South Carolina Marriage Laws | § 20-1-230 | Issuance Of License; Premarital Preparation Course. Marriage Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws 20-1-230

Issuance of license; premarital preparation course.

(A) The judge of probate or clerk of court with whom a marriage license application was filed shall issue a license upon: (1) the filing of the application required under the provisions of Section 20-1-220; (2) the lapse of at least twenty-four hours thereafter; (3) the payment of the fee provided by law; and (4) the filing of a statement, under oath or affirmation, to the effect that the persons seeking the contract of matrimony are legally entitled to marry, together with the full names of the persons, their ages, and places of residence. (B) A man and a woman who successfully complete a qualifying premarital preparation course and who have a South Carolina marriage license which attests the completion of the course shall be entitled to receive a one-time fifty-dollar nonrefundable state income tax credit, as permitted in Section 12-6-3381. In order for the course to qualify pursuant to this section, the couple must: (1) attend a course taught by a professional counselor who is licensed pursuant to Chapter 75 of Title 40 or by an active member of the clergy in the course of his or her service as clergy or his or her designee, including retired clergy, provided that the designee is trained and skilled in premarital preparation; (2) attend a minimum of six hours of instruction; (3) complete the course within twelve months prior to the application for a marriage license; and (4) complete the course together rather than individually. A couple who completes a premarital preparation course pursuant to this section must be issued a certification of completion at the conclusion of the course by their course provider. The certification must include the number of hours that the couple completed together and the credentials of the course provider. A couple must produce this certification when applying for the marriage license in order to receive the non-refundable state income tax credit. The judge of probate or clerk of court must certify on the marriage license that the couple met the statutory requirements to qualify for this income tax credit. The judge of probate court or clerk of court is not responsible to authenticate the information contained in the certification of completion unless the certification of completion is wholly fraudulent on its face. (C) The discount authorized by this section must not be applied to the fee credited to the Domestic Violence Fund provided for in Section 20-1-375.

1962 Code Section 20-23; 1952 Code Section 20-23; 1942 Code Section 8558; 1932 Code Section 8558; Civ. C. '22 Section 5524; Civ. C. '12 Section 3745; 1911 (27) 131; 1912 (27) 613; 1913 (28) 76; 1915 (29) 216, 220; 1916 (29) 751; 1917 (30) 113, 127, 129; 1918 (30) 698; 1919 (31) 67, 112, 211, 245; 1920 (31) 736, 738, 1065; 1921 (32) 107, 152; 1922 (32) 781, 790; 1928 (35) 1205; 1931 (37) 12, 29, 122; 1933 (38) 148; 1934 (38) 1425; 1939 (41) 173, 179; 1946 (44) 1444; 1947 (45) 109, 234; 1948 (45) 1612; 1994 Act No. 470, Section 5, eff 30 days after July 14, 1994; 2006 Act No. 291, Section 1, eff May 31, 2006.

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More South Carolina Marriage Laws

§ 20-1-10 Persons who may contract matrimony.
§ 20-1-220 Written application required twenty-four hours prior to issuance of license.
§ 20-1-580 Effect of establishment of official record of marriage and record.
§ 20-1-380 Disposition of fines.
§ 20-1-540 Adjudication of presumed death.
§ 20-1-20 Persons who may perform marriage ceremony.
§ 20-1-290 Wilful failure of license-issuing officer to comply with Sections 20-1-250, 20-1-260 and 20-1-270 as cause for removal.
§ 20-1-375 Marriage license fee.
§ 20-1-15 Prohibition of same sex marriage.
§ 20-1-40 Cohabitation prior to emancipation as marriage; children.
§ 20-1-50 Legitimacy of children of marriages contracted after absence of previous spouse.
§ 20-1-60 Marriage of parents legitimates illegitimate children.
§ 20-1-70 Name of children legitimized after marriage of parents.
§ 20-1-80 Bigamous marriage shall be void; exceptions.
§ 20-1-90 Legitimacy of children when either party to bigamous marriage marries in good faith.
§ 20-1-100 Minimum age for valid marriage.
§ 20-1-210 License required for marriage.
§ 20-1-230 Issuance of license; premarital preparation course.
§ 20-1-240 Information to be provided to applicants for marriage licenses.
§ 20-1-260 Proof of age required of minor applicant.
§ 20-1-270 Proof of age required of applicant over age eighteen and under age twenty-five.
§ 20-1-280 Penalty for furnishing false affidavit.
§ 20-1-310 Form of license and certificate.
§ 20-1-320 Division of vital statistics shall distribute license forms.
§ 20-1-330 Issue of licenses in triplicate; disposition.
§ 20-1-340 Record of license and certificate kept by probate judge or clerk of court.
§ 20-1-350 Filing of license and certificate and issuance of certified copies by Department of Health and Environmental Control.
§ 20-1-360 Effect of article on marriage without license.
§ 20-1-370 Disposition of license fee.
§ 20-1-510 Jurisdiction to determine validity of marriage.
§ 20-1-520 Affirmation of marriage if validity has been denied or doubted.
§ 20-1-530 Declaration of invalidity.
§ 20-1-550 Service on defendant in action to annul marriage.
§ 20-1-560 Service on persons in military or naval services overseas in action to annul marriage.
§ 20-1-570 Establishment of official record of marriages.
§ 20-1-250 Applicants under age of consent; consent of relative or guardian.
§ 20-1-30 Cohabitation prior to emancipation as marriage.