California to Ban Marriages Under 18, Law Effective 2027

California lawmakers have approved a new statute that will make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to marry. The legislation, which passed the state Senate and Assembly, will take effect on January 1, 2027. The law removes all existing exceptions that allowed minors to marry with parental or judicial consent. Enforcement will be handled by the state’s Department of Public Health and the courts, which will now treat any under‑age marriage as a violation of state law. The move follows growing national attention to child marriage and aims to align California with other states that have already set the minimum marriage age at 18.