Legal Age

[Chookgate]

Starting my first new thread on the new forum - hope I do it right!

After picking up my 18 year old son after his boozy night out (at 3.30am! - he doesn't know how lucky he is!) I started wondering about legal ages for doing things in the UK and US, here's a few for the UK, what are the US and other countries equivalents?

16 Girls can have sex
16 Get married (with parental consent)
17 Can drive a car
18 Can drink alcohol
16 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc
18 Can vote
21 Can stand for parliament

[aAnubiSs]

in Sweden:
at:
15: Sex for everyone!
16: Can start to drive with supervisor.
18: Everything, except certain bars that want another age - usually 25 male 21 female or 20 male 18 female. SystemBolaget(the only place you can buy wine, boose and beer - not counting resturants and bars/clubs)
20: SystemBolaget.

So after 18 you can do anything, but drink for yourself, for that you have to go out and spend a million.

[Chookgate]

in Sweden:
20: SystemBolaget.


What's SystemBolaget - a type of store?

[Penance]

(the only place you can buy wine, boose and beer - not counting resturants and bars/clubs)


i think this sums it up.

[Teal'c]

Picking up? My god, I make sure I don't come home for as long as possible after "boozing" :P I went to a pary last Friday and got home at 4pm the next day :P

Anyway, I think they're all the same as the UK here, except I don't know about smoking, it was 16 here until a few years back when they changed it to 18. And clubs and pubs can choose whatever lower age limit they like (And of course the bouncers can then just say "nah, that's fake" it you have ID :P)

[daxterdd]

Far different in the US.

18 Can have sex legally (If you're underage no charges are filed as long as your partner is no more than 2 years younger/older than you)

18 Get married (can get married younger than that with parental consent though. Actual age limit varies by state)

16 Can drive a car (most places. Some states go 15 some go 17)

21 Can buy alchohol. You can legally drink it home at 18)

21 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc

18 Can vote

18 Can buy cigarettes and porn.

[airdish]

not true but close

18 Can have sex legally (If you're underage no charges are filed as long as your partner is no more than 2 years younger/older than you)
only if parents know and they are like 16 or something


16 Can drive a car (most places. Some states go 15 some go 17)
this is true. but in some farm states you can drive work machines with out an ID. So you could drive a 24 ton turbine down I-35 if you wanted to

21 Can buy alchohol. You can legally drink it home at 18)
still illegal to drink at home if you are 18- but who is going to know

[Major Clanger]

16 Girls can have
er... I think you'll find boys are allowed to have sex at that age too... but then, I could be wrong.

also for the UK
18 - legal age of consent for male homosexual sex, I think

and may I say how lovely you are for picking up your son!

[Chookgate]

Picking up? My god, I make sure I don't come home for as long as possible after "boozing" :P I went to a pary last Friday and got home at 4pm the next day :P




Yeah, he's done that before - I think that was his original intention, but his mate's mum threw him out!

[Chookgate]

er... I think you'll find boys are allowed to have sex at that age too... but then, I could be wrong.

They can indeed have sex at 16 (and 15, 14, 13 - don't think there's a minimum age for boys)


18 - legal age of consent for male homosexual sex, I think
I thought it was 21?
and may I say how lovely you are for picking up your son!

Thank you, I am aren't I

[Major Clanger]

I thought it was 21?
Didn't they change the law recently?

[Coz]

Didn't they change the law recently?

It used to be 18 for homosexual sex then they brought it down to 16 so it was in line with heterosexual sex laws.

[Penance]

Didn't they change the law recently?
yeah, i think it was changed around 2000 or something.

[angsty_otaku]

legal ages...
driving in nys is now going up to 18 unless you take your road test before sept. 2004 then it'll be 16...i should take the test soon...i've had that permit for a year and it's been a year since driver's ed...woops... that means i should learn to parallel park again :eek: darn it...*curb curb curb*
drinking age is still at 21...
is there really a legal sex age? hmm how about abstinence until marrige...>.< right...
voting at 18...oh man that's next year for me...i want to vote in november :mad: *shakes fist*
isn't marriage 18? eesh...

