriage gives civil effects to a spouse who contracted it in good faith; South Dakota allows maintenance for a former spouse.Iowa Code § 598.32 · La. Civ. Code art. 96 · SDCL § 25-3-10
- Children keep both parents. Children of an annulled marriage are legitimate in Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and Michigan, Connecticut treats the child of any void or voidable marriage as a child of the marriage, and Iowa and Nebraska presume legitimacy unless the court decides otherwise. In California you may need to establish parentage first; then the judge can order custody, parenting time and child support.13 Del. C. § 1506 · N.D. Cent. Code § 14-04-03 · 15 V.S.A. § 520 · Iowa Code § 598.31 · Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-377
- Your former name. Maine's court, when it enters an annulment, must change a spouse's name to a former name on request. Elsewhere, ask for it in the judgment; how each state restores a former name is on changing your name.19-A M.R.S. § 752
Church annulment vs civil annulment
A religious annulment, such as a declaration of nullity from a church tribunal, does not end a civil marriage. Only a court can do that. Connecticut's statute says a marriage is dissolved only by the death of one of the parties or by a decree of annulment or dissolution from a court of competent jurisdiction. Kansas law says the ceremony may be regarded as a civil ceremony or a religious sacrament, but the marriage relation can be entered into, maintained or ended only as provided by law. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-40 · K.S.A. 23-2501
- Want to remarry under civil law? You need a court's annulment or divorce judgment, whatever your faith decides.
- Want a religious annulment too? That is a separate process run by your faith community; the court does not decide it.
- Got a church annulment years ago but never went to court? You may still be legally married. Check with the court clerk and a lawyer before you marry again.
How to file for an annulment
- Check your ground and your deadline. Use the tool at the top and the state table. Mark the date the clock started, and how you learned of the problem.
- Pick the court. File in the state family or trial court, usually in the county where you or your spouse live. In California you can file in any county where either of you lives. Some states have residence rules for annulment: 6 months in Delaware, Ohio, Vermont and Virginia; 30 days in Colorado if you married elsewhere; 1 year in Rhode Island.
- Fill in the petition. California: Petition—Marriage/Domestic Partnership (form FL-100), checking Nullity, and a Summons (FL-110). Colorado: JDF 1000, JDF 1041 and JDF 1042, with a $260 filing fee. Washington: Petition to Invalidate (Annul) Marriage, form FL Divorce 205. Ask your court's self-help center for your state's form, and ask about a fee waiver if you cannot pay.
- Have your spouse served. Another adult hands your spouse the papers. In California your spouse then has 30 days to file a response; if they do not respond, you can move ahead without them.
- Prove the ground at the hearing. Bring evidence of the facts and dates: when you married, what was hidden or forced, when you found out, and that you did not keep living together afterward. Courts presume a marriage is valid; West Virginia requires the contrary to be clearly proved.
- Get the judgment and update your records. Ask for a certified copy of the judgment. Courts send notice of it to the office that holds the marriage record in Montana and Massachusetts.
How do I know if my marriage was annulled?
An annulment exists only if a court entered a judgment. Ask the clerk of the court in the county where the case was filed for a certified copy of the final judgment (also called a decree of nullity or a declaration of invalidity). Montana's clerk notifies the clerk of the county where the marriage is registered, who enters the fact of invalidity in the marriage record; in Massachusetts the register of probate sends an attested copy to the commissioner of public health and to the clerk or registrar of the town where the marriage was solemnized. Mont. Code Ann. § 40-1-402(6) · M.G.L. c. 207, § 14
Letter generator · 2 letter types
Ask the court for a copy of an annulment judgment
Courts keep the annulment judgment and send notice of it to the office that holds the marriage record; this letter asks the clerk for a certified copy · checked Oct 22, 2026
Each rule comes from the official source linked in the result. It runs on your device: nothing you type is stored or sent. General information, not legal advice.
Worked examples
1. California: fraud discovered years later. Cal. Fam. Code §§ 2210, 2211 · California Courts Self-Help Guide
- Married
- June 1, 2022In California.
- Found out
- March 1, 2025The spouse married only to get a green card, an example of fraud California's courts give, and the petitioner would not have married had they known.
- Last day to file
- March 1, 20294 years after finding out about the fraud, as long as the petitioner did not freely keep living with the spouse after learning the facts.
2. The same fraud in Delaware and Ohio. 13 Del. C. § 1506 · Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.32
- Found out
- March 1, 2025Same facts as example 1.
- Delaware
- May 30, 202590 days after obtaining knowledge of the fraud. After that, the way out is a divorce.
- Ohio
- March 1, 20272 years after the discovery of the facts constituting fraud. The person filing must also have lived in Ohio for 6 months.
3. Underage: Texas and New York. Tex. Fam. Code § 6.205 · N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law §§ 7, 140
- Texas, married at 17 in 2019
- VoidSince September 1, 2017 a Texas marriage is void if either party is younger than 18, unless a court removed the disabilities of minority. No deadline applies.
