There are legal circumstances at the time of divorce, and if the party paying the bride price asks the other party to return the bride price, the party receiving the bride price needs to return the bride price to the paying party. The amount to be returned may be agreed by both parties; if no agreement can be reached, the people's court shall make a judgment. The people's court may, according to the specific circumstances of the case, comprehensively consider the time when both parties live together, the amount of the bride price, the purpose of the bride price, whether to have children, etc., and prohibit one party from asking the other party for property on the grounds of marriage according to the law.
The people's court shall support the request of the parties to return the bride price paid according to the custom if it is found that it belongs to the following circumstances:
1. Both parties failed to go through the marriage registration formalities;
2. Both parties have gone through the marriage registration formalities, but they have not lived together;
3. Paying before marriage and causing difficulties for the payer.
In short, if it is a bride price or dowry before marriage registration, it generally belongs to personal pre-marital property. Signing the relevant property agreement before marriage shows that the bride price belongs to the individual's pre-marital property and also belongs to the pre-marital property. At the same time, if the relevant conditions are met, then the bride price also needs to be returned.
Legal basis:
People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Civil Code
Article 665
If the obligee revokes the gift, he may request the donee to return the donated property.
Article 666
If the donor's economic situation deteriorates significantly, which seriously affects his production, operation or family life, he may no longer perform the gift obligation.