Introduction
The age of majority in the United States is the legal age at which an individual is allowed to exercise full civil and legal rights, such as voting, entering into contracts, purchasing alcohol, and signing up for a credit card. In most states, this age is 18 years old; however, there are some exceptions where it is higher. Alabama and Nebraska have an age of majority at 19, while Mississippi has 21 as its age of majority. This stipulation can be attributed to these states’ desire to protect younger citizens from potential harm—such as excessive debt or addiction—by allowing them more time to mature and understand the implications of taking on such rights. Furthermore, individuals who are not yet of the legal age of majority still may possess certain limited rights such as being able to work or join the military with parental permission.
State | Age of Majority | Legal Age a Child Can be Left Alone | Minimum Driving Age | Minimum Marriage Age |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mississippi | 21 Years Old | 12 Years Old | 15 Years Old | |
Alabama | 19 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Nebraska | 19 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old |
Alaska | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Arizona | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Arkansas | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old | 17 Years Old |
California | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | |
Colorado | 18 Years Old | 12 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Connecticut | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Delaware | 18 Years Old | 12 Years Old | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Florida | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Georgia | 18 Years Old | 8 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Hawaii | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 15 Years Old |
Idaho | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Illinois | 18 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Indiana | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old |
Iowa | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Kansas | 18 Years Old | 6 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Kentucky | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 18 Years Old |
Louisiana | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 18 Years Old |
Maine | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Maryland | 18 Years Old | 8 Years Old | 15 Years Old, 9 Months | 16 Years Old |
Massachusetts | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 14 Years Old |
Michigan | 18 Years Old | 11 Years Old | 14 Years Old, 9 Months | 16 Years Old |
Minnesota | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Missouri | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 15 Years Old |
Montana | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Nevada | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
New Hampshire | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 14 Years Old |
New Jersey | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
New Mexico | 18 Years Old | 10 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
New York | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
North Carolina | 18 Years Old | 8 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
North Dakota | 18 Years Old | 9 Years Old | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Ohio | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Oklahoma | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Oregon | 18 Years Old | 10 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old |
Pennsylvania | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Rhode Island | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 16 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
South Carolina | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
South Dakota | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 14 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Tennessee | 18 Years Old | 10 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Texas | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Utah | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Vermont | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Virginia | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old, 6 Months | 16 Years Old |
Washington | 18 Years Old | 10 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 17 Years Old |
West Virginia | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 18 Years Old |
Wisconsin | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Wyoming | 18 Years Old | No Minimum Age | 15 Years Old | 16 Years Old |
Age of Majority by State
Alabama
Age of Majority
19 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Alaska
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
Arizona
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Arkansas
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old
17 Years Old
California
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
Colorado
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
12 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Connecticut
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Delaware
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
12 Years Old
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Florida
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Georgia
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
8 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Hawaii
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
15 Years Old
Idaho
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Illinois
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
14 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Indiana
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
17 Years Old
Iowa
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
Kansas
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
6 Years Old
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
Kentucky
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
18 Years Old
Louisiana
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
18 Years Old
Maine
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Maryland
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
8 Years Old
15 Years Old, 9 Months
16 Years Old
Massachusetts
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
14 Years Old
Michigan
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
11 Years Old
14 Years Old, 9 Months
16 Years Old
Minnesota
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Mississippi
Age of Majority
21 Years Old
12 Years Old
15 Years Old
Missouri
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
15 Years Old
Montana
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Nebraska
Age of Majority
19 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
17 Years Old
Nevada
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
New Hampshire
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
14 Years Old
New Jersey
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
New Mexico
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
10 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
New York
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
North Carolina
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
8 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
North Dakota
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
9 Years Old
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
Ohio
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Oklahoma
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Oregon
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
10 Years Old
15 Years Old
17 Years Old
Pennsylvania
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
Rhode Island
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
16 Years Old
16 Years Old
South Carolina
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
South Dakota
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
14 Years Old
16 Years Old
Tennessee
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
10 Years Old
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Texas
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Utah
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Vermont
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Virginia
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old, 6 Months
16 Years Old
Washington
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
10 Years Old
15 Years Old
17 Years Old
West Virginia
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
18 Years Old
Wisconsin
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old
Wyoming
Age of Majority
18 Years Old
No Minimum Age
15 Years Old
16 Years Old