# Title 14 — Domestic Relations and Persons

## Chapter 14-03 — Marriage Contract

### § 14-03-01. What constitutes marriage - Spouse defined.

Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between one man and one
woman to which the consent of the parties is essential. The marriage relation may be entered
into, maintained, annulled, or dissolved only as provided by law. A spouse refers only to a
person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.
### § 14-03-01.1. Members of armed forces deemed residents.

For the purpose of instituting any action or proceeding in the courts of this state, under the
provisions of this title, in which residence is a requirement, any member of any branch of the
armed forces of the United States who is stationed within the state, and the wife or husband of
such member, if that wife or husband is living within the state, must be deemed to be a resident
of the state of North Dakota.
### § 14-03-02. Lawful age for marriage.

Any unmarried person of the age of eighteen years or more, and not otherwise disqualified,
is capable of consenting to and consummating a marriage. If a person is sixteen to eighteen
years of age, a marriage license may not be issued without the consent of the parents or
guardian, if there are any. A marriage license may not be issued to any person below the age of
sixteen, notwithstanding the consent of the parents or guardian of said person.
### § 14-03-03. Void marriages.

The following marriages are incestuous and void:
1. Marriage between parents and children, including grandparents and grandchildren of
every degree.
2. Marriage between brothers and sisters of the half as well as the whole blood.
3. Marriage between uncles and nieces of the half as well as the whole blood.
4. Marriage between aunts and nephews of the half as well as the whole blood.
5. Marriage between first cousins of the half as well as the whole blood.
This section applies to illegitimate as well as legitimate children and relatives.
### § 14-03-04. Marriage between white person and Negro person void - Penalty.

Repealed by S.L. 1955, ch. 126, § 1.
### § 14-03-05. Definition of a Negro person.

Repealed by S.L. 1955, ch. 126, § 2.
### § 14-03-06. Marriage of person having husband or wife void - Exception.

A marriage contracted by a person having a former husband or wife living, if the former
marriage has not been annulled or dissolved, is illegal and void from the beginning unless such
former husband or wife was absent and believed by such person to be dead for a period of five
years immediately preceding such marriage.
### § 14-03-07. Prohibited marriages.

Repealed by S.L. 1993, ch. 141, § 1.
### § 14-03-08. Foreign marriages recognized - Exception.

Except when residents of this state contract a marriage in another state which is prohibited
under the laws of this state, all marriages contracted outside this state, which are valid
according to the laws of the state or country where contracted, are valid in this state. This
section applies only to a marriage contracted in another state or country which is between one
man and one woman as husband and wife.

### § 14-03-09. Who may solemnize marriages.

Marriages may be solemnized at any location within the state by:
1. All judges of courts of record;
2. Municipal judges;
3. Recorders, unless the board of county commissioners designates a different official;
4. Ordained ministers of the gospel, priests, and clergy, authorized by recognized
denominations; and
5. By any individual authorized by the rituals and practices of any religious persuasion.
### § 14-03-10. Marriage may not be solemnized without license.

A person may not solemnize any marriage until the parties to the marriage produce a
license regularly issued not more than sixty days before the date of the marriage by:
1. A recorder serving the county in which either of the contracting parties resides or is
temporarily domiciled, unless the board of county commissioners designates a
different official;
2. A recorder serving the county in which a parent of either of the parties resides or is
temporarily domiciled, unless the board of county commissioners designates a
different official; or
3. A recorder serving the county in which the marriage is to be solemnized, unless the
board of county commissioners designates a different official.
For the purpose of obtaining a marriage license, a member of the armed forces of the United
States stationed within the state of North Dakota is deemed to reside in the county in which that
person is stationed.
### § 14-03-11. Who issues marriage license to official.

When an official authorized to issue a marriage license desires to have a license for the
official's own marriage issued in the county of the official's residence, the official may request
another authorized official to act in the official's stead upon the application for the license. The
other official has the power and authority to issue the license in the county of the residence of
the official seeking the license. The request must be in writing and must be filed, with the
application and other related papers, and must be recorded in the marriage record. Upon the
return of the license, the official serving the county in which it was issued may record it and note
the record thereon notwithstanding the official is one of the contracting parties named in the
license.
### § 14-03-12. Serological test for syphilis required before application for license filed.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 175, § 3.
### § 14-03-13. Standard serological test defined.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 175, § 3.
### § 14-03-14. Serological test - Contents of laboratory statement.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 175, § 3.
### § 14-03-15. When serological test not necessary.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 175, § 3.
### § 14-03-16. Physician's certificate and laboratory statement - Misrepresentation -

Penalty.
Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 175, § 3.
### § 14-03-17. Application for license.