[susancvny]

legal ages...
driving in nys is now going up to 18 unless you take your road test before sept. 2004 then it'll be 16....

you can still drive at 16 in nys - there are just more restrictions than before

[daxterdd]

They can indeed have sex at 16 (and 15, 14, 13 - don't think there's a minimum age for boys)

Well that doesn't seem right. :>/

[Madeleine]

In the UK

16 - in a restaurant, pub or club you can buy wine, beer or cider, if you're having a meal.
14 - can drive certain vehicles if you have a disability
16 - can drive tractors
12 - can buy a pet

[Shipperahoy]

You have to be a certain age to buy a pet? That's interesting. What doesn't make any sense to me is that here you only have to be 18 to sign up for the military and fight and die for your country and you also only have to be 18 to vote and affect changes in the government but you have to wait until you're 21 to buy alcohol. I don't get the logic of that.

[Brianamarie]

Far different in the US.

18 Can have sex legally (If you're underage no charges are filed as long as your partner is no more than 2 years younger/older than you)

Actually, if I remember correctly, this also varies from state to state. Some states, it's 17, others it's 16. http://www.ageofconsent.com/ageofconsent.htm has a list of ages by country and state.


And I thought gambling was 18? *double-checks* Ah, another state-dependant law.

Now, as far as government offices go, let me see if I can remember.. it's been awhile since I learned this in high school.

18 -- vote
25 -- run for congress
35 -- run for president (had to double-check google, I knew it was in the 30's)

[Geekyred]

And I think if you're so inclined you can join thr army, fight and die for your country at 17 in the UK. But of course you can't vote for a government that might send you to war until you're 18. Never quite understood that one.

[Spaceminx]

It used to be 18 for homosexual sex then they brought it down to 16 so it was in line with heterosexual sex laws.
Actually, I think it was 21 but they brought it down to 18.

[Major Clanger]

And I think if you're so inclined you can join thr army, fight and die for your country at 17 in the UK. But of course you can't vote for a government that might send you to war until you're 18. Never quite understood that one.
Actually, you're not allowed to be sent into combat or posted overseas until you're 18... which doesn't stop you dying for your country so it's still stupid.

As for the 21 thing in the States for alcohol, I find it incredibly silly. Either raise the other ages, or lower that one.

I really should check out the legal age stuff here in Germany, but i'm too lazy. Any Germans out there willing to help me?

[Wordsmit2]

What doesn't make any sense to me is that here you only have to be 18 to sign up for the military and fight and die for your country and you also only have to be 18 to vote and affect changes in the government but you have to wait until you're 21 to buy alcohol. I don't get the logic of that.

Until 1968 you had to be at least 21 to vote. The big impetus to change it to 18 seems to have been the Korean War although people didn't think seriously about it until the early 1960s. (And of course it takes a few years to ratify a Constitutional amendent.)

Americans have not yet contrived a compelling reason for teenagers to buy alcohol.

[Champos]

<< It used to be 18 for homosexual sex then they brought it down to 16 so it was in line with heterosexual sex laws. >>

I could very well be wrong but I thought they'd considered changing it to 16, but in the end had decided to leave it as it was.

<< What doesn't make any sense to me is that here you only have to be 18 to sign up for the military and fight and die for your country and you also only have to be 18 to vote and affect changes in the government but you have to wait until you're 21 to buy alcohol. I don't get the logic of that. >>

Maybe it's to stop you from legally getting drunk for the first time, and signing up all on your eighteenth birthday!

<< And I think if you're so inclined you can join thr army, fight and die for your country at 17 in the UK. But of course you can't vote for a government that might send you to war until you're 18. Never quite understood that one. >>

Again, I might be wrong, but I think the usual consensus is you can join up, they try not to send you to war until you are at least eighteen. That said, I know a guy who was sent off to Iraq straight after basic training, but he was eighteen.

[Anthro Girl]

16 Girls can have sex
...

So, at what age can boys have sex? ;)

As others have stated, in the US an 18 year old can smoke, have sex, buy porn, vote, join the military, and build a permanent criminal record (preferably not all at the same time). If they survive all that for three years - and these days it could be the voting that kills ya - then they can start drinking alcohol.

