Summary
Florida lawmakers are considering a ban on marriages between first cousins. Currently, about 16 states and Washington, D.C. allow first-cousin marriages without major restrictions. Florida remains among these states, but recent efforts to ban such marriages did not pass in the 2026 legislative session.
Key Facts
- Florida is one of the states where first-cousin marriage is currently legal.
- There is no federal law against first-cousin marriage; laws vary by state.
- About 16 states and Washington, D.C. allow first-cousin marriage without major restrictions.
- Some states, like North Carolina, allow it but with specific limitations on "double first cousins."
- Other states allow such marriages only under certain conditions, such as age or infertility proof.
- More than 30 states, including Texas and Pennsylvania, completely ban first-cousin marriages.
- A proposed ban on first-cousin marriage in Florida did not pass in the 2026 legislative session.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called for new efforts to ban first-cousin marriage.
