Washington Marriage Laws | § 26.04.020

Revised Code of Washington 26.04.020

Prohibited marriages.

(1) Marriages in the following cases are prohibited: (a) When either party thereto has a spouse or registered domestic partner living at the time of such marriage, unless the registered domestic partner is the other party to the marriage; or (b) When the spouses are nearer of kin to each other than second cousins, whether of the whole or half blood computing by the rules of the civil law. (2) It is unlawful for any person to marry his or her sibling, child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew. (3) A marriage between two persons that is recognized as valid in another jurisdiction is valid in this state only if the marriage is not prohibited or made unlawful under subsection (1)(a) or (2) of this section. (4) A legal union, other than a marriage, between two individuals that was validly formed in another state or jurisdiction and that provides substantially the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities as a marriage, does not prohibit those same two individuals from obtaining a marriage license in Washington. (5) No state agency or local government may base a decision to penalize, withhold benefits from, license, or refuse to contract with any religious organization based on the opposition to or refusal to provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, service, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage. (6) No religiously affiliated educational institution shall be required to provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, service, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage, including a use of any campus chapel or church. A religiously affiliated educational institution shall be immune from a civil claim or cause of action, including a claim pursuant to chapter 49.60 RCW, based on its refusal to provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, service, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage under this subsection shall be immune for civil claim or cause of action, including a claim pursuant to chapter 49.60 RCW.

[ 2012 c 3 § 2 (Referendum Measure No. 74, approved November 6, 2012); 1998 c 1 § 4; 1927 c 189 § 1; Code 1881 § 949; 1866 p 81 § 2; 1854 p 96 § 115; RRS § 8438.]

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More Washington Marriage Laws

§ 26.04.020 Prohibited marriages.
§ 26.04.060 Marriage before unauthorized cleric—Effect.
§ 26.04.070 Form of solemnization.
§ 26.04.080 Marriage certificate—Contents.
§ 26.04.090 Certificate for files of county auditor and state registrar of vital statistics—Forms.
§ 26.04.100 Filing and recording—County auditor.
§ 26.04.105 Preservation of copies of applications and licenses—County auditor.
§ 26.04.140 Marriage license.
§ 26.04.110 Penalty for failure to deliver certificates.
§ 26.04.120 Marriage according to religious ritual.
§ 26.04.150 Application for license—May be secured by mail—Execution and acknowledgment.
§ 26.04.160 Application for license—Contents—Oath.
§ 26.04.165 Additional marriage certificate form.
§ 26.04.170 Inspection of applications.
§ 26.04.175 When disclosure of marriage applications and records prohibited.
§ 26.04.180 License—Time limitations as to issuance and use—Notification.
§ 26.04.200 Penalty for violations—1939 c 204.
§ 26.04.220 Retention of license by person solemnizing—Auditor's record.
§ 26.04.240 Penalty for unlawful solemnization—Code 1881.
§ 26.04.250 Penalty for unlawful solemnization—1909 c 249.
§ 26.60.015 Intent.
§ 26.60.020 Definitions
§ 26.60.025 Definition—Domestic partnership.
§ 26.60.040 Registration—Records—Fees.
§ 26.60.060 Domestic partnerships created by subdivisions of the state.
§ 26.60.090 Reciprocity.
§ 26.04.007 Definition—Religious organization.
§ 26.04.900 Construction—Religious organization.
§ 26.60.070 Patient visitation.
§ 26.60.901 Severability—2008 c 6.
§ 26.04.190 Refusal of license—Appeal.
§ 26.04.260 Recognition of a legal union.
§ 26.60.010 Finding.
§ 26.60.030 Requirements.
§ 26.60.100 Application for marriage—Dissolution of partnership by marriage—Automatic merger of partnership into marriage—Legal date of marriage.
§ 26.60.900 Part headings not law—2008 c 6.
§ 26.04.010 Marriage contract—Void marriages—Construction of gender-specific terms—Recognition of solemnization of marriage not required.
§ 26.04.130 Voidable marriages.
§ 26.04.210 Affidavits required for issuance of license—Penalties.
§ 26.04.050 Who may solemnize.