Discover

The 'age of majority' is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when children legally assume majority control over their persons and their actions and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents over and for them.
The time when the law allows persons to do acts which, for want of years, they were prohibited from doing before.
In practical terms, there are certain specific things which a person who attains the age of majority is permitted to do, which they could not do before. The main one is probably the right to enter into a binding contract, the right to vote, the right/power to buy and/or consume alcochol, the right/power to drive a car on public roads, the right to marry without obtaining consent of others, the unlimited right to have sexual relations. The ages at which these various rights or powers may be exercised vary as between the various rights and as between different jurisdictions. For example, the age at which a person may obtain a license to drive a car or consume alcochol vary considerable between and also within jurisdictions.

Contents

Explanation

Countries and Subdivisions

References

See also

Explanation

There are some things in life (such as death) over which no person has any control, so one assumes "majority control" over one’s life at the age in question, instead of "full" control (hence, age of ''majority'' instead of, e.g., "age of full control"). The period preceding the age of majority is the period of ''minority'', during which the child has minority control over his or her person and actions, while the parents hold majority control and have power to overrule most of the child’s decisions and desires, and can sometimes reverse the child's actions.
Age of majority is frequently confused with similar concept, the 'age of licence', which also pertains to the threshold of adulthood but in a much broader and more abstract way. As a legal term of art, "licence" means "permission", and it can implicate a legally enforceable right or privilege. Thus, an age of licence is an age at which one has legal permission from government to do something. The age of majority, on the other hand, is legal ''recognition'' that one has grown into an adult. One does not need legal permission to grow up; it just happens.
For example, in any jurisdiction, the age at which an individual is allowed to exercise the franchise (vote), leave school without taking a diploma, enter into legally binding contracts (other than for necessaries, to which no age of licence applies), operate a motor vehicle, purchase and consume alcoholic beverages, and so on – these are all ages of licence, at which the law permits an individual to perform certain acts and exercise certain rights, with or without any restrictions.
Age of majority pertains solely to the acquisition of control over one’s person, decisions and actions, and the correlative termination of the legal authority and responsibility of the parents (or guardian(s), in lieu of parents) over the child’s persons and affairs generally.
Many ages of licence are correlated to the age of majority, but they are nonetheless legally distinct concepts. One need not have attained the age of majority to have permission to exercise certain rights and responsibilities. Some ages of licence are actually higher than the age of majority. For example, the age of licence to purchase alcoholic beverages is 21 in all U.S. States. Similarly, the minimum age at which one has licence to apply for certain U.S. federal government transfer payments is 62. For most other purposes, the age of majority in the U.S. is 18, except for 4 states with the age of 19, & 2 states retain 21 as the age of majority. [1]
A child who is legally emancipated by a court of competent jurisdiction automatically attains to his or her majority upon the signing of the court order. This is distinct from the legal process by which a child might be taken into foster care and/or made a ward of the court. Foster care and court wardship do not confer majority upon the child so separated from his or her parents (or guardians). Only emancipation confers the status of majority before a person has actually reached the age of majority.
Almost all jurisdictions automatically confer emancipation (and with it, the status of majority) upon otherwise minor individuals who are married. Some do likewise for minors who are on active duty in the armed forces.

Countries and Subdivisions

★ Afghanistan - 18

★ Albania - 18

★ Argentina - 21

★ Armenia 18

★ Angola - 18

★ Australia - 18

★ Austria - 18

★ Azerbaijan - 18

★ Bahamas - 18

★ Bahrain - 21

★ Barbados - 18

★ Belarus - 18

★ Belgium - 18

★ Bhutan - 18

★ Bolivia - 18

★ Bosnia & Herzegovina - 18

★ Brazil - 18

★ Brunei - 18

★ Bulgaria - 18

★ Burundi - 18

★ Cambodia - 18

★ Cameroon - 21

★ Canada - 18-19 Age of majority is provincial and territorial jurisdiction

★
★ Alberta - 18

★
★ British Columbia - 19

★
★ Manitoba - 18

★
★ New Brunswick - 19

★
★ Newfoundland and Labrador - 19

★
★ Northwest Territories - 19

★
★ Nova Scotia - 19

★
★ Nunavut - 19

★
★ Ontario - 18

★
★ Prince Edward Island - 18

★
★ Quebec - 18

★
★ Saskatchewan - 18

★
★ Yukon Territory - 19

★ Chile - 18

★ China - 18

★ Colombia - 18

★ Cote d'Ivoire - 21

★ Croatia - 18

★ Cuba - 18

★ Cyprus - 18

★ Czech republic - 18

★ Denmark - 18

★
★ Faroe Islands - 18

★
★ Greenland - 18

★ Djibouti - 18

★ Dominican Republic - 18

★ Dominica - 18

★ Ecuador - 18

★ Egypt - 21

★ El Salvador - 18

★ Estonia - 18

★ Fiji - 18

★ Finland - 18

★ France - 18

★ Gabon - 18

★ Germany - 18

★ Gibraltar - 18

★ Greece - 18

★ Guatemala - 18

★ Guinea - 21 (Minors are emancipated upon marriage)

