Is a gett required if the couple cohabited

Is a gett required if the couple cohabited without civil or religious marriage?

Thank you for reaching out to us with your question.

We recommend a get for couples that have either lived together publicly in a manner that would reasonably have led their Jewish community to treat them as married, or else who considered themselves married.  A get is not necessary simply because a couple cohabited or engaged in sexual relations.

Please note that while we recommend a get in such cases, if one party is unwilling to cooperate, or if children were born from a subsequent relationship but before the get, it is generally possible to find other solutions.  This is often true even where there was a legal marriage, or even where there was a religious ceremony.  People in such circumstances should seek expert rabbinic advice.

I’m happy to discuss specifics, or answer followup questions, if the framing above isn’t sufficient for your needs.