The age of majority is the threshold of legal

adult An adult is a human or other animal that has reached full growth. In human context, the term ''adult'' has meanings associated with social and legal concepts. In contrast to a "minor", a legal adult is a person who has attained the age of ...

hood as recognized or declared in

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...

. It is the moment when

minor Minor may refer to: * Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities. ** A person who has not reached the age of majority * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Music theory *Minor chord ** Bar ...

s cease to be considered such and assume legal control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thus terminating the control and legal responsibilities of their parents or guardian over them. Most countries set the age of majority at 18, but some jurisdictions have a higher age and others lower. The word ''majority'' here refers to having greater years and being of full age as opposed to ''minority'', the state of being a minor. The law in a given jurisdiction may not actually use the term "age of majority". The term typically refers to a collection of laws bestowing the status of adulthood. Those under the age of majority are referred to as minors and may be legally denied certain privileges or rights (e.g. the right to vote, buy alcohol, marry, sign a binding contract). Age of majority should not be confused with the age of maturity,

age of sexual consent Age or AGE may refer to: Time and its effects * Age, the amount of time someone or something has been alive or has existed ** East Asian age reckoning, an Asian system of marking age starting at 1 * Ageing or aging, the process of becoming older ...

marriageable age Marriageable age (or marriage age) is the general age, as a legal age or as the minimum age subject to parental, religious or other forms of social approval, at which a person is legitimately allowed for marriage. Age and other prerequisites t ...

school-leaving age The school leaving age is the minimum age a person is legally allowed to cease attendance at an institute of compulsory secondary education. Most countries have their school leaving age set the same as their minimum full-time employment age, thus ...

drinking age The legal drinking age is the minimum age at which a person can legally consume alcoholic beverages. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different from the age when it can be purchased in some countries. These laws vary betwee ...

driving age The minimum driving age is the minimum age at which a person may obtain a driver's license to lawfully drive a motor vehicle on public roads. That age is determined by and for each jurisdiction and is most commonly set at 18 years of age, but lea ...

voting age A voting age is a minimum age established by law that a person must attain before they become eligible to vote in a public election. The most common voting age is 18 years; however, voting ages as low as 16 and as high as 25 currently exist (s ...

smoking age smoking age is the minimum legal age required to purchase or use tobacco products. Most countries have laws that forbid sale of tobacco products to persons younger than certain ages, usually the age of majority. This article does not discuss l ...

gambling age The gambling age is the minimum age at which one can legally gamble in a certain jurisdiction. In some countries, gambling is illegal regardless of age, while some countries have different age limits for different types of gambling, and some count ...

, etc., which each may be independent of and set at a different age from the age of majority.

Explanation

The term ''"age of majority"'' can be confused with the similar concept of the age of

license A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

, which also pertains to the threshold of adulthood but in a much broader and more abstract manner. As a legal term of art, "license" means "permission", which leads to implications of a legally enforceable right or privilege. Thus, an age of license is an age at which one has legal permission from a given government to participate in certain activities or rituals. The age of majority, on the other hand, is a legal ''recognition'' that one is gradually becoming an adult, not necessarily stating that one is legally allowed to partake in any or all activities specified for adults. Many ages of license are correlated to the age of majority to recognize the transition to legal adulthood, 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 license may be higher, lower, or match the age of majority. For example, to purchase

alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...

, the age of license is 21 in all U.S. states. Another example is the voting age, which prior to 1971 was 21 in the US, as was the age of majority in all or most states. After the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18, the age of majority was lowered to 18 in most states. In most US states, one may obtain a driver's license, consent to sexual activity, and gain full-time employment at age 16 even though the current age of majority is 18 in most states. In the Republic of Ireland the age of majority is 18, but one must be over 21 to stand for election to the Houses of the

Oireachtas The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the bicameral parliament of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of: *The President of Ireland *The two houses of the Oireachtas ( ga, Tithe an Oireachtais): **Dáil Éireann ...

