Age of majority

The **age of majority** is the age when a person becomes an adult by law. This means that they are legally in control over their own actions and decisions, and their parents are no longer responsible for them. When used this way, the word _majority_ means having the full number of years to be an adult. The opposite is _minority_, which means being a minor or a child. The law in a given place may or may not use the words "age of majority" when deciding when people become adults. The age of majority is a legally fixed age and idea of adulthood which is different in different places. It may not match the actual maturity of a person's body or mind. The age of majority is 18 in the vast majority of jurisdictions, but ages as low as 15 and as high as 21 exist in some.

Once a person reaches the age of majority, there are some things they can do that they could not do before. These may include the right to vote and to marry without having to ask for permission. The ages that these things can be done are different depending on where the person lives.

Even after a person reaches the age of majority, there may be other age-based rules that they still have to follow, such as the right to stand for office in elections or become a judge. For example, the youngest a person is allowed to purchase alcohol is 21 in every U. S. state even though the age of majority is 18 in most states. The age of majority in the Republic of Ireland is 17, but a person must be over 21 years old to stand for election.

_Emancipation_ is when a child is freed from the responsibility and care of their parents or legal guardians before they reach the age of majority. In almost all places, minors who are married 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.

## List

This is a list of the age of majority in various countries (or administrative divisions):

**Age 16**
- Cuba
- Kyrgyzstan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Scotland

**Age 17**
- North Korea

**Age 18**
- All countries of the European Union (with exceptions as listed)
- Albania
- Afghanistan
- American Samoa, United States
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Angola
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil (though one may vote at the age of 16)
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Canada (provinces of Nova Scotia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan)
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Croatia (16 if minor marries or has a child)
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Dominica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- France
- Gabon
- Germany
- Greece
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea (minors are emancipated upon marriage)
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iran
- India
- Indonesia (minors are emancipated upon marriage)
- Ireland
- Italy
- Israel
- Isle of Man
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kenya
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- North Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Paraguay (minors are emancipated upon marriage)
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland (minors are emancipated upon marriage)
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland (14 if parents agree)
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- United Kingdom, (except Scotland)
- United States, (Exceptions: AL, IN, NE, NJ, 19;  CO, MS, NY, PR, 21)

- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe

**Age 19**
- Canada (provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon)
- South Korea
- United States, (Exceptions)
- Alabama,
- Indiana,
- Nebraska,
- New Jersey

**Age 20**
- Denmark (incl. Faroe Islands and Greenland, minors are emancipated at 18)
- Finland (minors are emancipated at 18)
- Iceland (minors are emancipated at 18)
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Norway (minors are emancipated at 18)
- Taiwan
- Thailand (minors are emancipated upon marriage)

**Age 21**
- Bahrain
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Egypt
- Eswatini
- Honduras
- Lesotho
- Madagascar  (minors are emancipated upon marriage)
- Namibia
- Singapore
- United States, (Exceptions)
- Colorado, * Mississippi, * New York, * Puerto Rico

## Related pages

- Age of consent