New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 255.00 — Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 255: Offenses Affecting the Marital Relationship, New York Penal Law.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 255.00
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
255.00 Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage.
A person is guilty of unlawfully solemnizing a marriage when:
1. Knowing that he is not authorized by the laws of this state to do
so, he performs a marriage ceremony or presumes to solemnize a marriage;
or
2. Being authorized by the laws of this state to perform marriage
ceremonies and to solemnize marriages, he performs a marriage ceremony
or solemnizes a marriage knowing that a legal impediment to such
marriage exists.
Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage is a class A misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
What class of misdemeanor is unlawfully solemnizing a marriage in New York?
Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage is a Class A Misdemeanor in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 255.00.
Which New York statute covers unlawfully solemnizing a marriage?
Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 255.00 (Unlawfully solemnizing a marriage).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.