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Marriage law · Before marriageLegal Age for Marriage in India: 21 for Men, 18 for Women
In India a man must have completed 21 years and a woman 18 years to marry. Here is where those ages come from, what happens if they are not met, and where the proposal to raise the age for women to 21 stands.
The short answer
For most marriages in India, the bridegroom must have completed 21 years and the bride must have completed 18 years on the day of the wedding. "Completed" matters: a woman becomes eligible on her eighteenth birthday, not during her eighteenth year.
These ages appear in more than one law, and they line up with the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, which treats a male under 21 and a female under 18 as a "child" for the purposes of marriage.
Under the Hindu Marriage Act
Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 lists the conditions for a valid Hindu marriage. Clause (iii) says the bridegroom must have completed 21 years and the bride 18 years at the time of the marriage. The Act covers Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Our guide to Hindu marriage registration explains how such a marriage is recorded once it has taken place.
A marriage that breaks the age condition is not automatically void under the Hindu Marriage Act itself, because the age clause is not one of the grounds that section 11 makes void. But the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act separately makes such a marriage voidable at the option of the underage party, and in certain situations void. Our page on void and voidable marriages sets out the difference.
Under the Special Marriage Act
The Special Marriage Act, 1954 is the civil route open to any two people regardless of religion, including inter-faith couples. Section 4(c) sets the same ages: the male must have completed 21 and the female 18. Because the Act also requires a notice period before the wedding, the age is checked by the Marriage Officer when the notice is given. Read our guide to court marriage under the Special Marriage Act for the steps.
Other personal laws
Christian and Parsi marriage laws also use 21 for men and 18 for women. Under Muslim personal law, which is largely uncodified, marriage has traditionally been linked to puberty. Whether the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act overrides personal law on this point has been argued in several courts, and petitions on it, including one filed by the National Commission for Women, have been before the Supreme Court. Until that question is settled, the safe position for any family is to wait until both partners are at least the statutory ages. Our page on Muslim marriage law explains more.
What happened to the bill to raise women's age to 21
In December 2021 the Union Government introduced the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha. It proposed raising the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21, the same as men, and making that rule prevail over other laws and customs. The bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee, which was given several extensions.
The bill was still with the committee when the 17th Lok Sabha was dissolved in June 2024, and under parliamentary practice a bill pending in the Lok Sabha lapses on its dissolution. It therefore did not become law. As of the date this page was checked, the national legal age for women remains 18. Any future change would need a fresh bill passed by Parliament.
Himachal Pradesh's Assembly passed its own amendment in August 2024 to raise the age for women to 21 in that state. Because it changes a central Act, it needs the President's assent to take effect, and we could not confirm that such assent has been given. Treat it as pending unless the state notifies otherwise.
Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code
Uttarakhand passed a Uniform Civil Code in 2024, which the state brought into operation in January 2025. It keeps the same minimum ages, 21 for men and 18 for women, and applies them across communities within its scope. The Code does not apply to Scheduled Tribes. It mainly adds registration duties rather than new age limits; see our Uttarakhand registration guide.
Practical points for families
- Keep a clear proof of age ready: a birth certificate, school leaving certificate or passport. Registrars ask for it.
- Do not rely on an age written in a horoscope or an affidavit alone if official records say otherwise.
- If either partner is below the legal age, wait. A wedding fixed early can simply be held later; a child marriage brings criminal liability for the adults who arrange it.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change, and courts may read them differently in your facts. For your own situation, speak to a lawyer, or get free legal aid through your District Legal Services Authority or NALSA's toll-free legal aid helpline 15100. More guides are on our marriage law hub.
Registering the marriage?
The registration guides cover court marriage, documents and the office and portal in every state.
Marriage registration All marriage lawQuestions people ask
What is the minimum age for a girl to marry in India?
A woman must have completed 18 years on the date of the marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. The 2021 bill to raise this to 21 lapsed in 2024 and did not become law.
Can a boy marry at 18 in India?
No. A man must have completed 21 years. A male under 21 is a "child" under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, so his marriage can be annulled at his option and the adults who arranged it can be prosecuted.
Did the marriage age for women become 21?
Not nationally. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 lapsed when the 17th Lok Sabha was dissolved in June 2024, so the age for women is still 18 unless Parliament passes a new law.
Is a marriage below the legal age automatically void?
Usually it is voidable, meaning the underage party can ask a court to annul it. It is void in specific situations listed in the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, such as where the minor was trafficked, enticed away or forced.
Does the Uttarakhand UCC change the marriage age?
No. It keeps 21 for men and 18 for women. Its main change is compulsory registration of marriages and live-in relationships for people it covers.
Sources
Checked in October 2026. Laws, rules and court positions change; confirm the current position before acting on it.
- Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (India Code)
- Special Marriage Act, 1954 (India Code)
- Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 (bare act, Madhya Pradesh High Court)
- Kashmir Life: bill to raise women's marriage age lapses with the 17th Lok Sabha
- Scroll: Himachal Pradesh passes bill to raise women's marriage age to 21
- Bar & Bench: NCW petition on minimum age of marriage for Muslims
- NALSA: FAQs on free legal aid and helpline 15100
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