It is legal to marry your cousin in Rhode Island, as state law does not prohibit marriage between first cousins or more distant relations.
Rhode Island Marriage Law Overview
Rhode Island’s marriage statutes specify certain close relationships that cannot marry, such as siblings, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, stepparents, and aunt/uncle-niece/nephew pairings. However, first cousins are not listed among the prohibited relationships, making cousin marriage permissible in the state.
Marriage License Application Process
Couples planning to marry—including first cousins—must apply for a standard marriage license and complete a pre-marriage worksheet. The state’s forms do not specifically ask if the parties are related as cousins, but a town clerk might inquire. This relationship is not considered an impediment to marriage; residency in Rhode Island is not required to obtain a local marriage license, though other states may not recognize the union if cousin marriage is banned there.
Catholic and Cultural Considerations
While legally allowed, first cousin marriages in Rhode Island may face church-specific requirements. Catholic weddings between first cousins typically require dispensation from church authorities, though civil unions are unaffected by faith-based rules.
Regional Context
Rhode Island is consistent with the law in most other New England states, which all permit first cousin marriage except New Hampshire. Residents from states with bans have occasionally traveled to Rhode Island to marry.
Marrying a first cousin is legal in Rhode Island, with no statutory barriers for civil marriage between consenting adults related as cousins.
Sources
(https://dataminingdna.com/can-first-cousins-marry-in-rhode-island/)
(https://wokq.com/is-it-illegal-to-marry-your-first-cousin-in-new-england/)
(https://theamm.org/articles/1927-kissing-cousins-the-popularity-controversy-of-cousin-marriage)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States)
(https://www.newsweek.com/map-states-marry-cousin-tennessee-ban-1889727)