. Also, in Portugal the age of majority is 18, but one must be at least 25 years of age to run for public office and 35 to run for president. A child who is legally

emancipated Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure economic and social rights, political rights or equality, often for a specifically disenfranchi ...

by a court of competent jurisdiction automatically attains to their maturity upon the signing of the court order. Only emancipation confers the status of maturity before a person has actually reached the age of majority. In almost all places, minors who marry are automatically emancipated. Some places also do the same for minors who are in the armed forces or who have a certain degree or diploma. Minors who are emancipated may be able to choose where they live, sign contracts, and have control over their financial and medical decisions and generally make decisions free from parental control but are not exempt from age requirements set forth in law for other rights. For example, a minor can emancipate at 16 in the US (or younger depending on the state) but must still wait until 18 to vote or buy a firearm, and 21 to buy alcohol or tobacco. The age 18 is identified as the age of adulthood in the Jewish Talmud relative to having sound judgement to make monetary decisions as a judge. Here, the Talmud says that every judgment

Josiah Josiah ( or ) or Yoshiyahu; la, Iosias was the 16th king of Judah (–609 BCE) who, according to the Hebrew Bible, instituted major religious reforms by removing official worship of gods other than Yahweh. Josiah is credited by most biblical ...

, the sixteenth king of Judah (–609), issued from his coronation until the age of eighteen was reversed and he returned the money to the parties whom he judged liable, due to concern that in his youth he may not have judged the cases correctly. Other Jewish commentators have discussed whether age 13 or 18 is the age to make decisions in a

Jewish Court A beit din ( he, בית דין, Bet Din, house of judgment, , Ashkenazic: ''beis din'', plural: batei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel. Today, it ...

. The highest known age of majority historically was around age 30, during Roman times, where young males were placed under the guardianship of adults known as "''Curatores''" whose permission was needed to engage in formal acts and sign contracts until the youth reached turned 30. This was later lowered down to 25, and eventually 21 became the common age of majority. In some places historically, 23 or 27 could have also been this age. It has also gone down to as low as 14 or 15 years of age. They are somewhat arbitrarily chosen, but have rarely been designated outside of this approximate age range. It has not always been 18 or 21 but rather a variety of ages. In

Medieval England England in the Middle Ages concerns the history of England during the medieval period, from the end of the 5th century through to the start of the Early Modern period in 1485. When England emerged from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the econ ...

, the age of majority was 15 but further raised to 21. Since 2015, some countries have started to lower the voting age to 16. Some countries, like

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

and

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, are even considering lowering the age of majority to 16, similar to how it already is in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. The main arguments for lowering is that, on average, young people are much more educated currently (both because of better individual educational outcomes and being raised by more educated parents) than in the past (the same argument made in the 1970s when most countries lowered the age of majority from 21 to 18, which is the age still used presently for most countries). In addition, compared to the past, nowadays information is much more easily accessible as a result of the invention of the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a ''internetworking, network of networks'' that consists ...

, which can now be accessed through both a computer and also a

smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...

Civil law

In many countries minors can be

: depending on jurisdiction, this may happen through acts such as

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

, attaining economic self-sufficiency, obtaining an educational

degree Degree may refer to: As a unit of measurement * Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement ** Degree of geographical latitude ** Degree of geographical longitude * Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathemati ...

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

, or participating in a form of

military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job ( volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft ( conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) requ ...

. In the United States, all states have some form of emancipation of minors. The following list the age of majority in countries (or

administrative division Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

s) in the order of lowest to highest:

Up to age 15

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the northeast an ...

Age 16

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

* **

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

Age 17

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...

Timor-Leste East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-wes ...

Age 18

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Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...

*{{flagicon, Albania

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

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*{{flagicon, Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two ...

*{{flagicon, Argentina

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

{{efn, group=note, Article 25. Minor and adolescent: minor is the person who has not turned eighteen. This Code refers to the adolescent as the minor who turned thirteen years of age., name= *{{flagicon, Angola

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Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...