- New York, married at 17
- VoidableUnder the age of legal consent, which is eighteen years. The underage spouse, a parent or a guardian can sue, but not after the spouse freely lived with the other for any time after turning 18.
4. Texas: the 72-hour rule. Tex. Fam. Code § 6.110
- License issued
- June 5, 2026The couple married the next day, June 6, 2026, within the 72-hour period after the license was issued.
- Last day to sue on this ground
- July 6, 2026A suit may not be brought after the 30th day after the date of the marriage.
Annulment by state: all 50 states and DC
Grounds, time limits and residence rules read on October 22, 2026 from each state's statute, court form or court self-help page. Where a state's site refused our checking location, we read the Internet Archive's copy of the same official page and say so in the sources; where we could not read an official source, the row says not checked. The tool at the top uses these rules. Law column: the statute and the date it took effect, where the official page shows one.
| State | Void marriages | Voidable grounds and time limits | Residence to file | Law (in force) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Ala. Code title 30, ch. 1 (Not checked) |
| Alaska | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | AS 25.05, 25.24 (Not checked) |
| Arizona | Close relatives, including first cousins (with narrow exceptions); under 16 may not marry | No voidable grounds or deadlines in the statutes; courts decide | No period in the statutes we read | A.R.S. §§ 25-101, 25-102, 25-301 (Current; no date shown) |
| Arkansas | Not checked for this page | Want of age or understanding, physical incapacity, force or fraud: no deadline, only while both spouses live | File in the county where you live | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 9-11-103, 9-11-104, 9-12-201, 9-12-202 (As summarized in the 2022 Domestic Relations Benchbook) |
| California | Incest, bigamy | Under 18 without a judge's permission: 4 years after turning 18. Fraud: 4 years after you discover it. Force, physical incapacity: 4 years after the wedding. Unsound mind: before either spouse dies. Prior spouse thought dead: during either spouse's life | None: live in California when you file | Cal. Fam. Code §§ 2200, 2201, 2210, 2211 (Current; FL-100 rev. Jan 1, 2020) |
| Colorado | Bigamy, close relatives, a marriage void where it was contracted | Mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs, fraud, duress, jest or dare: 6 months after you learn. Unable to consummate: 1 year after you learn. Underage without consent: 24 months from the wedding | 30 days: Only if you married outside Colorado: one of you must have been domiciled in Colorado for 30 days before filing. If you married in Colorado, you can file right away. (C.R.S. § 14-10-111(7)) | C.R.S. § 14-10-111 (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024) |
| Connecticut | Close relatives (including stepparent and stepchild), an existing marriage, an unauthorized officiant | Voidable grounds such as fraud or duress come from court decisions; no deadline in the statutes | No period in the statutes we read | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 46b-20a, 46b-21, 46b-40(b), 46b-60 (Current; no date shown) |
| Delaware | Close relatives up to first cousins | Incapacity (mental, alcohol or drugs), fraud, duress, jest or dare: 90 days after you learn. Unable to consummate: 1 year after you learn. Underage: 1 year after the wedding | 6 months: You or your spouse must have lived in Delaware, or been stationed there in the armed services, for 6 or more months right before you file. (13 Del. C. § 1504(a)) | 13 Del. C. §§ 101, 123, 1504, 1506 (Current; no date shown) |
| District of Columbia | Bigamy, close relatives | Mental incapacity (insanity), force or fraud, matrimonial incapacity, under 18: no deadline in the statute | Married in DC: none; otherwise one spouse a bona fide resident when you file (D.C. Code § 16-902(c)) | D.C. Code §§ 16-902, 16-903, 16-904, 46-401.01, 46-403, 46-404 (Mar 21, 2025) |
| Florida | Close relatives (lineal, sibling, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew) | No Florida annulment statute found: courts decide grounds; no statutory deadline | No period in the statutes we read | Fla. Stat. §§ 741.04, 741.21 (Florida Statutes 2025) |
| Georgia | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | O.C.G.A. title 19, ch. 3 (Not checked) |
| Hawaii | Close relatives, an undivorced spouse (by a decree of nullity) | Close relatives, under legal age, undivorced spouse, lack of mental capacity, force, duress or fraud (no cohabitation after), concealed loathsome disease: no deadline | No period in the statutes we read | HRS § 580-21 (Amended L 2023, c 160) |
| Idaho | Close relatives, bigamy (unless the earlier spouse was absent 5 years) | Underage without consent: 4 years after reaching the age of consent. Fraud: 4 years after discovery. Force, physical incapacity: 4 years after the wedding. Unsound mind: before either dies. Former spouse living: during the other's life | No period in the statutes we read | Idaho Code §§ 32-205, 32-207, 32-501, 32-502 (Current; no date shown) |
| Illinois | Prohibited marriages (bigamy, close relatives): until 3 years after the first spouse dies | Mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs, force, duress, fraud: 90 days after you learn. Unable to consummate: 1 year after you learn. Age 16 or 17 without consent: before turning 18 | No period in the statutes we read | 750 ILCS 5/301, 5/302 (P.A. 80-923) |
