In South Carolina, it is legal to marry your cousin. The state’s marriage laws explicitly prohibit certain close relatives from marrying—such as siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles—but cousins are not included in the list of banned relationships. This means that there are no statutes or sections in the South Carolina Code that make cousin marriage illegal.
According to Section 20-1-10 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which outlines persons who may contract matrimony, the law details a comprehensive roster of prohibited relationships but does not mention cousins among them. Independent legal summaries and local articles have clarified that, since cousins are not addressed by these statutes, marriage between cousins is permitted in South Carolina without restriction or requirement for special approval, counseling, or age waivers.
Unlike some states where cousin marriage is either heavily restricted or outright illegal, South Carolina takes a permissive approach. There are no specific laws preventing first cousins, or cousins of any degree, from marrying. The law does not distinguish between different types of cousins (first, half, adopted, etc.), and does not require genetic counseling or proof of infertility as some other states do for cousin marriages.
It’s important to note that while South Carolina law allows cousin marriage, the broader cultural and social acceptance of this practice may vary, and there are no prohibitions on living together, having children, or cohabiting as cousin spouses. If you marry your cousin in South Carolina, the marriage is valid and recognized under state law.
Marrying your cousin is legal in South Carolina, with no state laws prohibiting or restricting the practice. The only relationships specifically banned by law are those much closer than cousins, such as direct ancestors, descendants, siblings, and aunts/uncles.
Sources
[1] https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t20c001.php
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States
[3] https://collincountymagazine.com/2025/08/06/is-it-illegal-to-marry-your-cousin-in-south-carolina-heres-what-the-law-says/
[4] https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/legally-marry-cousin-sc-law-100000048.html
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage
