Of legal age

The age of majority , rarely also referred to as majority or majority , is the age from which a natural person is legally considered to be an adult . Sometimes the more general term “maturity” is used for it.

Germany

In Germany (since January 1, 1975) the age of majority is attained with the completion of the 18th year of life, § 2 BGB . This gives the natural person full legal capacity and at the same time receives the right to stand as a candidate at the municipal and federal level ( Article 38 (2) sentence 1 of the Basic Law ). At the state level, the age for eligibility in all states is 18 years. The right to vote for federal acquires a person, regardless of the determination of age, with the completion of the 18th year ( Art. 38 , para. 2 GG). Under criminal law , a person between the ages of 18 and 21 is considered to be an adolescent , to whom juvenile criminal law or general criminal law can be applied depending on the individual case .

Adults of legal age may also:

• marry without the permission of their custodians or the family court ,
• Legally conclude contracts without legal guardians, e.g. rent your own apartment,
• buy, own and consume high-proof alcohol and tobacco products ,
• take part in games of chance such as the lottery ,
• stay in places that are harmful to young people (night bars, night clubs),
• Consume writings that are harmful to minors

See also : List of age groups in German law

history

In France, a law of September 20, 1792, reduced the age of majority for most of the country from 25 to 21 years. On April 16, 1806, a few months after the founding of the Kingdom of Württemberg , the rule of majority of 25 years, as it had previously applied in Old Württemberg , was extended to the newly acquired property, as there were partly different regulations. In many other regions of Germany, too, the age of majority continued to come at the age of 25 in the first half of the 18th century.

In Württemberg , the law of 30 June 1865 reduced the age of majority from 25 to 23 years.

In the German Reich the age of majority was set at 21 years by a Reich law of February 17, 1875 (entered into force on January 1, 1876). This was preceded by the law on the age of majority of December 9, 1869, in which the future German Emperor Wilhelm I reduced the age of majority for his Kingdom of Prussia from July 1, 1870 to 21 years.

Since January 1st, 1900 this has been regulated by § 2 BGB with the same content. Furthermore, § 3 stipulated that the civil status court could award persons who had reached the age of 18 years of age, so that these rights and obligations accordingly arose earlier.

In the German Democratic Republic , the law on lowering the age of majority of May 17, 1950, which came into force on May 22, 1950, reduced the age of majority to the age of 18. As a result, all persons in the GDR who were born between May 22, 1929 and May 22, 1932, came of age on May 22, 1950.

Before 1975 young people in the Federal Republic of Germany came of age at the age of 21. The “Law Regulating the Age of Legal Age” of July 31, 1974, which came into force on January 1, 1975, reduced the age of majority to the age of 18. As a result, all persons in the FRG who were born between January 1, 1954 and January 1, 1957, came of age on January 1, 1975.

Austria

In Austria , the age of majority ( § 21 ABGB ) was reduced by law on July 1, 1973 from 21 to 19 and on July 1, 2001 from 19 to 18 years. However, you are entitled to vote at the age of 16. In Austrian law, the age of majority must be distinguished from the age of majority (here, in particular, the age of criminal responsibility is meant). According to Section 21 (2) ABGB , minors in Austria reach these at the age of 14. Anyone who has already reached the age of 18 but not yet the age of 21 is criminally considered a young adult in accordance with Section 1 no. 5 JGG, to whom the Youth Court Act applies.

Age requirements higher than the current age of majority apply e.g. B. for the passive eligibility as Federal President , for the steering of dangerous goods transports or the piloting of commercial aircraft ; lower ones for amateur radio , driving a bicycle , a motorbike , a light motorcycle .

Liechtenstein

The age of majority in Liechtenstein is reached by exceeding the age limit set by law. From this point in time, a natural person is fully the bearer of rights and obligations in the company. The age limit in Liechtenstein is also 18 years for participating in political rights.

Reaching the age of majority coincides with reaching full legal age, provided that a person has not been completely or partially incapacitated (§§ 270 ff ABGB ) and is therefore not in a position to legally dispose of their own assets. A distinction must therefore be made between reaching the age of majority and coming of age in Liechtenstein.

Switzerland

In Switzerland , the age of consent has been 18 years since January 1, 1996 according to Art. 14 ZGB . Before it was 20 years.

The age of majority or eligibility to vote fell to about 1848, particularly in the rural community - cantons along with the age of the defense capacity, so she was between 14 and 18 years. However, this special feature did not exist in the former city-cantons. For example, in the canton of Glarus in 1830 every over 16 year old was a member of the Landsgemeinde (Landmann), in Appenzell Ausserrhoden every 18 year old, in Graubünden every 17 year old, in Valais every 18 year old.

Many political communities organize young citizens' celebrations for Swiss citizens who come of age.

