Virginia Marriage Laws | § Article I. Bill of Rights Section 15-A. Marriage

Constitution of Virginia Article I. Bill of Rights Section 15-A. Marriage

Fundamental right to marry.

15.A Fundamental right to marry: That the right to marry is a fundamental right, inherent in the liberty of persons, and marriage is one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness. This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions and agents shall issue marriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equally under the law regardless of the sex or gender of the parties to the marriage. Religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity shall have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Amended 2021

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§ 20-14 By whom license to be issued.
§ 20-38.1 Certain marriages prohibited.
§ 20-16 Issuance of marriage licenses and marriage certificates.
§ 20-16.1 Clerk authorized to amend marriage records.
§ 20-25 Persons other than ministers who may perform rites.
§ 20-31.1 When marriage legitimates children; issue of marriages prohibited by law, etc., legitimate.
§ 20-45.1 Void and voidable marriages.
§ 20-39 Prohibition continues notwithstanding dissolution of previous marriage.
§ 20-43 Bigamous marriages void without decree.
§ 20-40 Punishment for violation of such prohibition; leaving Commonwealth to avoid.
§ 20-48 Minimum age of marriage.
§ 20-23 Order authorizing ministers to perform ceremony.
§ 20-13.2 Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties.
§ Article I. Bill of Rights Section 15-A. Marriage Fundamental right to marry.
§ 20-13.2 Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties.
§ 20-13 License and solemnization required.
§ 20-15 Tax on license
§ 20-14.1 Duration of license; issuance of additional licenses.
§ 20-20 Clerk to file license and certificate; indexing names of parties; certified copies as evidence.
§ 20-21 Clerk to furnish attorney for the Commonwealth list of licenses not returned by minister.
§ 20-22 Attorney for the Commonwealth to ascertain before circuit court name of minister failing to return certificates.
§ 20-24 Penalty for failure to certify record of marriage.
§ 20-26 Marriage between members of religious society having no minister.
§ 20-28 Penalty for celebrating marriage without license.
§ 20-30 Licenses of persons on federal reservations.
§ 20-31 Belief of parties in lawful marriage validates certain defects.
§ 20-33 Penalty for clerk issuing license contrary to law.
§ 20-37 Validation of certain marriages when license issued by clerk of county court.
§ 20-37.1 Validation of certain marriages solemnized outside of Commonwealth.
§ 32.1-267 Records of marriages; duties of officer issuing marriage license and person officiating at ceremony; blocking of social security number.
§ 20-27 Fee for celebrating marriage.