| Indiana | Common-law marriages entered into after January 1, 1958 (IC 31-11-8-5); the rest not checked | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | IC 31-11-8, 31-11-9, 31-11-10 (Not checked) |
| Iowa | Close relatives (including first cousins), bigamy | Impotence; lack of capacity under a guardianship: no deadline in the statute | No period in the statutes we read | Iowa Code §§ 595.2, 595.19, 598.29-598.32 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Close relatives (including first cousins), any other void marriage | Fraud (must be granted); mistake of fact, lack of knowledge of a material fact or another reason to rescind (may be granted): no deadline in the statute | None in the annulment statute; the 60-day rule is for divorce | K.S.A. 23-2501, 23-2503, 23-2505, 23-2702 (Jan 1, 1983) |
| Kentucky | Nearer than second cousins, a living undivorced spouse, under 18 (with an exception), a person adjudged mentally disabled, no authorized officiant | Mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs, force, duress, fraud, unable to consummate: 90 days after you learn. Prohibited marriage: 1 year after you learn | No period in the statutes we read | KRS 402.010, 402.020, 402.030, 403.120 (KRS 402.020 and 402.030 eff. Jul 14, 2018) |
| Louisiana | No ceremony, by procuration, existing marriage, ascendants and descendants or collaterals within the fourth degree, age | Duress or lack of discernment: relatively null, no deadline, barred if confirmed afterward | No period in the statutes we read | La. Civ. Code arts. 88, 90, 93-97 (Jan 1, 1988) |
| Maine | Close relatives, bigamy, no proof the last marriage ended, lying about earlier marriages | No deadline: either spouse may file when validity is doubted | No period in the statutes we read | 19-A M.R.S. §§ 701, 751, 752 (Current; data extracted Oct 5, 2026) |
| Maryland | Close blood, in-law and step relatives | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Md. Code, Fam. Law §§ 2-202, 2-301 (Current; no date shown) |
| Massachusetts | Bigamy, close relatives (consanguinity or affinity) | Other grounds are decided when the validity is doubted; no deadline in the statutes | 5 years: Only if you married outside Massachusetts: you must have been domiciled there both when you married and when you file, or have lived there for the 5 years before filing. (M.G.L. c. 207, § 14) | M.G.L. c. 207, §§ 4, 8, 14 (Current; no date shown) |
| Michigan | Close relatives, bigamy, not capable in law | Under age (separated during nonage), force or fraud (no voluntary cohabitation after): no deadline | File in the county where you or your spouse live | MCL 552.1, 552.2, 552.3 (MCL 552.1 amended eff. Sep 30, 2001) |
| Minnesota | Bigamy, close relatives, under 18 | Mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs, force, fraud: 90 days after you learn. Unable to consummate: 1 year after you learn | No period in the statutes we read | Minn. Stat. §§ 517.03, 518.01-518.05, 518.055 (Current; § 518.01 amended 2024) |
| Mississippi | Not checked for this page | Fraud, physical incapacity: 6 months after discovery. Lack of mental capacity: 6 months after the wedding (Haralson v. Haralson, 1978). Others not checked | Not checked for this page | Miss. Code Ann. § 93-7-3 (POMS PR 06305.027 effective Jun 7, 2002) |
| Missouri | Bigamy; presumptively void: close relatives (including first cousins), lack of capacity | Fraud, duress and other grounds come from court decisions; no deadline in the statutes | No period in the statutes we read | RSMo §§ 451.020, 451.030, 451.090 (§ 451.090 eff. Aug 28, 2025) |
| Montana | Bigamy, close relatives (up to first cousins) | Mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs: 1 year after you learn. Force, duress, fraud: 2 years after you learn. Unable to consummate: 4 years after you learn. Under 16, or 16 or 17 without consent: before turning 18 | No period in the statutes we read | Mont. Code Ann. §§ 40-1-401, 40-1-402, 40-1-404 (Montana Code Annotated 2025) |
| Nebraska | Bigamy, mental incompetence, close relatives (including first cousins of whole blood) | Impotence, force, fraud, underage (separated during nonage): no deadline; barred by freely living together after the problem ends or becomes known | The person filing lives in the county (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 42-373) | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 42-103, 42-118, 42-373 to 42-377 (Laws 2013, LB23) |
| Nevada | Bigamy, close relatives | Lack of parent or court consent, want of understanding, fraud, any equity ground for voiding a contract: no deadline; barred by living together after you know | 6 weeks: Only if you married outside Nevada: you can file in any county after living in Nevada for 6 weeks; otherwise file where your spouse lives, or where you live if it is where you last lived together. If you married in Nevada there is no residence requirement. (NRS 125.360, 125.370) | NRS 125.290-125.370 (NRS amended 2017) |
| New Hampshire | Close relatives, knowing bigamy | Common-law causes such as fraud or duress: no deadline in the statutes | Married in New Hampshire: none (RSA 458:3) | RSA 458:1, 458:2, 458:3, 458:7 (Current; no date shown) |
| New Jersey | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | N.J.S.A. 2A:34-1 (Not checked) |
| New Mexico | Not checked for this page | Underage, mental incapacity, fraud (court self-help); deadlines not checked | Not checked for this page | NMSA 1978, ch. 40, art. 1 (Current; no date shown) |