*{{flagicon, Australia Australia *{{flagicon, Austria

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

*{{flagicon, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

*{{flagicon, Bahamas

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the archi ...

*{{flagicon, Bangladesh

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...

*{{flagicon, Barbados

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate ...

*{{flagicon, Belarus

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

*{{flagicon, Belgium

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

*{{flagicon, Belize

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

*{{flagicon, Bhutan

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*{{flagicon, Bolivia

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*{{flagicon, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and ...

*{{flagicon, Botswana

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...

*{{flagicon, Brazil

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

{{efn, group=note, name=nbrazil, Those aged 16 or older can be emancipated upon marriage, by being approved for civil service, by graduating in college or for being economically independent *{{flagicon, Brunei

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

*{{flagicon, Bulgaria

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...

*{{flagicon, Burundi

Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Gr ...

*{{flagicon, Canada

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

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The Law Library of Congress The Law Library of Congress is the law library of the United States Congress. The Law Library of Congress holds the single most comprehensive and authoritative collection of domestic, foreign, and international legal materials in the world. Est ...

, location=Washington, D.C. , pages=51–60 **{{flagicon, Alberta

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

**{{flagicon, Manitoba

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Win ...

**{{flagicon, Ontario

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

**{{flagicon, Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

**{{flagicon, Quebec

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Government of Canada, Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is ...

**{{flagicon, Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North ...

*{{flagicon, Chile

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

*{{flagicon, China China **{{flagicon, China

Mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater Chin ...

**{{flagicon, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

**{{flagicon, Macau

Macau Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...

*{{flagicon, Colombia Colombia *{{flagicon, Comoros Comoros *{{flagicon, Costa Rica Costa Rica *{{flagicon, Croatia

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*{{flagicon, Cyprus

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

*{{flagicon, Czech Republic

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. Th ...

{{efn, group=note, §30 Majority. An individual acquires full legal capacity upon reaching the age of majority. The age of majority is reached upon reaching eighteen years of age. Before reaching the age of majority, full legal capacity is acquired by being granted legal capacity or by entering into marriage. Legal capacity acquired by entering into marriage is not terminated upon termination or invalidation of marriage., name= *{{flagicon, Denmark

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

(incl.

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic archipelago, island group and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotlan ...

and Greenland) *{{flagicon, Djibouti

Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Re ...

*{{flagicon, Dominica Dominica *{{flagicon, Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

*{{flagicon, Ecuador

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

*{{flagicon, Egypt

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...

*{{flagicon, El Salvador

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by ...

*{{flagicon, Estonia

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...

*{{flagicon, Fiji Fiji *{{flagicon, Finland

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...

*{{flagicon, France

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

{{efn, group=note, A minor is an individual of either sex who is not yet eighteen years old., name= *{{flagicon, Germany

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

*{{flagicon, Georgia

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to t ...

*{{flagicon, Ghana

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...

*{{flagicon, Greece

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...

*{{flagicon, Guatemala Guatemala *{{flagicon, Guinea Guinea *{{flagicon, Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...

*{{flagicon, Guyana Guyana *{{flagicon, Haiti

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

*{{flagicon, Hungary

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...

*{{flagicon, Iceland

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...

*{{flagicon, India

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

*{{flagicon, Iraq

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

{{efn, group=note, name=note02, Iraq's Civil Code defines the age of majority as 18; however, due to the Iraqi constitution and instability, Note 1 (above) may apply as courts choose between Shari'ah law and the Civil Code *{{IRL *{{flagicon, Israel

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

*{{flagicon, Italy

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

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*{{flagicon, Japan Japan{{cite news , last=Jozuka , first=Emiko , work=CNN , url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/14/asia/japan-age-adulthood-bill/index.html , title=Japan lowers its age of adulthood to 18 , date=15 June 2018 , access-date=2019-09-14 *{{flagicon, Jordan

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Ri ...

*{{flagicon, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental coun ...

