In Maine, it is generally illegal to marry your first cousin, but there is a narrow legal exception that makes it possible under specific conditions.
What the Maine law says
Maine law prohibits marriages between people who are closer in blood than second cousins, which includes first cousins.
However, first‑cousin couples can marry if they obtain a certificate from a physician stating they have received genetic counseling, and even then the state may still deny the marriage certificate in its discretion.
What counts as “legal”
- Marriages between second or more distant cousins are allowed in Maine without any special requirements.
- For first cousins, you must file your intention to marry in Maine and attach a signed physician’s certificate of genetic counseling at the time of application; this is printed as a special question on Maine’s official marriage‑intention form.
Marrying in another state
If you and your first‑cousin partner marry in a state that allows cousin marriage, Maine will not recognize that marriage if you return and live there, and attempting to evade Maine’s rule could expose you to legal risk.
In short, yes, Maine mostly bans cousin marriage, but first‑cousin couples can legally marry in the state only if they complete and document genetic counseling and gain approval from the clerk; more distant cousins face no such restriction.
SOURCES:
- https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/19-a/title19-Asec701.pdf
- https://wcyy.com/is-it-illegal-to-marry-your-first-cousin-in-maine/
