What is an annulment and how does it work?
Isabella Floyd
Updated on March 30, 2026
What is an annulment and how does it work?
An annulment is a legal procedure that declares the marriage null and void. Civil annulment treats the marriage like it never existed. Therefore, an annulment treats a marriage retroactively. The spouses are considered no longer married and are recognized legally as individuals.
Does the Catholic Church require annulments?
The Catholic Church is one of the major entities that requires a religious annulment. This church’s principles teach that marriage is a lifelong bond, so if a divorced spouse wishes to remarry within the church, he or she is required to obtain a declaration of nullity.
Can a spouse remarry if they have an annulment?
One or both spouses must prove the grounds for the religious annulment. If the church grants the annulment, both spouses can remarry someone else. The legitimacy of any children born during the marriage is not affected if an annulment is granted or refused.
What does it mean when a marriage is declared null?
It means that a marriage that was thought to be valid civilly and canonically was in fact not valid according to Church law. A declaration of nullity does not deny that a relationship existed. It simply states that the relationship was missing something that the Church requires for a valid marriage.
Do you need grounds for annulment if you have children?
You still, however, must have grounds for annulment. Luckily, even if you get an annulment, any children of the marriage are still legitimate, and your children’s father is still the legal father. What Are the Grounds for Annulment? To have a marriage annulled, you’ll have to prove one of the grounds for annulment.
How much does it cost to get your marriage annulled?
The marriage annulment cost is often less than a divorce unless your spouse contests the annulment. If so, like a divorce, the cost will increase because there will be additional court appearances. Costs are always changing, as are filing fees, but you can often get your marriage annulled for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.