*{{flagicon, Kenya

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

{{efn, group=note, Constitution of Kenya. Article 260. "Adult" means an individual who has attained the age of eighteen years, "child" means an individual who has not attained the age of eighteen years. Age of Majority Act, 1977. Section 2 Age of majority. A person shall be of full age and cease to be under any disability by reason of age on attaining the age of eighteen years., name= *{{flagicon, Laos Laos *{{flagicon, Latvia

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

*{{flagicon, Lebanon

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

*{{flagicon, Libya

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Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German language, German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constit ...

*{{flagicon, Lithuania Lithuania *{{flagicon, Luxembourg

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*{{flagicon, Malawi

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northe ...

{{cite web , last1=Chigunta , first1=Francis , last2=Schnurr , first2=Jamie , last3=James-Wilson , first3=David , last4=Torres , first4=Veronica , title=Being "Real" about Youth Entrepreneurship in Eastern and Southern Africa: Implications for Adults, Institutions and Sector Structures , url=https://www.ilo.org/youthmakingithappen/PDF/WP72-2005.pdf , website=International Labour Office , access-date=2 March 2012 , page=3, Table 1.1 , year=2005 *{{flagicon, Malaysia

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

*{{flagicon, Maldives

Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives,, ) and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is a country and archipelagic state in South Asia in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about from the A ...

*{{flagicon, Malta

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

*{{flagicon, Mauritania Mauritania *{{flagicon, Mauritius

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*{{flagicon, Mexico

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

*{{flagicon, Moldova

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*{{flagicon, Mongolia

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...

*{{flagicon, Montenegro

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = ...

*{{flagicon, Namibia

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and e ...

*{{flagicon, Nepal

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

*{{flagicon, Netherlands

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

{{efn, group=note, (Netherlands) Or earlier upon marriage, name= *{{flagicon, Nicaragua

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean Sea, Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to ...

emale only*{{flagicon, Nigeria

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

*{{flagicon, North Macedonia North Macedonia *{{flagicon, Norway Norway *{{flagicon, Oman Oman *{{flagicon, Pakistan Pakistan [female only] *{{flagicon, Palau Palau *{{flagicon, Palestine State of Palestine, Palestine *{{flagicon, Panama Panama *{{flagicon, Paraguay Paraguay *{{flagicon, Peru Peru *{{flagicon, Philippines Philippines *{{flagicon, Poland Poland{{efn, group=note, (Poland) Or upon marriage which for women can happen at 16 the earliest, voting age is 18 always, name= *{{flagicon, Portugal Portugal *{{flagicon, Qatar Qatar *{{flagicon, Romania Romania ("Minimum legal age in Romania") *{{flagicon, Russia Russia{{efn, group=note, Minors are emancipated upon marriage or in case of working on a labour agreement or being engaged in business activities., name= *{{flagicon, Rwanda Rwanda *{{flagicon, Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis *{{Flagicon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *{{flagicon, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia *{{flagicon, Senegal Senegal *{{flagicon, Seychelles Seychelles *{{flagicon, Slovakia Slovakia *{{flagicon, Slovenia Slovenia *{{flagicon, Somalia Somalia *{{flagicon, South Africa South Africa{{efn, group=note, Children's Act, 2005 Article 1. "child" means a person under the age of 18 years, article 17. Age of majority – A child, whether male or female, becomes a major upon reaching the age of 18 years., name= *{{flagicon, Spain Spain{{efn, group=note, Constitution article 12. Spaniards come legally of age at eighteen years. Civil Code article 315. Legal age begins upon turning eighteen. The date of birth shall be included in full for the calculation of legal age., name= *{{flagicon, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka *{{flagicon, Sudan Sudan *{{flagicon, Sweden Sweden *{{flagicon, Switzerland Switzerland *{{flagicon, Syria Syria *{{flagicon, Serbia Serbia *{{flagicon, Taiwan Taiwan *{{flagicon, Tajikistan Tajikistan *{{flagicon, Tanzania Tanzania *{{flagicon, Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago *{{flagicon, Tunisia Tunisia *{{flagicon, Turkey Turkey *{{flagicon, Uganda Uganda *{{flagicon, Ukraine Ukraine *{{GBR{{cite web , url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1969/46/contents , title=Family Law Reform Act 1969 , website=Gov.uk , date=25 July 1969 , access-date=9 January 2015 **{{flagicon, England

