Real talk: it’s 2026, and until today, California didn’t actually have a hard age limit for getting married. As long as parents said yes and a judge signed off, you could be a minor and walk down the aisle. That officially ends on January 1, when a new law hits the books requiring everyone to be at least 18.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law alongside advocate Courtney Stodden, who was famously married to a 50-year-old actor at age 16. It’s giving much-needed protection, especially considering that advocacy group Unchained At Last reports about 9,000 girls were wed annually in California, with the vast majority being minor girls matched with adult men.
The long road to change
For many survivors, this is a massive W. Brittany Bee, a survivor who was wed at 17 to escape an abusive home, noted that she essentially moved from one prison to another. She and others like Sara Tasneen—who was forced into an arranged marriage at 15—have been fighting to change the law for years. Tasneen, who dropped out of school and became a mother at 16, called the legislative process a "marathon."
Before this, there wasn't even a legal pathway for minors to get a divorce, meaning many kids were trapped in predatory dynamics. Since 2018, 18 states have now banned the practice, but the fact that it remains legal in 32 others is honestly wild. Stodden isn't stopping here, though—she's already signaled she wants to take this fight to all 50 states.
Why it matters
Child marriage isn't just an archaic relic; it’s a systemic issue that often strips young people of their education and agency, trapping them in situations they aren't equipped to consent to. With California closing this gap, the pressure is now on the rest of the country to stop letting children get married.