| New York | Not checked for this page (bigamy: either spouse during the other's lifetime) | Physical incapacity: 5 years from the wedding. Under 18, want of understanding, force or duress: no fixed deadline. Fraud: the civil fraud time limit. Incurable mental illness for 5 years: either spouse | 1 year: Usually 1 year: you married in New York, lived there as spouses, or the cause happened there, and one of you has lived in New York for a continuous year before filing. Otherwise one of you needs 2 years. (N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law § 230) | N.Y. Dom. Rel. Law §§ 7, 140, 230 (Current; no date shown) |
| North Carolina | Nearer than first cousins or double first cousins, under 16, bigamy, physical impotence, want of will or understanding | Claimed pregnancy followed by separation within 45 days for 1 year: voidable. No other deadline | No period in the statutes we read | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 50-4, 51-3 (Amended 2021-119) |
| North Dakota | Close relatives (incest) | Underage: 4 years after reaching the age of consent. Fraud: 4 years after discovery. Force, physical incapacity: 4 years after the wedding. Unsound mind: before either dies. Earlier marriage in force: during the other's life | No period in the statutes we read | N.D. Cent. Code §§ 14-03-02, 14-03-03, 14-04-01, 14-04-02, 14-04-03 (Current; no date shown) |
| Ohio | Not in the annulment statute (a former spouse living is a cause, below) | Underage: 2 years after reaching the legal age. Fraud: 2 years after discovery. Force, never consummated: 2 years from the wedding. Mental incompetence: before either dies. Former spouse living: during the other's life | 6 months: The person filing must have been an Ohio resident for at least 6 months right before filing. (Ohio Rev. Code § 3105.03) | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 3105.03, 3105.31, 3105.32 (Sep 24, 1963; § 3105.03 Jan 1, 1991) |
| Oklahoma | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | 43 O.S. title 43 (Not checked) |
| Oregon | A spouse living, first cousins or nearer | Want of legal age or understanding, force or fraud: no deadline, but barred once ratified | 6 months: If the marriage was not solemnized in Oregon, at least one spouse must have lived in or been domiciled in Oregon for 6 months right before filing. If you married in Oregon, residence at the time of filing is enough. (ORS 107.075) | ORS 106.010, 106.020, 106.030, 107.005, 107.015, 107.075 (ORS 106.010 amended 2025 c.224) |
| Pennsylvania | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | 23 Pa.C.S. ch. 33 (Not checked) |
| Rhode Island | Bigamy, mental incompetence; close relatives may not marry | Marriages voidable by law end by divorce from the bond of marriage; no deadline in the statutes | 1 year: A divorce from the bond of marriage, the way Rhode Island ends a void or voidable marriage, needs the plaintiff (or a defendant who is served) to have lived in Rhode Island for 1 year before filing. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-12) | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 15-1-2, 15-1-5, 15-5-1, 15-5-12 (Current; no date shown) |
| South Carolina | Bigamy (unless the earlier spouse was absent 5 years), under 16, close relatives | Want of consent or another cause: only if the marriage was never consummated by living together; no deadline | No period in the statutes we read | S.C. Code §§ 20-1-10, 20-1-80, 20-1-90, 20-1-100, 20-1-510, 20-1-530 (Current; no date shown) |
| South Dakota | Close relatives (including cousins), bigamy | Underage without consent: 4 years after reaching the age of consent. Force, physical incapacity: 4 years after the wedding. Fraud: 4 years after discovery. Unsound mind: before either dies | No period in the statutes we read | SDCL §§ 25-1-6, 25-1-8, 25-1-9, 25-3-1 to 25-3-10 (§ 25-1-9 amended SL 2026, ch 118) |
| Tennessee | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Not checked for this page | Tenn. Code Ann. title 36, ch. 3 (Not checked) |
| Texas | Under 18 (unless emancipated), bigamy, close relatives, stepparent or stepchild | Fraud, duress or force; impotency; intoxication; mental incapacity: no fixed deadline, barred by living together after you learn. Hidden divorce within 30 days: before the first anniversary. Wedding within 72 hours of the license: 30 days | Married in Texas, or either spouse domiciled there (Tex. Fam. Code § 6.306) | Tex. Fam. Code §§ 6.102-6.111, 6.201-6.206, 6.306, 7.001 (Sep 1, 2017 for § 6.205) |
| Utah | A living undivorced spouse, under 18 (with exceptions), a divorce not yet absolute, close relatives | Common-law grounds (for example fraud): no deadline in the statute | No period in the statutes we read | Utah Code §§ 81-2-402, 81-2-403, 81-4-302 (Sep 1, 2024; § 81-2-403 amended 2026) |
| Vermont | Close relatives, bigamy | Physical incapacity: 2 years from the wedding. Under 16, mental incapacity, force or fraud: no fixed deadline (during the spouses' lives) | 6 months: A complaint for annulment may be brought if either spouse has lived in Vermont for 6 months or more. (15 V.S.A. § 592(a)) | 15 V.S.A. §§ 511-516, 520, 592 (§ 516 as amended May 21, 2018) |
| Virginia | Bigamy, close relatives | Fraud, duress, mental incapacity, impotency, a hidden felony conviction, pregnancy or child by another person, prostitution: 2 years from the wedding. Under 18 (since July 1, 2024): void from the decree | 6 months: One spouse must have been an actual bona fide resident and domiciliary of Virginia for at least 6 months before filing. (Va. Code § 20-97) | Va. Code §§ 20-45.1, 20-89.1, 20-97 (Jul 1, 2024) |