1. When application is made to a recorder, unless the board of county commissioners
designates a different official, for a marriage license, the recorder, or designated
official, shall inquire of the applicant concerning the legality of the contemplated

marriage. The recorder, or designated official, may examine other witnesses. The facts
concerning the legality of the marriage may be submitted to the recorder, or
designated official, by affidavit. The recorder, or designated official, also shall require
each applicant to submit the following facts upon blanks provided by the county,
together with documentary evidence of age:
a. An affidavit by each of the applicants showing that each is over the age of
eighteen years. In addition, each applicant shall exhibit to the recorder, or
designated official, a birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence of age. If
either applicant is under the age of eighteen years, the recorder, or designated
official, shall require the written consent of:
(1) Either parent of the minor applicant, if the parents are living together;
(2) The parent having the legal custody of the minor applicant, if the parents are
not living together;
(3) The surviving parent, if one of the parents of the minor applicant is
deceased; or
(4) The guardian, or person under whose care and government the minor
applicant is, if both parents of the minor applicant are deceased, or if a
person other than a parent has legal and actual custody of the minor
applicant.
b. An affidavit showing whether either or both of the parties have been divorced. If a
decree of divorce has been granted to either or both of the parties, a certified
copy of the decree must be filed with the application. A license shall not be issued
if it contravenes any provisions of the divorce decree.
2. All affidavits must be subscribed and sworn to before a person authorized to
administer oaths. The recorder, or designated official, shall retain on file all papers and
records pertaining to all marriage licenses. Anyone knowingly swearing falsely to the
statements contained in any affidavit mentioned in this section is subject to the penalty
provided in section 14-03-28.
3. Each application for a marriage license must also contain a statement regarding
surname options which is consistent with section 14-03-20.1.
4. Each application for a marriage license must contain the social security number of
each applicant.
### § 14-03-18. License to and marriage of intoxicated person prohibited.

A license for marriage may not be issued to anyone under the influence of intoxicating liquor
at the time of making application therefor. No marriage ceremony may be performed when
either or both of the contracting parties is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any
narcotic drug.
### § 14-03-19. License issued to all who comply with law.

If a recorder, unless the board of county commissioners designates a different official, is
satisfied that there is no legal impediment to the marriage and that the applicants have complied
with the provisions of this chapter, then the recorder, or designated official, shall issue and sign
a marriage license in duplicate and affix an official seal to both the original and the duplicate.
### § 14-03-20. License and certificate.

The marriage license and certificate of the person solemnizing the marriage must be upon
one blank form in duplicate consisting of two pages with a perforated seam to make it readily
detachable. The form must be substantially as follows:
State of North Dakota)
) ss.
County of _________ )
To any person authorized by law to perform the marriage ceremony:
You may join in marriage __________ of ___________, aged _____

who has ______ been divorced, and ___________ of __________, aged _____ who
has ______ been divorced. You shall return this license and your certificate to my office
within five days.
Dated _________, ______.
(Seal)
_______________________
Recorder/Designated Official
I certify that the persons named in the foregoing license, _________ and
_________, whose names after marriage are ___________ and __________, respectively,
were joined in marriage by me at ___________, county of __________, State of North Dakota,
on __________, _____.
In the presence of
___________________________ ) ___________________________
___________________________ ) ___________________________
Witnesses
Every marriage license must contain the full name of each party before the marriage. Every
certificate of marriage must contain the full name of each party before and after the marriage
and be signed by two witnesses to the marriage in addition to the signature of the person who
solemnized the marriage.
### § 14-03-20.1. Surname options.

