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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-1-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE IS NOT VALID IN THE STATE ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2018, AND THAT OTHERWISE VALID COMMON-LAW MARRIAGES ESTABLISHED BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2018, CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE STATE; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 20-1-360 RELATING TO THE VALIDITY OF A MARRIAGE CONTRACTED WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 1, Title 20 is amended by adding:
"Section 20-1-110. No common-law marriage entered into in this State on or after January 1, 2018, is valid. Otherwise valid common-law marriages established before January 1, 2018, are not affected by this section and continue to be recognized in this State."
SECTION 2. Section 20-1-360 of the 1976 Code is repealed.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on March 7, 2017 at 4:07 PM