§ 19-3-47.Penalty for filing false information in application for license
Chapter 3. Marriage Generally · Article 2. License and Ceremony · Last amended 1965 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-3-47
Plain-English Summary
A marriage license application is made under oath. Section 19-3-33 requires the applicants to verify it by oath and to state that there is no legal impediment to the marriage. This section backs the paperwork with a criminal penalty: any person who willfully furnishes false information in connection with the application and issuance of any marriage license shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
The section names three places where false information can appear: the application itself, the proof of age required by § 19-3-36, and the physician’s certificate as to pregnancy. The words “any person” reach beyond the applicants; whoever willfully furnishes the false information falls within the section. And the word “willfully” matters. An honest mistake differs from a deliberate falsehood, and whether a person acted willfully is a question for the court or jury.
The section dates from 1965 and hasn’t been amended since. Current § 19-3-2 sets the age limits without mentioning a pregnancy certificate, but the reference remains in this section’s text. The section doesn’t set the punishment itself; misdemeanor sentences come from Georgia’s general criminal law outside Title 19. Related penalties fall on others in the process: §§ 19-3-45 and 19-3-46 impose civil forfeitures on probate judges and officiants in the situations they describe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a crime to lie on a marriage license application in Georgia?
Yes. Any person who willfully furnishes false information in connection with the application and issuance of a marriage license is guilty of a misdemeanor. That includes false statements in the application, in the proof of age and in a physician’s certificate as to pregnancy. The application is also verified by oath under § 19-3-33.
What if I made an honest mistake on my marriage license application?
The section punishes false information furnished willfully, which means on purpose. An honest error isn’t the same thing, though whether a statement was willful depends on the facts and is decided by the court. If you discover a mistake, contact the probate court that handled your application and ask how it corrects its records.
Can someone other than the applicants be charged for giving false information?
Yes. The section reaches “any person” who willfully furnishes false information in connection with the license. That could include someone who supplies a false document for proof of age or a false physician’s certificate as to pregnancy, not only the couple themselves.
What is the penalty for using a fake ID to get a marriage license?
Willfully furnishing false information in proof of age is a misdemeanor under this section. The section doesn’t set the sentence itself; misdemeanor penalties come from Georgia’s general criminal law outside Title 19. Proof of age is required of every applicant under § 19-3-36, so the documents you present matter.
Does lying on the application make the marriage invalid?
This section doesn’t say. It makes the false statement a crime but says nothing about the marriage’s validity. Validity turns on other sections, such as § 19-3-2 on who is able to marry and § 19-3-5 on void marriages and ratification. A court would decide the effect on the marriage based on what the false information concealed.
Amendment History
Laws 1965, p. 335, § 9.
Formerly Code 1933, § 53-9912.