Driving ages for permits, licenses and driving with/without an "adult" present vary by state. Sex under the age of 18 (for either boys or girls) isn't an issue unless one of the partners is above the age of 18 or older than 2+ years. So...a 35 year old can't have sex with a 14 year old, but s/he can marry him/her in some states and THEN have sex. Gotta have those priorities right... :rolleyes:

Of course, this varies by culture. What some Western cultures may consider "too young to marry", other cultures may not.

[Anthro Girl]

What doesn't make any sense to me is that here you only have to be 18 to sign up for the military and fight and die for your country and you also only have to be 18 to vote and affect changes in the government but you have to wait until you're 21 to buy alcohol. I don't get the logic of that.

Have you ever been at a nightclub with 18 year olds? Then you'd understand. :D Just kidding...you're right, it doesn't make sense. The drinking age in the US used to be a state decision - and many states had 18 as the minimum - until 1984, when the feds tied compliance with the 21 age to interstate highway funding. States didn't have to raise it, but if they didn't they got no road money. Even now, states vary on whether it is a crime for someone underage to either possess or consume or both. There are exceptions for the 21 age in the case of medical reasons (oh yeah...explain that one to me), religious ceremonies or for possession for employment purposes (wait staff).

Not that this has to do with age, but in the state of California, you can smoke marijuana if you have a doctor's note and there are "clubs" where you can purchase it for medicinal purposes, but generally no one is allowed to grow it, transport it or otherwise be in possession of it for the purposes of transporting or selling. Apparently, medicinal marijuana just *POOF* appears. :rolleyes:

[aussie_gal]

Ok well in australia is

17 both Girls and boys can have sex
16 Get married (with parental consent)
16 Can drive a car
18 Can drink alcohol
18 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc
18 Can vote
21 Can stand for parliament


Its depends on which state you are in ages are different this is for south australia

[Tauri]

Ok well in australia is

17 both Girls and boys can have sex
16 Get married (with parental consent)
16 Can drive a car
18 Can drink alcohol
18 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc
18 Can vote
21 Can stand for parliament


Its depends on which state you are in ages are different this is for south australia
At 16 they only get a Learner's Permit to drive?

[sueKay]

In Scotland (we're a wee bit different from the rest of the UK in some things)

14 - Can drive a moped, scooter or motorbike. Can have speed/powerboat lessons.
15 - can get piloting lessons. Can live away from home bot not own a home.
16 - Are legally adult. Can have sex, can get speed/powerboat license. Can get pilot's license. Can get married without parental consent.Can be a home-owner.
17 - can get driving lessons and provisional, and once you've passed your test can have full license.
18 - can drink.

[Mr Prophet]

They can indeed have sex at 16 (and 15, 14, 13 - don't think there's a minimum age for boys)

There isn't a minimum age at which girls can have sex, either. It's a crime to have sex with a girl who is under 16, specifically, rape; consent, if given, is vitiated by the girl's presumed incompetence to give such consent on grounds of age. The girl in question has done nothing wrong; not legally, anyway.

If the girl is under 13, the man involved is looking at a life sentence.

An exemption exists for couples who are foreign visitors who are legally married in their native country.

The same applies to anyone who has sex with a boy under 16, only - as under British law you can't rape a male - the crime would be indecent assault. The same would be true of a woman who had sex with an underage girl (women can't legally commit rape, either); there's no formal age of consent for lesbian sex, but it's still indecent assault.

[Brianamarie]

Ok well in australia is

17 both Girls and boys can have sex
16 Get married (with parental consent)
16 Can drive a car
18 Can drink alcohol
18 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc
18 Can vote
21 Can stand for parliament


Its depends on which state you are in ages are different this is for south australia

So, at 16, they can get married, but not have a wedding night? :eek:

[TechnoWraith]

In the UK
12 - can buy a pet

:eek: So in the UK, if you're 10, and you buy a pet, they can arrest you? :eek:

I don't think there's a legal age limit for buying a pet here in the US. I could be mistaken.

[galaxy]

I really should check out the legal age stuff here in Germany, but i'm too lazy. Any Germans out there willing to help me?