| Washington | Close relatives, an existing marriage or registered partnership | Underage without permission, mental incapacity, alcohol or drugs, pressure, force or fraud: no deadline on the form; barred by living together after the problem ends | At least 1 spouse lives in Washington or is stationed there | RCW 26.04.020, 26.09.040 · form FL Divorce 205 (Form rev. Jun 2024) |
| West Virginia | None void without a court order: a prior spouse and close relatives are voidable, void once a court so declares | Prior spouse, close relatives, mental incompetence, sexually transmitted disease, impotency, under age of consent, undisclosed conviction, pregnancy by another man: no deadline; barred if confirmed after learning the facts | File where you last lived together or where the respondent lives | W. Va. Code §§ 48-3-102 to 48-3-105 (Amended 2014 (SB 58)) |
| Wisconsin | Prohibited marriages (close relatives: 10 years from the wedding; bigamy: no limit) | Lack of capacity, alcohol or drugs, force, duress, fraud, unable to consummate: 1 year after you learn. Underage: before turning 18 (a parent: 1 year after learning of the marriage) | No period in the statutes we read | Wis. Stat. § 767.313 (2005 Wis. Act 443) |
| Wyoming | Bigamy, mental incompetence, close relatives (up to first cousins), under 16 | 16 or 17 without a judge's consent, force or fraud (no voluntary cohabitation afterward): no deadline. Physical incapacity: 2 years from the wedding | File where you or your spouse live; the 60-day rule is for divorce | Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-101 (Current; no date shown) |
What to do next
| If… | What to do | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A spouse was already married, or you are close relatives | Ask the court for a judgment that the marriage is void, so the record is clear before you marry again or claim benefits. | Many states set no deadline for a void marriage. |
| You were tricked, forced, underage or unable to consent | Check your state's deadline with the tool above and file before it passes. Stop living together as spouses once you know the truth. | Deadlines run from 90 days to 4 years, and some states set none. |
| The deadline has passed, or you kept living together | File for divorce instead, or ask for an annulment or, in the alternative, a divorce. | Property, support and custody are decided in the divorce. |
| Your spouse filed to annul your marriage | Read the papers and respond on time: in California you have 30 days. You can disagree that the marriage qualifies, or ask for a divorce instead. | Get advice early from a lawyer or your court's self-help center. |
| You need proof of an old annulment | Ask the court clerk for a certified copy of the judgment with the letter on this page. | A church decree does not end a civil marriage. |
Common questions
What is an annulment of a marriage?
A court judgment that the marriage was never legally valid, because of a problem that existed at the wedding, such as bigamy, fraud, force or underage. It differs from a divorce, which ends a valid marriage. A short marriage alone is not a ground.
How long after marriage can you get an annulment?
It depends on the state and the ground: 90 days after you learn of fraud in Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota and Kentucky, 6 months in Colorado, 2 years in Ohio, 4 years in California. A void marriage, such as bigamy, usually has no deadline. See the time limits.
Can you get an annulment after 2 years?
Often yes: California allows 4 years after you discover fraud, and Texas and Washington set no fixed deadline if you have not lived together since learning the truth. Virginia does not allow it once you have been married 2 years before filing for most voidable grounds.
Is annulment easier than divorce?
Usually not: you must prove a legal ground, often within a deadline, and you may get no property division or support unless a statute or the putative-spouse rule allows it. In California there is no 6-month residency rule or waiting period, which can make it quicker.
How many annulments are granted each year?
No national count is published separately. The CDC counts divorces and annulments together: 672,502 in 2023 in the 45 reporting states and DC (provisional). Some states, such as Connecticut, report annulments to their health departments.
How do I know if my marriage was annulled?
Only a court judgment annuls a marriage. Ask the clerk of the court where the case was filed for a certified copy of the final judgment; the letter on this page helps. In some states the court also notifies the office that keeps the marriage record.
Does a church annulment end a legal marriage?
No. A religious annulment has no effect on the civil marriage. Connecticut's statute says a marriage is dissolved only by death or a court's decree of annulment or dissolution, and Kansas law says marriage is ended only as provided by law.
Can I get alimony or property in an annulment?
It depends on the state. California allows it only for a putative spouse who believed in good faith that the marriage was legal; Minnesota, Colorado and Delaware apply the divorce rules; Texas divides the estate in a decree of annulment. See property, children and name.
Are the children still legitimate after an annulment?
