Rhode Island Marriage Laws | § 15-2-1

State of Rhode Island General Laws 15-2-1

License required – Proof of divorce – Obligation of clerk to issue license.

(a) Persons intending to be joined together in marriage in this state must first obtain a license from the clerk of the town or city in which: (1) Either party to the proposed marriage resides; or (2) The proposed marriage is to be performed, if both parties are nonresidents of this state. (b) Before any license shall be issued to any person who, having been previously married or a party to another relationship that provides substantially the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage, has been divorced, the person shall present to the town or city clerk an authenticated copy of the decree granting the divorce or an authenticated copy of the final dissolution of the previous relationship. (c) The town or city clerk shall issue a license to any person eligible to marry under the provisions of chapter 15-1.

(G.L. 1896, ch. 191, § 10; P.L. 1898, ch. 549, § 1; G.L. 1909, ch. 243, § 10; P.L. 1909, ch. 430, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 287, § 10; P.L. 1927, ch. 1064, § 1; P.L. 1938, ch. 2580, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 415, § 10; G.L. 1956, § 15-2-1; P.L. 1961, ch. 100, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 112, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 4, § 3; P.L. 2013, ch. 5, § 3.)

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More Rhode Island Marriage Laws

§ 15-2-14 Minimum age for marriage license
§ 15-1-3 Incestuous marriages void.
§ 15-1-2 Marrying kindred forbidden.
§ 15-1-1 Equal access to marriage.
§ 15-1-6 Declaration of validity of marriage by divorced person.
§ 15-2-1 License required – Proof of divorce – Obligation of clerk to issue license.
§ 15-2-1.1 Statewide electronic marriage license system.
§ 15-2-3.1 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome warning law.
§ 15-2-8 Period of validity of license – Return if unused.
§ 15-2-9 License fee – Presentation of license to person performing ceremony.
§ 15-2-12 Recording of license information.
§ 15-2-13 Registrar in city of Providence.
§ 15-3-6 Marriages after the manner of Friends, according to Jewish rites, or spiritual assembly of Baha'is.
§ 15-3-7 Presentation of marriage license.
§ 15-3-8 Witnesses to ceremony.
§ 15-3-9 Statement of objections to marriage.
§ 15-3-10 Penalty for marriage without license or despite impediment.
§ 15-3-13 Filing of return of marriage.
§ 15-3-14 Neglect of duty by person performing ceremony.
§ 15-3-15 Marriages valid despite irregularities – Penalty for marriage without compliance.
§ 15-3-16 Solemnization of marriage without authority.
§ 15-3-17 Court orders regarding invalid marriages.
§ 15-3.1-1 Definitions.
§ 15-3.1-2 Eligibility.
§ 15-3.1-5 Conscience and religious organizations protected.
§ 15-3.1-6 Benefits, protections, and responsibilities.
§ 15-3.1-7 References and inclusions.
§ 15-3.1-8 Reciprocity.
§ 15-3.1-9 Dissolution of civil unions.
§ 15-3.1-10 Requirement of department of health – Civil unions.
§ 15-3.1-11 Severability.
§ 15-1-4 Marriages of kindred allowed by Jewish religion.
§ 15-1-5 Bigamous marriages void – Marriage of persons who are mentally incompetent.
§ 15-3-11 Knowingly performing bigamous marriage.
§ 15-1-7 Marriage codification.
§ 15-1-8 Recognition of relationships entered into in another state or jurisdiction.
§ 15-1-9 Applicability of state laws to marriages not recognized by federal law.
§ 15-2-7 Form and contents of certificates, reports, and other returns.
§ 15-2-9.1 Additional fee for family and children trust fund.
§ 15-3-6.1 Protection of freedom of religion in marriage.
§ 15-3-5 Officials empowered to join persons in marriage.
§ 15-3-12 Endorsement and return of license.
§ 15-3.1-12 Merger of civil union into marriage by action of the parties.
§ 15-3.1-13 Recognized date of marriage.