I try, but I'm not sure.... :S

Germany

14 you can have sex (as long as the person you have sex with is not older than 18)
16 you can have sex with everyone (just theoretically, of course :p )
16 you can buy and drink alkohol (but no spirits..? :confused: )
18 you can drive a car, vote etc.

[Mr Prophet]

:eek: So in the UK, if you're 10, and you buy a pet, they can arrest you? :eek:

Again, I suspect it would be the seller who was arrested; same as if they had sold tobacco or alchohol to someone under the legal age.

[Major Clanger]

I try, but I'm not sure.... :S

Germany

14 you can have sex (as long as the person you have sex with is not older than 18)
16 you can have sex with everyone (just theoretically, of course :p )
16 you can buy and drink alkohol (but no spirits..? :confused: )
18 you can drive a car, vote etc.

Thanks, that was pretty much what I expected.

Except for having sex with everyone - I know you're a permissive lot, but really!!! :eek:

[sueKay]

Oh! I forgot to mention

You can vote from the age of 18 in the UK

One thing I really can't fathom is this

you can have sex at 16, but you can't visit a sex shop until you're 18...

...I wonder which one of the above carries a higher risk for young people????

[Mr Prophet]

Oh! I forgot to mention

You can vote from the age of 18 in the UK

One thing I really can't fathom is this

you can have sex at 16, but you can't visit a sex shop until you're 18...

...I wonder which one of the above carries a higher risk for young people????

Well, one of the biggest sex shops in London is Lovecraft in Soho.

Ia Ia, Cthulhu ftagn!

[couchpotatergater]

My nephew, Ben, is 19 & doing work experience for a year in Denver & it's been a real shock for him not being able to drink over there. He knew the law, but assumed that it would be like in England, where if you look the right age they'll serve you. No such luck! He's just been back to Brum for a visit to quench his thirst (& see his family of course :p )
I think it's a bit much in the US, expecting people to wait 'til 21 for a drink when you can have sex, drive, go to war, get married etc. Ben says it's to do with the amount of drink related RTAs. Maybe it'd be better if drinking was lowered to 18 & driving was raised to 21! Might help cut pollution ;)
Seriously though, I do think the US has got the right idea with ID to get served alcohol. The UK ought to do the same, 18 should mean 18.

[sueKay]

In most places in my area, you have to show ID to buy most things.

I can't get served in pubs or clubs as I don't have ID.

It does get a bit ridiculous though.

One day, my dad was out walking the dog, and my mum was dying with the flu. She sent me out to get her a beechams powder. The people in the shop (despite knowing me) wouldn't serve me until I provided proof of age. I had to go back home, get a wage slip and my national insurance number, then walk back down and show them both.

I can only get served alcohol in one place, despite the fact they know I'm only 17. They'll only serve me if I'm in with my parents or some people from work. I wouldn't chance it if I wasn't!

[Dani347]

Isn't the legal age for drinking also a state by state law?

[Taonas]

In Canada most of the legal age requirements are the same as the US, except for the drinking age (18, everywhere not just at home).

[VirtualCLD]

There are other little things that have age requirements as well. I believe buying model rocket engines has an age requirement, depending on the size of the engine, certain power tools can not be sold to minors (one thing I can think of is a nail gun that uses special .22 calliber shells to drive the nail into concrete), and of course getting a firearms permit. :D I'm actually not sure what the age requirements are with any of those things, but I'm sure it varies from state to state here in the US. I know the the UK doesn't have an age requirement for owning a firearm, b/c they don't need to worry about that. ;)

[Mr Prophet]

There are other little things that have age requirements as well. I believe buying model rocket engines has an age requirement, depending on the size of the engine, certain power tools can not be sold to minors (one thing I can think of is a nail gun that uses special .22 calliber shells to drive the nail into concrete), and of course getting a firearms permit. :D I'm actually not sure what the age requirements are with any of those things, but I'm sure it varies from state to state here in the US. I know the the UK doesn't have an age requirement for owning a firearm, b/c they don't need to worry about that. ;)

15 for a shotgun, 21 for anything else (including an air rifle). There are also stringent requirements for the storage of firearms; if you want to keep a weapon on your premises the police have to approve your gun safe and other security measures.

