IsraelLawWhat is the minimum legal age to marry in Israel?
Israel raised the marriage age to a firm 18 in a 2013 amendment to the Marriage Age Law, up from the previous threshold of 17. The rule is a civil law of general application, so it binds the religious courts and marriage registrars that actually solemnise marriages in Israel. Only the Family Court can authorise an exception, and it will do so for a person of at least 16 where refusing would cause real harm or where a pregnancy or existing child makes the marriage appropriate. The court weighs the young person's own wishes, maturity, and welfare before granting permission.
The law carries criminal consequences that reach beyond the couple. A person who marries someone under 18, and anyone who conducts or arranges such a marriage, including parents, can face imprisonment of up to two years. For foreign nationals, the age rule also affects recognition: a marriage lawfully performed abroad involving a spouse under 18 may not be registered or recognised in Israel, and it can raise public-policy objections. Couples marrying abroad and planning to register in Israel should confirm both partners were at least 18, a point covered further in the guide to marrying in Israel as a foreigner.
- Governing law: Marriage Age Law 5710-1950 (as amended in 2013)
- Minimum age: 18; a court may permit marriage from 16 in exceptional cases
- Competent authority: Family Court (Beit Mishpat LeMishpacha) for exemption applications
- Criminal penalty: up to two years' imprisonment for marrying, arranging, or officiating a marriage of a minor without a permit
- Foreign marriages: a foreign marriage of a spouse under 18 may be refused registration in Israel on public-policy grounds
From the full guide: Getting Married in Israel as a Foreigner: A Complete Legal Guide
Related Questions
Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy