California bans child marriage, becoming 18th state to outlaw the practice

What the law does

Assembly Bill 1267, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Oct. 1, 2026, eliminates the ability of anyone under 18 to receive a marriage licence or to register a domestic partnership in California. The bill contains no carve‑outs – parents, judges or the minor themselves cannot obtain an exemption. By treating domestic partnerships the same as marriage for the purpose of the ban, the law also blocks a legal loophole that some families have used to secure spousal‑type benefits for children.

How the measure passed

The legislation cleared the state Assembly and Senate earlier this year with bipartisan support. Newsom praised the bill as a “long overdue measure to protect young Californians,” noting that the state’s previous framework allowed minors of any age to marry if a court approved the request and parents gave consent. The governor’s office said the new rule will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, giving local clerks time to update forms and training.

Voices from the front line

Activist Courtney Stodden, who married a 51‑year‑old actor at 16 and later became a vocal critic of child marriage, attended the signing ceremony. “Governor Newsom’s action today made clear to me and to survivors of child marriage everywhere that we should never have been expected to carry this burden,” Stodden said in a statement. She thanked the advocacy group Unchained at Last, which led the campaign for the bill, and pledged to keep fighting until all 50 states ban the practice.

Numbers behind the push

Unchained at Last estimates that roughly 9,000 children are married in California each year, a figure the group used to illustrate the urgency of reform. While the exact count is difficult to verify, the estimate has become a rallying point for legislators and advocates alike.

California’s place in a national trend

With the new law, California joins 17 other states that have already prohibited child marriage, bringing the total to 18. That still leaves 32 states where minors can wed, some with parental consent, others with judicial approval, and a few with no minimum age at all. The shift reflects a broader reevaluation of child marriage across the United States, echoing similar bans enacted in states such as New York, Massachusetts and Colorado over the past decade.

What comes next

Implementation will be overseen by the California Department of Public Health, which issues marriage licences, and local county clerks. Training sessions are scheduled for early 2027 to ensure officials understand the new restrictions and can advise families appropriately. Advocacy groups say the law also creates an opportunity to provide support services for young people who may have been married under the old system.

The ban is expected to close a legal loophole that has allowed minors to access spousal benefits, such as health insurance and inheritance rights, without the protections that adult marriage provides. As other states watch California’s rollout, the hope among activists is that the momentum will accelerate a nationwide end to child marriage.