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Some people used to choose to get a common law marriage in Georgia for a variety of reasons.
Common-law marriage in Georgia is the equivalent of getting married.
Without ever having a marriage ceremony or marriage license.
There are some criteria that a couple has to meet for Georgia common-law marriages.
For their relationship to be considered common law marriage, they must:
A common law marriage in Georgia is a legally recognized marriage between two people who have not:
A common law marriage occurs when a couple:
Simply living together is not enough to have a common-law marriage in Georgia.
How long is common law marriage in Georgia is irrelevant.
Georgia does not have a specific timeline that you have to be together for common law marriage.
Most people believe that you have to be together for 7 years for common law marriage.
But this is not true in Georgia.
Georgia does not have a required timeline to qualify for common law marriage.
Common-law marriage is no longer legal in Georgia.
The common-law marriage ended in Georgia on January 1, 1997.
Any relationships entered into after 1996 are not legally common law marriage in Georgia.
We discuss the Georgia common law marriage requirements more in-depth below.
But the four Georgia common law marriage requirements are that you must:
Common law marriage ended in Georgia on January 1, 1997.
“No common-law marriage shall be entered into in this state on or after January 1, 1997. Otherwise valid common-law marriages entered into prior to January 1, 1997, shall not be affected by this Code section and shall continue to be recognized in this state.”
Any common law marriages in Georgia after this date will not be recognized.
Your marriage must have been entered into BEFORE January 1st, 1997.
Georgia is not a common state anymore.
Georgia was a common law state in the past.
But common law marriage in Georgia ended on January 1st, 1997.
Before January 1st, 1997, Georgia was a common-law state.
Georgia will still recognize common law marriages that were initiated prior to 1997.
Yes, Georgia does recognize common law marriage.
But only if you met the Georgia common law marriage requirements BEFORE the new law went into effect in 1997.
But what if you’re moving to Georgia from another state and want your common law marriage to be recognized?
Common law marriage is still recognized in other states within the United States.
Georgia does recognize common-law marriage from other states.
The Supreme Court of Georgia’s ruling on the issue is as follows:
“Georgia, like other states not generally recognizing common-law marriages, will recognize as valid a common law marriage established under the laws of another state.” Norman v. Ault, 287 Ga. 324, 326 (2010).
So, how does Georgia recognize common-law marriage in its own state?
The four Georgia common law marriage requirements are:
