In Vermont, it is legal to marry your first cousin. The state does not prohibit marriages between first cousins, and such unions are explicitly allowed. Vermont law only forbids marriages between closer relatives, such as parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.
Specifically, Vermont Statute 15 V.S.A. § 1a states, “No person shall marry his or her parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, sibling’s child, or parent’s sibling.” This law does not include cousins in the list of prohibited relationships.
It’s worth noting that while first cousin marriages are legal in Vermont, they are not widely practiced. Vermont is one of 18 states in the United States where marrying a first cousin is legal or largely legal. The state does not impose any additional requirements, such as genetic counseling or age restrictions, for first cousin marriages, unlike some other states that allow such unions.
Sources:
- https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/15/001/00001a
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_incest_in_the_United_States
- https://www.ulc.org/wedding-laws/vermont
- https://www.yeklaw.com/blog/2024/july/immigration-and-marriage-between-cousins/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States