Yes in most states: Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and Michigan say so in their statutes, and Connecticut treats the child of a void or voidable marriage as a child of the marriage. The court can decide custody and support.
Official sources
- Code of Alabama, ALISON (Alabama Legislature): § 30-1-3 (the page loads its text with a script our reader could not run) alison.legislature.state.al.us
- Alaska Court System, Family Law Self-Help Center (the statute site akleg.gov and the court site could not be read from our checking location) courts.alaska.gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 25-301: Grounds (annulment of a void marriage) www.azleg.gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 25-101: Void and prohibited marriages www.azleg.gov
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 25-102: Consent required for marriage of minors www.azleg.gov
- Arkansas Judiciary, Domestic Relations Benchbook (2022): annulment, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 9-12-201, 9-12-202 and case law; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260312202558 arcourts.gov
- California Courts Self-Help Guide: Legal reasons a judge can annul a marriage (void and voidable marriages, the 4-year limits) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
- California Courts Self-Help Guide: Annulment (putative spouse, children, no 6-month residency or waiting period) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
- California Courts Self-Help Guide: Start an annulment case (forms FL-100 and FL-110, where to file) selfhelp.courts.ca.gov
- Judicial Council form FL-100, Petition—Marriage/Domestic Partnership (rev. Jan 1, 2020): nullity of void and voidable marriage courts.ca.gov
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 14: § 14-10-111 Declaration of invalidity; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260924173641 content.leg.colorado.gov
- Colorado Judicial Branch self-help: Annul or cancel a marriage (forms, 30-day rule, $260 fee) www.coloradojudicial.gov
- Colorado Judicial Branch form JDF 1041, Petition for Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage www.coloradojudicial.gov
- Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 815j: § 46b-40 (annulment when void or voidable), § 46b-60 (children and alimony in annulment cases) www.cga.ct.gov
- Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 815e: § 46b-20a (eligibility: 18, not married), § 46b-21 (relatives), § 46b-22 (officiant) www.cga.ct.gov
- Delaware Code, Title 13, chapter 15: § 1504 (jurisdiction and 6-month residence) and § 1506 (annulment grounds and time limits) delcode.delaware.gov
- Delaware Code, Title 13, chapter 1, subchapter I: § 101 (void marriages) and § 123 (no license under 18) delcode.delaware.gov
- D.C. Code § 16-904: Grounds for divorce, legal separation, and annulment (as amended Mar 21, 2025) code.dccouncil.gov
- D.C. Code § 46-403: Marriages void from date of decree; age of consent 18 (as amended Mar 21, 2025) code.dccouncil.gov
- D.C. Code § 46-401.01: Marriages void ab initio (relatives, prior marriage) code.dccouncil.gov
- D.C. Code § 16-902: Residency requirements (annulment of a marriage performed outside DC) code.dccouncil.gov
- Florida Statutes (2025) § 741.21: Incestuous marriages prohibited www.flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes (2025) § 741.04: Issuance of marriage license (age 18; 17 with consent) www.flsenate.gov
- Georgia General Assembly (the Official Code of Georgia is published by a private company; not checked) www.legis.ga.gov
- Hawaii Revised Statutes § 580-21: Grounds for annulment (am L 2023, c 160); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250414083039 www.capitol.hawaii.gov
- Idaho Code § 32-502: Action to annul, parties and limitations; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260311065354 legislature.idaho.gov
- Idaho Code § 32-501: Grounds of annulment; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260314162617 legislature.idaho.gov
- Idaho Code § 32-205: Incestuous marriages; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260523214326 legislature.idaho.gov
- Idaho Code § 32-207: Polygamous marriages; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250206024649 legislature.idaho.gov
- Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 5/302: Time of commencement (P.A. 80-923); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250324063220 www.ilga.gov
- Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 5/301: Declaration of invalidity, grounds (P.A. 80-923); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260109115236 of the ilga.gov document page www.ilga.gov
- Indiana State Personnel Department: eligibility to enroll (states IC 31-11-8-5 on void common-law marriages) www.in.gov
- Iowa Code 2026, § 598.29: Annulling illegal marriage, causes www.legis.iowa.gov
- Iowa Code 2026, chapter 598: §§ 598.30-598.32 (validity doubted, children, compensation) www.legis.iowa.gov
- Iowa Code 2026, chapter 595: § 595.2 (age 18) and § 595.19 (void marriages) www.legis.iowa.gov
- Kansas Statutes 23-2702: Grounds for annulment www.ksrevisor.gov
- Kansas Statutes 23-2503: Incestuous marriages void www.ksrevisor.gov
- Kansas Statutes 23-2501: Nature of marriage relation (consent essential) www.ksrevisor.gov
- Kansas Statutes 23-2703: Residence (60 days, for divorce) www.ksrevisor.gov
- Kentucky Revised Statutes 403.120: Marriage, court may declare invalid apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Kentucky Revised Statutes 402.020: Other prohibited marriages (effective Jul 14, 2018) apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Kentucky Revised Statutes 402.030: Courts may declare certain marriages void (effective Jul 14, 2018) apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Kentucky Revised Statutes 402.010: Degree of relationship that will bar marriage apps.legislature.ky.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 95: Relatively null marriage; confirmation (eff. Jan 1, 1988) legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 94: Absolutely null marriage (eff. Jan 1, 1988) legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 96: Civil effects of absolutely null marriage; putative marriage legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 93: Vices of consent legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 88: Impediment of existing marriage legis.la.gov
