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 child. The law in a given place may never actually 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.
Overview
Once a person reaches the age of majority, there are some things they can do that they could not do before. These may include buying stocks and marrying 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 all U.S. states 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.
Countries and subdivisions
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 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