New Law On Child Marriage Takes Effect

(ONN) – A new state marriage law prohibits children under the age of 17 from marrying in Ohio.

the Dayton Daily News reports the new law raising the minimum marriage age to 18 for both parties took effect on Monday

However, the law does allow 17-year-olds to marry if they have juvenile court consent and go through a 14-day waiting period.

The law also says the age difference between the parties cannot be more than four years.

Previous state law allowed females to marry at 16 and males to marry at 18.

But it also allowed Ohioans younger than those ages to marry if they had judicial and parental consent.

The measure was signed by former Governor John Kasich in January, shortly before he left office.