1. Every person has the right to adopt any surname by which that person wishes to be
known by using that surname consistently and without intent to defraud.
2. A person's surname does not automatically change upon marriage. Neither party to the
marriage must change the party's surname. Parties to a marriage need not have the
same surname.
3. One party or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the surname by which
that party wishes to be known after the solemnization of the marriage by entering the
new surname in the space provided on the marriage license application. The entry on
the application must consist of one of the following surnames:
a. The surname of the other spouse;
b. Any former surname of either spouse;
c. A name combining into a single surname all or a segment of the premarriage
surname or any former surname of either spouse; or
d. A combination name separated by a hyphen or space, provided that each part of
the combination surname is the premarriage surname or former surname of either
spouse.
4. Use of the option under subsection 3 has the effect of providing a record of the
surname change. The marriage certificate containing the new surname, if any,
constitutes proof that the use of the new surname, or the retention of the former
surname, is lawful.
5. Neither the use of nor the failure to use the option of selecting a new surname by
means of a marriage license application, as provided in subsection 3, abrogates the
right of either party to adopt a different surname through usage at a future date.
6. Compliance with the surname provisions of this section is sufficient to meet the
satisfactory evidence requirements of section 39-06-07.1.
### § 14-03-20.2. Middle name options.

1. One party or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the middle name by which
that individual wishes to be known after the solemnization of the marriage by entering
the new middle name in the space provided on the marriage license application. If an
individual elects to change that individual's middle name, the middle name entry on the
marriage license application or marriage license must consist of:
a. The premarriage surname or former surname of that individual;

b. The premarriage middle name and the premarriage surname or former surname
of that individual; or
c. A hyphenated combination of the premarriage middle name and the premarriage
surname or former surname of that individual.
2. Compliance with the middle name provisions of this section is sufficient to meet the
satisfactory evidence requirements of section 39-06-07.1.
### § 14-03-21. Return of license and certificate - Duplicate delivered to persons married -

Records kept - Penalty.
When a person authorized by law solemnizes a marriage, that person shall fill out and sign
the certificate following the license in duplicate, giving the person's official title, or if a minister of
the gospel or priest, the ecclesiastical body with which the minister or priest is connected. The
original copy of the certificate and license must be returned to the official who issued the license
within five days after the date of the solemnization of the marriage and the duplicate copy must
be immediately delivered to the persons married. The official shall file the original copy and
retain it as an official record. Any person who willfully neglects to make such return within the
time required is subject to the penalty provided in section 14-03-28.
### § 14-03-22. Marriage license fee - Supplemental fee - Fee for marriage ceremony -

Duties of officers.
1. For the issuance and filing of a marriage license, the recorder, unless the board of
county commissioners designates a different official, shall collect a fee of up to thirty
dollars from the party applying for the license.
2. In addition to the license fee provided for in subsection 1, the recorder, or designated
official, shall collect from the applicant a supplemental fee of thirty-five dollars for aid to
victims of domestic violence through the domestic violence prevention fund in
accordance with chapter 14-07.1.
3. For performing a marriage ceremony during regular courthouse hours, the recorder, or
designated official, shall collect a fee of thirty dollars which is to be retained by the
county. If the marriage ceremony is performed at a time other than during regular
courthouse hours, the recorder, or designated official, may collect and retain a fee in
an amount to be determined by the recorder, or designated official.
4. Except as provided in this section, all collected fees must be deposited monthly with
the county treasurer. The county treasurer shall forward the amount represented by
supplemental fees to the state treasurer by the fifteenth of each month for crediting to
the domestic violence prevention fund.
5. The recorder, or designated official, shall prepare a copy of the license and certificate
and transmit them to the registrar of vital statistics who shall record them in a book of
records kept in the registrar's office for that purpose. The registrar shall index the
records and upon request shall issue certified copies of the recorded license and
certificate for a one dollar fee. The registrar shall keep an accurate account of these
fees and shall turn them over to the state treasurer by the fifteenth of each month for
crediting to the general fund.
### § 14-03-23. Marriage registered with bureau of vital statistics.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 148, § 2.
### § 14-03-24. Certified record is evidence.

The books of record of marriage licenses issued and certificates returned which are kept by
a recorder, unless the board of county commissioners designates a different official, serving any
county, or certified copies of such entries, and certified copies of the records of the registrar of
vital statistics, must be received as evidence in all courts, and are prima facie evidence in all
courts and places of the facts stated therein.

### § 14-03-25. Performing marriage ceremony without authority - Penalty.

Every person who attempts to join others in marriage or to perform the marriage ceremony
for another within this state without being authorized by law so to do must be punished as
provided in section 14-03-28.
### § 14-03-26. Issuing license of marriage between Negroes and whites - Penalty.

Repealed by S.L. 1955, ch. 126, § 3.
### § 14-03-27. Performing marriage ceremony between Negroes and whites - Penalty.

Repealed by S.L. 1955, ch. 126, § 4.
### § 14-03-28. Penalty.

Unless otherwise provided, any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter is
guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