**{{flagicon, Wales

**{{flagicon, Northern Ireland, union Northern Ireland{{cite web , url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1969/28 , title=Age of Majority Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 , website=Legislation.gov.uk , date=26 May 2011 , access-date=29 September 2011 *{{flagicon, United Kingdom Crown dependencies **{{flagicon, Isle of Man Isle of Man **{{flagicon, Jersey Jersey **{{flagicon, Guernsey Guernsey *{{Flagicon, United Kingdom British Overseas Territories **{{Flagicon, Gibraltar Gibraltar *{{USA:{{cite web , url=http://minors.uslegal.com/age-of-majority , title=Age of Majority , website=US Legal , access-date=16 February 2012 all states, territories, and Washington, D.C. except for those listed below{{efn, group=note, In Mississippi, 18 is the age of majority for executors and administrators. However, "in case letters testamentary or of administration shall be granted to any one under twenty-one (21) years, the bond executed by such person for the performance of the duties shall be as valid and binding as if such person were of full age." By contrast, any person between the ages of 18 and 20 is defined as a minor for trusts and estates, and transfers to that person. In all states, the U.S. history of alcohol minimum purchase age by state, legal drinking and Smoking ages in the United States, smoking age is 21. *{{flagicon, Uruguay Uruguay *{{flagicon, Uzbekistan Uzbekistan *{{flagicon, Vatican City Vatican City *{{flagicon, Venezuela Venezuela *{{flagicon, Zimbabwe Zimbabwe

Age 19

{{div col, colwidth=20em *{{flagicon, Algeria Algeria{{cite web , url=http://www.dgsn.dz/fr/guide_pour_le_passager.php , title=Guide du passager , date=2006 , website=Algerian police, Direction Générale de Surêté Nationale , language=fr , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312170627/http://www.dgsn.dz/fr/guide_pour_le_passager.php , archive-date=12 March 2012 *{{flagicon, Canada

**{{flagicon, Nova Scotia Nova Scotia **{{flagicon, New Brunswick New Brunswick **{{flagicon, British Columbia British Columbia **{{flagicon, Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador **{{flagicon, Northwest Territories Northwest Territories **{{flagicon, Yukon Yukon **{{flagicon, Nunavut Nunavut *{{flagicon, South Korea Republic of Korea, South Korea *{{flagicon, United States United States **{{flagicon, Alabama Alabama{{cite web , url=http://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2006/19865/26-1-1.html , title=Alabama Code: Title 26, Chapter 1, Section 26-1-1 , website=Justia , date=22 July 1975 , access-date=29 September 2011 **{{flagicon, Nebraska Nebraska{{cite web , url=http://minors.uslegal.com/age-of-majority/nebraska-age-of-majority-law/ , title=Nebraska Age of Majority Law , website=US Legal , access-date=16 February 2012 {{div col end

Age 20

*{{flagicon, New Zealand New Zealand *{{flagicon, Taiwan Taiwan *{{flagicon, Thailand Thailand