[Shipperahoy]

I did find out the other day that legally stores aren't supposed to sell diet aids to minors. By this I don't mean Slim-Fast or meal replacement bars I mean diet pills. I don't know if that's just in California or if it's a nationwide thing. And I don't think it's very strongly enforced but I saw a sign at the check-out counter at the Rite-Aid earlier this week and it said that they're required by law to determine anyone buying diet pills is of legal age.

[aussie_gal]

At 16 they only get a Learner's Permit to drive?

Oh yeah sorry forgot to say that

[Tauri]

No probs

[LoneStar1836]

In Louisiana, we had some stupid loophole that I believe allowed you to buy alcohol at 18 but couldn’t legally drink it until 21 according to federal law. I’m not sure about the details. Anyway there was some kind of loophole that allowed 18 yr olds to get alcohol until 1995 when it was removed and 21 is the legal limit to purchase and drink.

LSA R.S. 93:13 makes it illegal for anyone to buy alcoholic beverages for anyone under the age of 21 years except for a parent, guardian or spouse of the person under 21. So according to this Louisiana law you can drink at home if under 21 if a parent or spouse over 21 buys it for you. Go figure. :rolleyes:

Btw, I don’t drink and have never touched the stuff even though I’m 26, but the loophole rumor use to always float around high school.

[Capt. Rivet]

15 for a shotgun, 21 for anything else (including an air rifle). There are also stringent requirements for the storage of firearms; if you want to keep a weapon on your premises the police have to approve your gun safe and other security measures.

Here I think you can buy some rifles at 18 (.22 cal... there may be others, I haven't looked into it though) But in order to buy handguns or obtain a concealed carry permit you have to be 21. I'm assuming 21 is the legal age to buy assault rifles as well but I'm not entirely sure... I can't find anything on it (The laws governing assault weapons in Ohio are extremely vague... or so it seems.)

[DragonGate]

Isn't the legal age for drinking also a state by state law?

Possibly, but someone said earlier that the Federal government forced states to put 21 in place by tying it to interstate highway funding. And states need that money.

[Lightsabre]

Well that doesn't seem right. :>/

In Australia, the age of consent for both sexes is 16.
The difference is, no one cares about boys having sex.
There was a 31 yr old teacher here who recently got caught having sex with a student. The sentence? 3 years, fully suspended, changed on appeal to 3 years with 6 months served, the rest suspended.
THe teacher was a woman, the student a boy.
Reverse it, and it's a much bigger crime.

Other aussie ages.
16-sex
18-drinking, voting, gambling, gay sex(boys and girls)
21-big party.

[Lightsabre]

So, at 16, they can get married, but not have a wedding night? :eek:
No, 16 is the age of consent. I think SA may have changed there's, but it's 16 everywhere else.

[Laros]

Canada (specifically Alberta) has some odd limits

Drive with Adult: 14

Drive on your own: 15

Teach someone else to drive: 17

Sex: Too complicated. Parental consent is 16 I think (might be 14) partner can't be 2 years older than you until you're 19 (might be 18). Some other rules too. I wasn't realy paying much attention when I heard the numbers.

Everything else (except parliament): 18

In Manitoba (at the little side-road resteraunt I went to anyway) you can drink at any age as long as you have parental consent.

[SlytherinGal]

i live in the US and it is 18 to vote and enlist in the military, at least 14 or 15 to work (at least here) and 21 for everything else, oh and 17 for R movies and 18 to legally get married...thank gods i am 25. oh and one more thing, at 18 we can buy cigs and lotto tickets (like scratch tickets and powerball) but 21 is for any video gambling and poker and such.


as for driving, learners permit at 14...drive (but not past 8pm) at 15...actual lisence at 16 (no restrictions)

[TrustNo1]

12 To have sex as long as it's within two years.
16 To have sex with anyone except under 14.
18 to buy alcohol and cigarettes
18 to gamble
16 for learner's permit
18 for probationary licence
21 for full licence
14 for gun licence
16 to own gun
16 to join defence force 17 for air force I think
14 and 9 months for job
18 to vote
18 for porn
21 for police force

[shovar]

In Britain you can own and use a shotgun at 14, but you can't buy until you're 18?

