Majority Age - Info by Matt Cole

The majority age, also known as the age of majority, refers to the legal age at which a person is considered an adult and gains full rights and responsibilities in society. It signifies the transition from childhood to adulthood and varies across different jurisdictions. The majority age is also legally the age at which a juvenile can be prosecuted as an adult.

Upon reaching the majority age, individuals typically gain the right to vote, enter into contracts, marry without parental consent, make decisions about their own medical treatment, and engage in other activities that were previously restricted to minors.

The majority age is determined by laws and is often set at 18, although it can vary in some places. This legal milestone recognizes an individual’s increased maturity, independence, and capacity to make informed decisions, and it comes with a range of legal privileges and obligations.

The majority age plays a crucial role in defining a person’s rights and responsibilities in various aspects of life, including legal, social, and financial matters.

DEFINITIONS OF AGE MATRIX TERMS:

Age of Criminal Responsibility/Majority – Age which any offense automatically subjects an individual to adult court jurisdiction.

Age Juvenile Case Can Be Transferred to Adult Court – Minimum age in which a juvenile can have their case transferred and be prosecuted as an adult.

State	Civil Age of Majority	Age of Criminal Responsibility/Majority	Age Juvenile Case Can Be Transferred to Adult Court	Maximum Parole Age	Maximum Probation Age
Alabama	19	18	14 with a juvenile court hearing; 16 direct file for class A felonies	21	21
Alaska	18	18	16	N/A No juvenile parole in Alaska	19
Arizona	18			18	18
Arkansas	18	18	14	21	21
California	18	16	16	N/A	25
Colorado	18	18	15	21	Open–If a person commits a crime as a juvenile, and are not adjudicated on that crime until they are an adult, they will be placed on Juvenile Probation regardless of their age.
Connecticut	18	18	15	N/A – Effective 7/1/18, delinquency commitment was removed from statute as a disposition for adjudicated delinquents, thereby eliminating juvenile parole in Connecticut.	Court may place adjudicated delinquent (<18 at time of offense) on sprvsn with/without residential placement, to exceed 18 mos. May be extended no more than 12 mos. Total sprvsn not to exceed 30 mos. Max prob. age varies if juvenile adjudicated after 18.
Delaware	18	ranges between ages 14-16 depending on the specific charge	14	21 (aftercare)	21
District of Columbia	18	18	16	N/A	21
Florida	18	16	The juvenile offender must be at least 14 years old.	21	19
Georgia	18	17	13-17 for certain offenses	21	21
Hawaii	18	18	On/after 16 and alleged to have committed act that would constitute felony if committed by adult under certain circumstances. Minimum age on/after 14 & alleged to have committed act that constitutes a felony if committed by adult. See HRS 571-22.	20	20
Idaho	18	18	Generally 14 but for certain offenses in Idaho Code 20-509 (murder, rape, arson, etc.) there is no minimum age	No juvenile parole in Idaho	21
Illinois	18			21	21
Indiana	18	18 for all criminal offenses; 16 for certain felony offenses (see IC 31-30-1-4)	Upon waiver motion by prosecutor and finding of juvenile court: 12-16 for certain major felony offenses; no minimum age for felony offense and previous felony or non-traffic misdemeanor conviction (see IC 31-30-3)	21	21
Iowa	18	18	14	18	18
Kansas	18	10	14	23	23
Kentucky	The Juvenile Code does not contemplate a minimal age of criminality. Ten (10) is the minimal age for secure detention of a juvenile unless it is a capital offense. Must be at least thirteen (13) years of age in order to be declared as a JSO.	The age of 18 triggers adult court jurisdiction.	Must be at least fourteen (14) years of age., under circumstances outlined in KRS 640.010. Contact ICJ Office for more information.	There is no age or offenses for parole eligibility. Youth can be committed up to the age of 18 to DJJ. If the youth is 17.5 years of age, then for a period of up to one (1) year. Youth can have the commitments extended up to the age of 21 if independent	Youth can be probated to DJJ for up the age of 18 or if youth is 17.5 years of age- up to 1 year.
Louisiana	18			21	21
Maine	18	18	No minimum age for a bind over to adult court.	21	21
Maryland	21	14 for 1st Degree Murder and Rape, but normally 16	14 for 1st Degree Murder and Rape, but normally 16	21	21
Massachusetts	18	18	14	18 or 21 (if indicted as Youthful Offender)	18
Michigan	18	18	14	N/A Michigan does not have juvenile parole	21
Minnesota	18	18	14	21	21
Mississippi	18	18	13	20	20
Missouri	18	18	Generally 12 but for certain offenses in Missouri Code 211.071 (first degree murder, second degree murder, forcible rape, forcible sodomy, etc.) there is no minimum age	19	21
Montana	18	18	12	18	21
Nebraska	19	18	14	N/A	19
Nevada	18	18	13	21	21
New Hampshire	18	18	15	18	21
New Jersey	18	18	A discretionary and presumptive waiver can be used for youth age 15 and older that meet statutorily-delineated offense criteria set forth in NJ SA 2A:4A-26.1	There is no maximum parole age in NJ. Persons granted parole must serve their entire term regardless of the their age upon completion.	There is no maximum probation age in NJ. Persons adjudicated on an offense committed while a juvenile must satisfy the terms of the adjudication regardless of their age at sentencing.
New Mexico	18	18	14	21	21
New York	18	18	13	21	21 with transfer to adult probation
North Carolina	18	18	13	21	19
North Dakota	18	10	14 or older for serious offenses (Murder, Attempted Murder, Gross Sexual Imposition by force or threat of force, or kidnapping). A juvenile can ask for a voluntary transfer to adult court if both the juvenile and the parents agree.	20	20
Ohio	18	18	14	21	21
Oklahoma	18	18	13 to 15 (for Murder I)*some age 13-14 can become Youthful Offender Cases	19	19
Oregon	18	18	15	25	23
Pennsylvania	18	18	Automatic certification to adult court if murder. 15+ with the commission of certain crimes with a deadly weapon. 15+ charged with certain crimes and who have previously been adjudicated delinquent of certain crimes. Prosecutor can file motion to certify.	NO PAROLE FOR JUVENILES	21st Birthday
Rhode Island	18	18	No age limit if charge punishable by life imprisonment. 16 if charge is another felony. If under 16 with felony charge, youth may be certified to serve sentence in juvenile facility until age of majority & may transfer to adult facility or adult probation	N/A No Parole	19
South Carolina	18			21	18
South Dakota	18	18	16	21	21
Tennessee	18	18	Depends on offense	19	19
Texas	18	17	14 for capital murder, agg controlled substance felony, or first degree felony; 15 for 2nd degree, 3rd degree, or state jail felony	19	18 (19 for Determinate Sentence Probation cases)
Utah	18	18	14 and charged with murder, or attempted murder, or aggravated murder, or attempted aggravated murder	25	25
Vermont	18 years old	19 years old	Between 16 and 19 years of age if a felony not in the Big 12 list; Between 12 and 14 years of age if a Big 12 offense	n/a	22 years old for youthful offender supervision; 20 years and 6 months for juveniles who were 18 years old at the time of their offense
Virgin Islands	18	18	14	No juvenile parole	19
Virginia	18	18	14	21	21
Washington	18	18	12	25	21
West Virginia	18	no minimum	14, rebuttable presumption to be incompetent if under 14 years of age	N/A No Parole	21
Wisconsin	18	17	Any state criminal law violation age 15; certain offenses or circumstances age 14.	25	19
Wyoming	18			N/A No Parole	21

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