No—marrying your first cousin is legal in Hawaii. The state’s marriage law prohibits only closer family relationships, such as siblings, parents and children, uncles and nieces, and aunts and nephews.
Hawaii also allows marriage between first cousins once removed, second cousins, and more distant relatives, as long as both people meet the normal marriage requirements.
What Hawaii Law Allows
Hawaii’s marriage rules focus on whether two people are too closely related, not on whether they are cousins in general. The law bars marriages between ancestors and descendants, whole- or half-blood siblings, and certain aunt/uncle-niece/nephew combinations.
First cousins are not included in that prohibition, which is why they may legally marry in the state.
The state’s official marriage guidance also says you must be at least 18 to marry on your own, though younger applicants may qualify with parental or court consent.
Marriage License Rules
To marry in Hawaii, you need a marriage license from an authorized agent before the ceremony. Once issued, there is no waiting period, so the marriage can happen right away.
The law does not create a special license barrier for cousins. If you are first cousins, the application may ask about your relationship, but that alone does not stop the license from being approved.
Both people still need to meet the standard requirements, including age, legal capacity, and not already being married to someone else.
Who Cannot Marry
Hawaii does not allow marriages between people who are more closely related than first cousins. That means the following are prohibited: parent and child, siblings, half-siblings, aunt and nephew, aunt and niece, uncle and nephew, and uncle and niece.
This is the key line that separates legal cousin marriage from illegal close-relative marriage in the state.
If the relationship is farther removed than first cousins, Hawaii law generally permits it.
Cultural and Practical Notes
Even though first cousin marriage is legal, some religious or family traditions may have different views. For example, some faith communities may require extra approval, even when the state does not.
People also sometimes consider genetic counseling when planning a cousin marriage, especially if there is a known family history of inherited conditions. That is a personal health decision, not a legal requirement under Hawaii marriage law.
Quick Comparison
| Relationship | Legal in Hawaii? |
|---|---|
| First cousins | Yes |
| First cousins once removed | Yes |
| Second cousins | Yes |
| Siblings | No |
| Half-siblings | No |
| Parent and child | No |
| Aunt/uncle and niece/nephew | No |
What This Means
If you are first cousins and both adults, Hawaii law allows you to marry as long as you meet the usual marriage-license requirements.
The biggest legal issue is not the cousin relationship itself, but whether the relationship falls into one of Hawaii’s prohibited close-relative categories.
That makes Hawaii one of the states where cousin marriage is clearly permitted under current law.
SOURCES:
- https://lambdalegal.org/publication/hawaii-marriage-faq/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/hawaii/title-31/chapter-572/section-572-1/
