NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-7 (2026)

Penalty for solemnizing without license

✓ current as of July 2026

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Every minister, officer, or any other person authorized to solemnize a marriage under the laws of this State, who marries any couple without a license being first delivered to that person, as required by law, or after the expiration of such license, or who fails to return such license to the register of deeds within 10 days after any marriage celebrated by virtue thereof, with the certificate appended thereto duly filled up and signed, shall forfeit and pay two hundred dollars ($200.00) to any person who sues therefore, and shall also be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (R.C., c. 68, ss. 6, 13; 1871-2, c. 193, s. 8; Code, s. 1817; Rev., ss. 2087, 3372; C.S., s. 2499; 1953, c. 638, s. 1; 1967, c. 957, s. 5; 1993, c. 539, s. 415; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2001-62, s. 7.)

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases, 2013–2016 · leading case: In Re Est. of Peacock, 788 S.E.2d 191 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016).

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In Re Est. of Peacock, 788 S.E.2d 191 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “N.C. Gen.Stat. § 51-7 (2015). Our Supreme Court has discussed the consequences of violating the license requirement in N.”

Thigpen v. Cooper, 739 S.E.2d 165 (N.C. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 4× “In their second amended complaint, plaintiffs added the State of North Carolina as a defendant and challenged the constitutionality of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 51-7 , as well as N.C. Gen.”

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