Can You Remarry After Divorce in Oklahoma?

Yes — but not for six months. Oklahoma is one of a handful of states that imposes a mandatory waiting period between a finalized divorce and the ability to legally remarry within the state. Violating it is a felony.

The Six-Month Rule

Under 43 O.S. § 123, it is a felony offense (bigamy) to marry anyone other than your divorced spouse in Oklahoma within six months of the date the divorce decree is granted. The clock starts the day the judge signs and files the decree — not the date you separated, not the date you filed the petition, and not the date of the hearing.

The waiting period also carries a cohabitation restriction. During the same six-month window, living with a new partner is technically classified as adultery under Oklahoma law — also a felony. While prosecutions for cohabitation are rare, the statute is still on the books and enforceable.

The Out-of-State Option

Under the Oklahoma Supreme Court's ruling in Copeland v. Stone, a marriage solemnized in another state during the six-month waiting period is valid and recognized in Oklahoma. If you marry in Texas or Arkansas on month three, Oklahoma treats that marriage as legally binding.

The catch: if the couple returns to Oklahoma and cohabits before the six months have elapsed, the cohabitation/adultery statute still technically applies. The marriage itself is valid, but the physical living arrangement during the restricted period carries statutory risk — however remote the likelihood of prosecution.

Can the Waiting Period Be Waived?

There is no judicial waiver mechanism for the remarriage waiting period. Even if both parties agree, even if there are no children involved, the six-month bar applies. It is a statutory prohibition, not a discretionary waiting period the judge can shorten.

When the Clock Starts in Complicated Cases

If a post-trial motion or appeal affects the decree's finality, confirm which date controls the six-month calculation with an Oklahoma family-law attorney.

If the decree is appealed, the analysis gets more complex. Consult an attorney about whether the appeal affects the finality of the decree for remarriage purposes.

What to Do During the Waiting Period

The six-month window is actually a practical advantage if you use it to complete the administrative work your decree requires. Name changes, account separations, vehicle title transfers, quitclaim deeds, QDRO filings, beneficiary updates, and estate plan revisions all take time — and many of them involve sequential dependencies where one agency requires proof from another before proceeding.

The Oklahoma After-Divorce Checklist maps out every step in the order agencies actually require, so you can use the waiting period to close out the administrative side of your divorce completely.

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