Moving out at 17

[Acdc16]

Hello I'm 16 and I was wondering if legally at the age of 17 if I can move out without my parents or the police being able to do anything about it. I have heard about things like I can move out but my parents can keep my stuff because they bought it... is this true?

 

[army judge]

Hello I'm 16 and I was wondering if legally at the age of 17 if I can move out without my parents or the police being able to do anything about it. I have heard about things like I can move out but my parents can keep my stuff because they bought it... is this true?

As a minor, you have no stuff.

The stuff you are allowed to use, by your generous, benevolent, loving parents; is also owned by those wonderful parents!

I'm sure most parents want their children to move out by age 13, if not sooner.

However, your parents are legally responsible for caring for you until you reach the age of majority.

You'll hear many things by the time you die.

Most of those things are nothing but rumors, innuendo, gossip, or outright lies.

In Missouri, the juvenile court terminates its jurisdiction over minors that reach age 17.

At age 17 in Missouri you will be charged as an adult for any and all crimes that you might happen to commit.

That's how rumors get started.

But, your parents are responsible for you until you reach the age of 18.

Should you decide to take off to live with "Mr. Him Say Him Loved Me", age 46, married, three time convicted child molester, lifetime sex offender registrant, never worked in the last 25 years; the cops might not make it a priority to look for you; but "Mr. Him Say Him Loved Me" and you could eventually get snatched up. Then there would be more trouble for you both.

That said, here is the age of majority in Missouri, and cites for the relevant, controlling statutory authority for obtaining such majority.

http://icpcstatepages.org/missouri/ageofmajority/

http://contests.about.com/od/sweepstakes101/a/agemajoristate.htm

 

[cbg]

In your state a loophole in the law makes law enforcement reluctant to return a 17 year old home if he is safe and his parents know where they are. That is not the same as saying that you can legally move out. The age of majority in your state, as in almost all others, is 18. That means that in your state, and in almost all others, the age at which you can LEGALLY move out is 18. (Before you get any ideas, in those few states where the age of majority is not 18, it is 19. In NO state is the age of majority younger than 18. That means that in NO state can you legally move out at 17.) "Reluctant" is not, "prohibited". And yes, your parents can do something about it even if law enforcement won't.

Yes, your parents can keep your "stuff". Until you reach the age of majority, you are a minor and you do not own anything that your parents do not permit you to own.