Age 21

{{columns-list, colwidth=20em, *{{flagicon, Bahrain Bahrain{{cite web , url=http://www.interpol.int/public/children/sexualabuse/nationallaws/default.asp , title=Legislation of Interpol member states on sexual offences against children , date=31 January 2011 , website=Interpol , access-date=11 April 2012 , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011001002038/http://www.interpol.int/Public/Children/SexualAbuse/NationalLaws/Default.asp , archive-date=2001-10-01 *{{flagicon, Cameroon Cameroon *{{flagicon, Chad Chad *{{flagicon, Ivory Coast Côte d'Ivoire *{{flagicon, Eswatini Eswatini *{{flagicon, Gabon Gabon *{{flagicon, Grenada Grenada *{{flagicon, Honduras Honduras{{efn, group=note, In the light of article 16 of the Family Code, which provides that majority is attained at the age of 21 years, it may be inferred that the status of minor is retained in Honduras until the age of 21. According, however, to article 36 of the Constitution of Honduras, all Hondurans over 18 years of age are citizens. This means that the quality of citizen is attained while a person is still a minor, thus involving the assumption of the status of minor adult. The latter contracts all the obligations of persons of full age and acquires the specific rights that are reserved for such persons, with a few exceptions., name= *{{flagicon, Kuwait Kuwait *{{flagicon, Lesotho Lesotho *{{flagicon, Madagascar Madagascar *{{flagicon, Nicaragua

(male only) *{{flagicon, Niger Niger *{{flagicon, Samoa Samoa *{{flagicon, Singapore Singapore *{{flagicon, United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates *{{flagicon, United States United States **{{flagicon, Mississippi Mississippi **{{flagicon, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico *{{flagicon, Zambia Zambia

Religious law

Religions have their own rules as to the Coming of age, age of maturity, when a child is regarded to be an adult, at least for ritual purposes: *Islam: Males at 15 years old are considered adults, while females are considered adults when they have their menstruation. Both require a "mental maturity" to be attained for other rituals such as marriage (بلوغ النكاح). *Judaism: the age of majority is 13 years for boys (bar mitzvah) and 12 years for girls (bat mitzvah) for religious purposes. However, Jewish law follows the law of the land if there is a difference, such as in marriage age. *Christianity (only Roman Catholic Church): 18 years. *Baha'i Faith: The spiritual age of maturity for every person born into a Baha'i family is 15. At 15, the person is old enough to decide for themselves what religion they want to be, so they could decide to stay a Baha'i or choose a different path. At this age, Baha'is are considered youth (as opposed to children before 15). Baha'i youth are 15–21 years old. Once a Baha'i turns 15, if they declare themselves a Baha'i, they are expected to recite a daily obligatory prayer and participate in the Fast. Baha'is can vote in Baha'i elections once they turn 18 (recently changed from 21).

Effects

* End of the parental authority and guardianship (in some legal systems it causes the pre-end of said institutions). * Right to be considered Capacity (law), legally capable. * Right to freely manage and dispose of their goods, buy and sell properties and sign rental contracts. * Right to inherit, manage the inheritance and, in countries where testaments exist, the possibility of testament. * Right to receive bank credits and have bank accounts. * Right to demand public authority. * Possibility of being sued for not paying debts or other contracts. * Possibility of being a member of the jury (in countries where trials use a jury). * Possibility of being sued for child support and medical bills due to the birth of a child. In some countries, reaching the age of majority carries other rights and obligations, although in other countries, these rights and obligations may be had before or after reaching the aforementioned age. * Right to vote and to run for government office: although in some countries the minimum voting age may be lower and in other countries there are age restrictions to be elected to certain public offices. * Right to drive a car: it may vary in some countries with respect to the age of majority. * Right to drink alcoholic drinks, use drugs, like cocaine, heroin or marijuana and to smoke: In some countries, the legal drinking age and the

differ from the age of adulthood. * Right to buy and possess firearms or guns. * Right to work, pursue trade, profession or industry: may vary in some countries with respect to the age of majority. * Right to freely leave the country (in some European countries like

, minors can leave the country unimpeded).{{cite web , url = https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/travel-documents-minors/italy/index_en.htm, title=Travel documents for minors , access-date = January 14, 2020 , website = Your Europe - Citizens , language = en * In trials, the possibility of being treated as an adult, found guilty and sentenced to prison: It may vary in some countries with respect to the age of majority.

Notes

{{notelist, group=note

References

{{Reflist"Age of Majority by State as of 2021." Policygenius
Age of Majority by State in 2022
{{Law country lists {{Human development {{Authority control {{DEFAULTSORT:Age of Majority Minimum ages, * Adulthood Legal fictions