It is possible to announce yourself married in 11 of the United States after a certain amount of time. You can do this through a common law marriage where you do not have a ceremony but live together and announce yourself as spouses. However, even in these 11 states where it is allowed there are different legal consequences for each different jurisdiction.
There is false misperception that by living together for a certain amount of time you automatically become common law married but this is not true. Although through a common law marriage you are a married couple, the only way to be officially married is to gain a marriage certificate through a justice of peace or by having a formal ceremony which is performed by a legally recognized person.
The eleven states that actually recognize common law marriages are Alabama, Colorado, Georgia (if created before 1/1/97), Idaho (if created before 1/1/96), Iowa, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire (for inheritance purposes only), Ohio (if created before 10/10/91), Oklahoma (possibly only if created before 11/1/98), Pennsylvania (if created before 1/1/05), Rhode Island, South, Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C.
If you live in one of these states you can 'hold yourself out to be married' but there are still specific requirements for each state that you must fulfil to complete the common-law marriage. If you live in state that does not recognize common law marriage there is no way of forming one of these no matter how long you have lived with your partner. However if you do live in one of the states that permits common law marriages but do not actually want to be married, you must make it clear that your intention is not to marry otherwise it could will turn out to be a common law marriage.
There is false misperception that by living together for a certain amount of time you automatically become common law married but this is not true. Although through a common law marriage you are a married couple, the only way to be officially married is to gain a marriage certificate through a justice of peace or by having a formal ceremony which is performed by a legally recognized person.
The eleven states that actually recognize common law marriages are Alabama, Colorado, Georgia (if created before 1/1/97), Idaho (if created before 1/1/96), Iowa, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire (for inheritance purposes only), Ohio (if created before 10/10/91), Oklahoma (possibly only if created before 11/1/98), Pennsylvania (if created before 1/1/05), Rhode Island, South, Carolina, Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C.
If you live in one of these states you can 'hold yourself out to be married' but there are still specific requirements for each state that you must fulfil to complete the common-law marriage. If you live in state that does not recognize common law marriage there is no way of forming one of these no matter how long you have lived with your partner. However if you do live in one of the states that permits common law marriages but do not actually want to be married, you must make it clear that your intention is not to marry otherwise it could will turn out to be a common law marriage.
