What Are the Laws on Teenagers Leaving Home

Many teens wonder what are the laws on teenagers leaving home. Some of these teens fight with their parents often or rebel against tough restrictions, making the idea of leaving home enticing.

Adolescence is tough on both teens and parents. Many teens have dozens of arguments with their parents and feel restrained by lack of freedom. However, for some teens, these arguments with their parents turn into extreme battles and they look for a way out by leaving home. The following are a few other reasons why a teen may leave home:

• Abusive parents or relatives
• A strained relationship with other members of the household
• The lure of excitement that living outside of his/her parent's house brings
• A friend living away from his/her parents
• The desire for more freedom
• Drug abuse

While this is only a brief list of reasons why a teen may want to leave home, many teens forget there are laws in place dictating whether or not they can legally leave. Teens thinking of leaving home should find out what are the laws on teenagers leaving home before going through the process themselves.

Laws differ by state, but most states agree on the laws regarding teens leaving home.

• For teens under the age of 16, it is not legal to leave home. At this age, teens' parents are fully responsible for them. Teens will be returned to their parent's home if they try to leave and are found by the authorities. Since teens must also legally attend school at this age, it is generally foolish to try to leave home at this age.
• Many 17 year olds feel they can leave their parent's home because they are able to decide not to continue with school (though, in many states, parental consent is still required). A teen is not an adult until 18 years old and parents can file a police report if their son/daughter runs away. According to Chapter 63 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, law enforcement agents are required to bring a teenager back to his/her parents if found.
• For teens 18 and up, it is legal to leave home without parental consent. At this age, teens are considered to be adults and are no longer forced to live under their parent's rules. Many teens are still in high school at this age and it is their decision if they would like to continue attending high school. At this age, teens can also legally lease an apartment, which makes the decision to leave home much easier.

A teenager who is 16 years or older in the United States can consider legal emancipation. This legal procedure declares a teen to be an adult and is generally only granted in dire situations. For emancipation, a teen must meet certain criteria:

• Be married
• Have an apartment
• Have separate finances
• In the Armed Forces

It's important to know that courts rarely grant emancipation.

Are you interested in how other countries view teens leaving home? The following are some tidbits about their laws:

• In Australia, parents are responsible for a teenager's behavior up until age 18--even if the teen runs away or moves out.
• A teen can legally move out of his/her parent's home with consent in the United Kingdom at the age of 16.
• Some countries legally penalize a teen for running away from home.

While every home has its problems, few are ever bad enough to leave. Make sure to carefully weigh the pros and cons of leaving home and make sure that the law is on your side. It is much easier to think about making a decision than it is to make the wrong one.

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