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 90: Impediments of relationship (amended 2004) legis.la.gov
- Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A § 752: Annulment of illegal marriages (data extracted Oct 5, 2026) legislature.maine.gov
- Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A § 701: Prohibited marriages legislature.maine.gov
- Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A § 751: Certain marriages void without process legislature.maine.gov
- Maryland Code, Family Law § 2-202: Prohibited marriages (void) mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Maryland Code, Family Law § 2-301: Marriage at 17 mgaleg.maryland.gov
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 207, § 14: Determination of validity of marriage; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260521162420 malegislature.gov
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 207, § 4: Bigamous marriages void; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260116150435 malegislature.gov
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 207, § 8: Void marriages without legal process; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260117040329 malegislature.gov
- Michigan Compiled Laws § 552.2: Nonage, force or fraud; read from Internet Archive snapshot of the official page www.legislature.mi.gov
- Michigan Compiled Laws § 552.1: Invalidity of marriages; legitimacy of issue (amended eff. Sep 30, 2001); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250206225121 www.legislature.mi.gov
- Michigan Compiled Laws § 552.3: Marriage of doubtful validity; procedure to annul; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260109031623 www.legislature.mi.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 518.05: Annulment; when to bring www.revisor.mn.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 518.02: Voidable marriages www.revisor.mn.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 518.01: Void marriages (amended 2024) www.revisor.mn.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 517.03: Prohibited civil marriages www.revisor.mn.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 518.03: Action to annul; decree www.revisor.mn.gov
- Minnesota Statutes § 518.055: Putative spouse www.revisor.mn.gov
- SSA POMS PR 06305.027, Mississippi (effective Jun 7, 2002): legal precedent on annulment under Miss. Code Ann. § 93-7-3 secure.ssa.gov
- Supreme Court of Mississippi, Morton v. Anseman, No. 94-CA-01005-SCT (affirmed May 29, 1997; not designated for publication), quoting § 93-7-3 courts.ms.gov
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 451.020: Certain marriages prohibited (presumptively void) revisor.mo.gov
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 451.030: Bigamous marriage void revisor.mo.gov
- Revised Statutes of Missouri § 451.090: No license under 18 (effective Aug 28, 2025) revisor.mo.gov
- Montana Code Annotated 2025, § 40-1-402: Declaration of invalidity leg.mt.gov
- Montana Code Annotated 2025, § 40-1-401: Prohibited marriages leg.mt.gov
- Montana Code Annotated 2025, § 40-1-404: Putative spouse leg.mt.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-374: Annulment; conditions (Laws 2013, LB23); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251115004753 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-375: Annulments; who may bring action; denial; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251113111448 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-373: Annulments; procedure and residence; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260308233806 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-103: Marriages; when void; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260713032440 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-118: Marriages; when voidable; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260614141011 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 42-377: Legitimacy of children; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250321041933 nebraskalegislature.gov
- Nevada Revised Statutes chapter 125: NRS 125.290-125.370 (void and voidable marriages, residence for annulment); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260105050831 www.leg.state.nv.us
- New Hampshire RSA chapter 458 (Annulment, divorce and separation): 458:1-458:3, 458:7; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260519234322 gc.nh.gov
- New Jersey Legislature statutes portal (did not answer our checking location; not checked) lis.njleg.state.nj.us
- New Mexico Courts Self-Representation: Divorce (difference between divorce and annulment) selfrepresentation.nmcourts.gov
- New York Domestic Relations Law § 140: Action for judgment declaring nullity of void marriages or annulling voidable marriage; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251108215530 www.nysenate.gov
- New York Domestic Relations Law § 7: Voidable marriages (age of consent 18); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251107155925 www.nysenate.gov
- New York Domestic Relations Law § 230: Required residence of parties (applies to annulment); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251216121913 www.nysenate.gov
- North Carolina General Statutes § 51-3: Want of capacity; void and voidable marriages (amended 2021); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251014223952 www.ncleg.gov
- North Carolina General Statutes § 50-4: What marriages may be declared void on application of either party; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250624140349 www.ncleg.gov
- North Dakota Century Code, chapter 14-04: Annulment of marriage (§§ 14-04-01 to 14-04-05) ndlegis.gov
- North Dakota Century Code, chapter 14-03: § 14-03-02 (age 18) and § 14-03-03 (void marriages) ndlegis.gov