★ Guyana - 18

★ Honduras - 21

★ Hong Kong - 18

★ Hungary - 18

★ Iceland - 18

★ India - 18

★ Indonesia - 18

★ Iran - 18

★ Ireland - 18 (majority is also assumed upon marriage, which can be done at 16, or younger in extremely exceptional circumstances)

★ Italy - 18

★ Jamaica - 18

★ Japan - 20

★ Kenya - 18

★ Kyrgyzstan - 16

★ Laos - 18

★ Latvia - 18

★ Lebanon - 18

★ Lesotho - 21

★ Liechtenstein - 18

★ Lithuania - 18

★ Luxembourg - 18

★ Macao - 18

★ Macedonia - 18

★ Malaysia - 18

★ Malta - 18

★ Mauritania - 18

★ Mexico - 18

★ Moldova - 18

★ Monaco - 21

★ Mozambique - 18

★ Namibia - 21

★ Nepal - 16

★ Netherlands - 18

★ New Zealand - 18

★ Norway - 18

★ Oman - 18

★ Pakistan - 18 for males, 16 for females.

★ Panama - 18

★ Peru - 18

★ Philippines - 21 (Minors are emancipated upon marriage)

★ Poland - 18

★ Puerto Rico 18

★ Portugal - 18

★ Qatar - 18

★ Republic of Korea - 20

★ Romania - 18

★ Russia - 18

★ Rwanda - 18

★ Saudi Arabia - 18

★ St Kitts & Nevis - 18

★ Senegal - 18

★ Serbia - 18

★ Singapore - 21

★ Seychelles - 18

★ Slovakia - 18

★ Slovenia - 18

★ South Africa - 18

★ Spain - 18

★ Sudan - 18

★ Swaziland - 21

★ Sweden - 18

★ Switzerland - 18

★ Syria - 18

★ Taiwan - 20

★ Tajikistan 17

★ Tanzania - 18

★ Thailand - 20

★ Trinidad & Tobago - 18

★ Tunisia - 20

★ Turkey - 18

★ Turkmenistan - 16

★ Ukraine - 18

★ UK ^[1]

★
★ England - 18

★
★ Northern Ireland - 18

★
★ Wales - 18

★
★ Scotland - 16

★
★ Isle of Man - 18

★
★ Jersey - 18

★
★ Guernsey - 18

★ United States - Age of majority is state, territorial and commonwealth jurisdiction, except for purposes of U.S. federal law and the District of Columbia (which is subject to the supervisory jurisdiction of the federal government). Usually 18.

★
★ Alabama - 19 (Ala.Code 30-2-31;30-2-51;30-2-1)

★
★ Alaska - 18

★
★ American Samoa - 14

★
★ Arizona - 18

★
★ Arkansas - 18; or if still in high school at 18, upon graduation

★
★ California - 18 (CA Family Code §§ 6500 and 6501)

★
★ Colorado - 18 (Colorado Revised Statutes)

★
★ Connecticut - 18

★
★ Delaware - 19

★
★ District of Columbia - 18 (D.C. Stat. § 46-101)

★
★ Florida - 18

★
★ Georgia - 18

★
★ Guam - 18

★
★ Hawaii - 18

★
★ Idaho - 18

★
★ Illinois - 18

★
★ Indiana - 18

★
★ Iowa - 18

★
★ Kansas - 18

★
★ Kentucky - 18

★
★ Louisiana - 18 (La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 29)

★
★ Maine - 18

★
★ Maryland - 18

★
★ Massachusetts - 18

★
★ Michigan - 18

★
★ Minnesota - 18

★
★ Missouri - 18

★
★ Mississippi - 21

★
★ Montana - 18

★
★ Nebraska - 19

★
★ New Hampshire - 18

★
★ New Mexico - 18

★
★ Nevada - 18; or if still in high school at 18, upon graduation or reaching age 19, whichever be sooner

★
★ New Jersey - 18, for most purposes (N.J.S. 9:17B-3)

★
★ New York - 18

★
★ North Carolina - 18

★
★ North Dakota - 18

★
★ Northern Marianas Islands - 18

★
★ Ohio - 18 or upon graduation from high school, whichever be earlier

★
★ Oklahoma - 18

★
★ Oregon - 18

★
★ Pennsylvania - 18

★
★ Puerto Rico -14

★
★ Rhode Island - 18

★
★ South Carolina - 18

★
★ South Dakota - 18

★
★ Tennessee - 18; or if still in high school at 18, upon graduation

★
★ Texas - 18

★
★ U.S. Virgin Islands - 18

★
★ Utah - 18 or upon graduation from high school, whichever be earlier

★
★ Vermont - 18

★
★ Virginia - 18; or if still in high school at 18, upon graduation

★
★ Washington - 18 (RCW 26.28.010)

★
★ West Virginia - 18 (W. Va. Code § 2-3-1)

★
★ Wisconsin - 18; or if still in high school at 18, upon graduation or reaching age 19, whichever be sooner

★
★ Wyoming - 19

★ Uruguay - 18

★ Uzbekistan - 14

★ Venezuela - 18

★ Yemen - 18

References

1.

Colorado Revised Statutes

See also

★ Age of consent

★ Age of criminal responsibility

★ Emancipation of minors

★ Legal drinking age

★ Marriageable age

★ Voting age