741.0405  When marriage license may be issued to persons under 18 years.--

(1)  If either of the parties shall be under the age of 18 years but at least 16 years of age, the county court judge or clerk of the circuit court shall issue a license for the marriage of such party only if there is first presented and filed with him or her the written consent of the parents or guardian of such minor to such marriage, acknowledged before some officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments and administer oaths. However, the license shall be issued without parental consent when both parents of such minor are deceased at the time of making application or when such minor has been married previously.

(2)  The county court judge of any county in the state may, in the exercise of his or her discretion, issue a license to marry to any male or female under the age of 18 years, upon application of both parties sworn under oath that they are the parents of a child.

(3)  When the fact of pregnancy is verified by the written statement of a licensed physician, the county court judge of any county in the state may, in his or her discretion, issue a license to marry:

(a)  To any male or female under the age of 18 years upon application of both parties sworn under oath that they are the expectant parents of a child; or

(b)  To any female under the age of 18 years and male over the age of 18 years upon the female's application sworn under oath that she is an expectant parent.

(4)  No license to marry shall be granted to any person under the age of 16 years, with or without the consent of the parents, except as provided in subsections (2) and (3).

History.--s. 2, ch. 78-266; s. 1058, ch. 97-102.

741.041  Marriage license application valid for 60 days.--Marriage licenses shall be valid only for a period of 60 days after issuance, and no person shall perform any ceremony of marriage after the expiration date of such license. The county court judge or clerk of the circuit court shall recite on each marriage license the final date that the license is valid.

History.--s. 2, ch. 77-139; s. 279, ch. 79-400; s. 113, ch. 97-237.

741.05  Penalty for violation of ss. 741.03, 741.04(1).--Any county court judge, clerk of the circuit court, or other person who shall violate any provision of ss. 741.03 and 741.04(1) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.--s. 3, ch. 7828, 1919; CGL 7517; s. 692, ch. 71-136; s. 28, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 74-372; s. 10, ch. 98-403.

741.07  Persons authorized to solemnize matrimony.--

(1)  All regularly ordained ministers of the gospel or elders in communion with some church, or other ordained clergy, and all judicial officers, including retired judicial officers, clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public of this state may solemnize the rights of matrimonial contract, under the regulations prescribed by law. Nothing in this section shall make invalid a marriage which was solemnized by any member of the clergy, or as otherwise provided by law prior to July 1, 1978.

(2)  Any marriage which may be had and solemnized among the people called "Quakers," or "Friends," in the manner and form used or practiced in their societies, according to their rites and ceremonies, shall be good and valid in law; and wherever the words "minister" and "elder" are used in this chapter, they shall be held to include all of the persons connected with the Society of Friends, or Quakers, who perform or have charge of the marriage ceremony according to their rites and ceremonies.

History.--s. 1, Nov. 2, 1829; s. 2, ch. 1127, 1861; RS 2056; GS 2575; RGS 3934; CGL 5853; s. 1, ch. 28104, 1953; s. 1, ch. 74-372; s. 1, ch. 78-15; s. 34, ch. 95-401.

741.08  Marriage not to be solemnized without a license.--Before any of the persons named in s. 741.07 shall solemnize any marriage, he or she shall require of the parties a marriage license issued according to the requirements of s. 741.01, and within 10 days after solemnizing the marriage he or she shall make a certificate thereof on the license, and shall transmit the same to the office of the county court judge or clerk of the circuit court from which it issued.

History.--ss. 2, 3, Nov. 2, 1829; s. 1, ch. 3890, 1889; RS 2057; GS 2576; RGS 3935; CGL 5854; s. 28, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 74-372; s. 1059, ch. 97-102.

741.09  Record of license and certificate.--The county court judge and clerk of the circuit court shall keep a correct record of all marriage licenses issued, with the names of the parties and the date of issuing, and upon the return of the license and certificate shall enter therein the name of the person solemnizing the marriage and the date of marriage.

History.--s. 3, Nov. 2, 1829; s. 1, ch. 3890, 1889; RS 2058; GS 2577; RGS 3936; CGL 5855; s. 28, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 74-372; s. 10, ch. 99-259.

741.10  Proof of marriage where no certificate available.--When any marriage is or has been solemnized by any of the persons named in s. 741.07, and such person has not made a certificate thereof on the marriage license as required by s. 741.08, or when the marriage license has been lost, or when by reason of death or other cause the proper certificate cannot be obtained, the marriage may be proved by affidavit before any officer authorized to administer oaths made by two competent witnesses who were present and saw the marriage ceremony performed, which affidavit may be filed and recorded in the office of the county court judge or clerk of the circuit court from which the marriage license issued, with the same force and effect as in cases in which the proper certificate has been made, returned and recorded.

History.--s. 1, ch. 3126, 1879; RS 2059; GS 2578; RGS 3937; CGL 5856; s. 28, ch. 73-334; s. 1, ch. 74-372.

741.21  Incestuous marriages prohibited.--A man may not marry any woman to whom he is related by lineal consanguinity, nor his sister, nor his aunt, nor his niece. A woman may not marry any man to whom she is related by lineal consanguinity, nor her brother, nor her uncle, nor her nephew.

History.--RS 2602; GS 3525; RGS 5415; CGL 7558.

741.211  Common-law marriages void.--No common-law marriage entered into after January 1, 1968, shall be valid, except that nothing contained in this section shall affect any marriage which, though otherwise defective, was entered into by the party asserting such marriage in good faith and in substantial compliance with this chapter.

History.--s. 1, ch. 67-571.