And you can get a crossbow at 17 and use it.

[newtrekker]

Ok well in australia is

17 both Girls and boys can have sex
16 Get married (with parental consent)
16 Can drive a car
18 Can drink alcohol
18 Can gamble - lottery, low jackpot fruit machines etc
18 Can vote
21 Can stand for parliament


Its depends on which state you are in ages are different this is for south australia

Well in Queensland it's:

16 for sex
16.5 for learner's permit
17 Drivers' licence
18 Drink Alcohol
18 Gamble
18 Vote
18 Smoke

I'm not sure about standing in parliament though.

[Dorka]

Switzerland:

with 18 you're an adult just like a 50 year old ;)

but til then:
16 you can buy beer and wine
18 cigarettes
18 driving licence for car
16 driving licence for autocycles
18 vote

about sex... I think you can officially have it with 14 but not with someone who's already 18...but that's not really a big topic over here ;)

[Wolf Eire]

In Ireland

Age of consent for sex: 17
Age for smoking or alcohol: 18
Age for voting: 18
Age for driving: 17 for a provisional licence (cannot drive at night, on motorways or unaccompanied by a person with a full licence), 18 for a full licence
Age for gambling: 18

[jebus]

In the us (well some of these are specific to NY)

14 - can work
16 - can drive
18 - can vote, can serve in army
19 - can smoke
21 - can drink

[rac76]

^I thought that it was 16 to work with working papers, and then 18 with no limitations. That's what I remember when I lived in Jersey, and that's how what I think how it is here in Georgia.

I could be wrong, things change like crazy.

18 to get your full driving license in Jersey (my brother was the last group to get his license at the old age requirement of 17-they change it around 2001).

16 to get your full license here in Georgia-some members of the state congress and some parent groups want to change this and make it older. I agree with making it older-have more time taking driving lessons and more practice. The ruling againist changing the age is for the ones that live in the middle of nowhere (i.e. south Georgia), the ones that what to change the age live in and around metro-Atlanta.

[CatGoddess]

Forgive me if I repeat other posts.

In the US, some laws are set on the federal level, but many are reserved for individual states to decide.

18 to vote - this is federal.
21 to drink - this is technically decided by the states, but the federal government will withhold road funding for any state that does not set a minimum age of 21, so all states did so about 20 years ago.

18 to smoke - I believe this is set by the states individually, but all states have the same smoking age.

Driving ages are set by state. Where I live:
- 16 to get a learner's permit
- 16 + passing your road test to get a junior license. A junior license means that in some areas you may drive alone during the day; in others you must have a licensed parent or driving instructor in the car.
- 18 to get your full license, or 17 if you took a driver ed program through your high school.

Sex/age of consent laws are also set by the state. Where I live, you are free and clear to have sex with whomever you like (same or opposite sex) once you're 16. You can get married at 18, or at 16 with parental consent.

Working age is also set by the state. Where I live, you can work certain limited jobs at 14, and fewer limitations are set at 16. You must have parental permission to work if you're under 18, and there are laws that prevent employers from demanding that you work too many hours on a school day or that you work during school hours.

[jebus]

In New York, the smoking age is 19

[Arative]

Marriage laws also vary state to state as well

For instance Nebraska requires people to be at least 17 before they can marry. State law also prohibits people 19 or older from having sex with those under the age of 16.

In Kansas there is no minimum age for marriage in Kansas, but state law requires anyone under 18 wanting to marry to have permission of both parents or a guardian. If there's no parent or guardian, permission from a judge is required. There was a case that a 22 year old took his pregnant 14yr old girlfriend, with parental consent from Nebraska to Kansas to get married, of couse now he's being charged with sexual misconduct, which he really should have been.

Some states allow underage people to get married as long as the bride is pregnant, without parental consent. Just case in Kentucky or Tennesse, where a 35 yr old woman married a 15 or 16 yr old because she was pregnant. I think she's being charged as a pedophile.

[CatGoddess]

In New York, the smoking age is 19

I stand corrected. It seems there are a few states that set the smoking age at ages higher than 18. I don't pay attention to smoking ages, as I don't smoke and I am somewhat older than 18 anyway.