- Ohio Revised Code § 3105.32: When action for annulment must be commenced (effective Sep 24, 1963); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260410160651 codes.ohio.gov
- Ohio Revised Code § 3105.31: Causes for annulment (effective Sep 24, 1963); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250319082654 codes.ohio.gov
- Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03: Venue, 6-month residence for divorce and annulment (effective Jan 1, 1991); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250310042830 codes.ohio.gov
- Oklahoma State Courts Network, home of the Oklahoma Statutes (did not answer our checking location; not checked) www.oscn.net
- Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 107: ORS 107.005, 107.015 (grounds, ratification), 107.075 (residence), 107.105 (judgment); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20261005140830 www.oregonlegislature.gov
- Oregon Revised Statutes chapter 106: ORS 106.010 (age 18, 2025 c.224), 106.020 (void marriages), 106.030 (voidable marriages); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20260610144937 www.oregonlegislature.gov
- Pennsylvania General Assembly: 23 Pa.C.S. chapter 33 (did not answer our checking location; archive copies hold no statute text; not checked) www.palegis.us
- Rhode Island General Laws § 15-5-1: Marriages void or voidable; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20250330142241 webserver.rilegislature.gov
- Rhode Island General Laws § 15-1-5: Bigamous marriages void; mentally incompetent; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251117183709 webserver.rilegislature.gov
- Rhode Island General Laws § 15-1-2: Marrying kindred forbidden; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251117192409 webserver.rilegislature.gov
- Rhode Island General Laws § 15-5-12: Domicile and residence requirements (1 year); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251117185210 webserver.rilegislature.gov
- South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 20, chapter 1: §§ 20-1-10, 20-1-80, 20-1-90, 20-1-100, 20-1-510, 20-1-530 www.scstatehouse.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-6: Fraud as ground, time of action sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-4: Annulment of underage marriage sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-5: Forced consent as ground sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-8: Physical incapacity as ground sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-2: Unsound mind as ground sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-1: Former marriage as ground sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-1-6: Incestuous marriages void sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-1-9: Age of consent 18 (SL 2026, ch 118) sdlegislature.gov
- South Dakota Codified Laws § 25-3-10: Maintenance after annulment sdlegislature.gov
- Tennessee State Courts (the Tennessee Code is published by a private company; not checked) www.tncourts.gov
- Texas Family Code, chapter 6: void and voidable marriages, annulment and jurisdiction (Texas Legislature; § 6.205 as amended effective Sep 1, 2017) tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Texas Family Code, chapter 7: § 7.001 general rule of property division in a decree of divorce or annulment tcss.legis.texas.gov
- Utah Code § 81-4-302: Annulment, grounds (effective Sep 1, 2024) le.utah.gov
- Utah Code § 81-2-403: Marriages prohibited and void (amended 2026 General Session) le.utah.gov
- Utah Code § 81-2-402: Incestuous marriages void (effective Sep 1, 2024) le.utah.gov
- Vermont Statutes, 15 V.S.A. § 515: Party physically incapacitated legislature.vermont.gov
- Vermont Statutes, 15 V.S.A. § 512: Voidable civil marriages, grounds legislature.vermont.gov
- Vermont Statutes, 15 V.S.A. § 516: Force or fraud (amended May 21, 2018) legislature.vermont.gov
- Vermont Statutes, 15 V.S.A. § 511: Void civil marriages legislature.vermont.gov
- Vermont Statutes, 15 V.S.A. § 592: Residence (6 months for annulment) legislature.vermont.gov
- Code of Virginia § 20-89.1: Suit to annul marriage (2024, c. 737) law.lis.virginia.gov
- Code of Virginia § 20-45.1: Void and voidable marriages (under 18 from July 1, 2024) law.lis.virginia.gov
- Code of Virginia § 20-97: Domicile and residence for annulment, affirmance or divorce (6 months) law.lis.virginia.gov
- Washington Courts mandatory form FL Divorce 205, Petition to Invalidate (Annul) Marriage (06/2024) www.courts.wa.gov
- Washington Courts: Divorce and dissolution forms, Petition to Invalidate (Annul) Marriage www.courts.wa.gov
- West Virginia Code § 48-3-103: Voidable marriages (2014 SB 58); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251206181305 code.wvlegislature.gov
- West Virginia Code § 48-3-105: What persons may not institute annulment action; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251207224515 code.wvlegislature.gov
- West Virginia Code § 48-3-104: Affirmation or annulment of marriage; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251118001929 code.wvlegislature.gov
- West Virginia Code § 48-3-102: Venue of actions for annulment or affirmation; read from Internet Archive snapshot 20251109101442 code.wvlegislature.gov
- Wisconsin Statutes § 767.313: Annulment (2005 Wis. Act 443); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20261011104444 docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
- Wyoming Statutes, Title 20 (Domestic Relations): § 20-2-101 (void and voidable marriages; annulments), § 20-2-107 (60-day residence for divorce) wyoleg.gov
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics: FastStats, Marriage and Divorce (provisional 2023 data: 672,502 divorces in 45 reporting states and DC); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20261016034504 www.cdc.gov
- CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System: Provisional number of divorces and annulments and rate, United States, 2000-2023 (PDF); read from Internet Archive snapshot 20261004005347 www.cdc.gov
Related
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation. Justice is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any court or government agency.