United States

In the United States , age of majority is determined by the federal , state, and territories . In most states and territories and where federal law applies, it is under 18 years of age. Special regulations exist in:

• Mississippi , Pennsylvania , Puerto Rico : Legal age at the age of 21
• Alabama , Nebraska : Age of majority at the age of 19
• Arkansas , Ohio , Tennessee , Utah : of age at the age of 18; for young people who are still attending high school at this point , but only when they graduate
• Nevada , Wisconsin : Age of majority at age 18; for adolescents who are still attending high school at this point in time, but not until they are 19

Other countries

Of age with

16

17th

18th

18 and 19

19th

20th

21st

According to the New York Convention on the Rights of the Child of November 20, 1989, the age of majority begins at the age of 18, unless the law applicable to the child occurs earlier. National laws provide for the age of majority:

Country	Of legal age with
Afghanistan	18th
Egypt	21st
Albania	18th
Algeria	19th
Angola	18th
Argentina	18th
Armenia	18th
Azerbaijan	18th
Australia	18th
Bahamas	18th
Bahrain	21st
Barbados	18th
Belgium	18th
Bhutan	18th
Bolivia	18th
Bosnia and Herzegovina	18th
Brazil	18, eligibility to vote at 16
Brunei	18th
Bulgaria	18, eligibility to vote at 16
Burundi	21st
Chile	18th
Taiwan	20th
People's Republic of China	18th
Denmark	18th
Germany	18th
Djibouti	18th
Dominica	18th
Dominican Republic	18th
Ecuador	18th
El Salvador	18th
Ivory Coast	21st
Estonia	18th
Fiji	18th
Finland	18th
France	18th
Gabon	18th
Gibraltar	18th
Greece	18, until 1998: 17
Guatemala	18th
Guinea	21, previously at marriage
Guyana	18th
Honduras	21st
Hong Kong	18th
India	18th
Indonesia	18th
Iran	15 lunar years for men, 9 for women, eligibility to vote and driving license at 18
Ireland	18th
Iceland	18th
Israel	18th
Italy	18th
Jamaica	18th
Japan	20, from 2021: 18
Yemen	16
Cambodia	18th
Cameroon	21st
Canada	18 years: Alberta , Manitoba , Ontario , Prince Edward Island , Québec and Saskatchewan .
	19 years: British Columbia , New Brunswick , Newfoundland and Labrador , Northwest Territories , Nova Scotia , Nunavut and Yukon .
Qatar	18th
Kenya	18th
Kyrgyzstan	16
Colombia	18th
Republic of the Congo	18th
Croatia	18th
Cuba	18th
Laos	18th
Lesotho	21st
Latvia	18th
Lebanon	18th
Liechtenstein	18th
Lithuania	18th
Luxembourg	18, previously at marriage
Macau	18th
Malaysia	18, voting rights from 21
Malta	18th
Mauritania	18th
Mexico	18th
Moldova	18th
Monaco	18 until 2002 21
Mozambique	18th
Namibia	21, 18 years is discussed due to legal uncertainties
Nepal	16
New Zealand	20th
Netherlands	18th
North Korea	17th
North Macedonia	18th
Norway	18th
Oman	18th
Austria	18, right to vote from 16
Pakistan	18 in men, 16 in women
Panama	18th
Paraguay	18th
Peru	18th
Philippines	18th
Poland	18, previously at marriage
Portugal	18th
Puerto Rico	18th
Rwanda	18th
Romania	18th
Russia	18, partly 16
Saudi Arabia	18th
Sweden	18th
Switzerland	18th
Senegal	18th
Serbia	18th
Seychelles	18th
Sierra Leone	21st
Zimbabwe	18th
Singapore	21st
Slovakia	18th
Slovenia	18th
Spain	18th
St. Kitts and Nevis	18th
Sudan	18th
South Africa	18th
South Korea	19th
Swaziland	21st
Syria	18th
Tajikistan	17th
Tanzania	18th
Thailand	20th
Trinidad and Tobago	18th
Czech Republic	18th
Turkey	18th
Tunisia	18th
Turkmenistan	16
Ukraine	18th
Hungary	18th
Uruguay	18th
Uzbekistan	16
Venezuela	18th
United Arab Emirates	21 lunar years (equivalent to 20 years and 4 months)
United States	18 if federal regulations are applied, otherwise 18, 19, 21
United Kingdom	18, in Scotland 16
Vietnam	16, eligibility to vote at 18
Belarus	18, until 2006: 16
Cyprus	18th

See also

• Marital status
• Seijin no hi
• Seongnyeonui Nal

Web links

Wikisource: Law regarding the age of majority. From February 17, 1875. (Germany)  - Sources and full texts

Individual evidence

1. ^ Report on the assessment of the draft of the first section of the civil code for the Grand Duchy of Hesse elected committees of the first and second chambers , Leske, Darmstadt 1846, p. 386, full text in the Google book search
2. ↑ August Ludwig Reyscher (Ed.): Complete, historically and critically processed collection of the Württemberg laws. Fues, Tübingen 1839, volume 7, part 4, p. 2, full text in the Google book search
3. ^ The new judicial legislation in the Kingdom of Württemberg. Official hand edition. JB Metzler, Stuttgart 1874, Volume V, Part 1, p. 160, full text in the Google book search
4. ^ Paul Stoepel: Prussian Law Codex. An authentic impression. Supplement 1868-1869. Frankfurt 1871, full text in the Google book search
5. ^ GDR law on lowering the age of majority of May 17, 1950, GBl, p. 437.
6. ↑ BGBl. I p. 1713
7. ↑ Online textbook on civil law, Chapter 4, A.II.5
8. ↑ The age of criminal responsibility in Austria is reached at the age of 14 ( § 4 Juvenile Court Act - JGG). Minors (0 to 14 years of age) "who commit an act that is threatened with a penalty are not punishable" ( Section 4 (1) JGG )
9. ↑ Art. 29, Paragraph 2 of the State Constitution (LV): "In state affairs, political rights are available to all nationals22 who have reached the age of 18, who have their normal place of residence in the state and who do not have the right to vote." Art. 111 LV: " In community matters, all nationals residing in the community who have reached the age of 18 and are not entitled to vote and have the right to vote are entitled to vote. "
10. ↑ Art. 14 ZGB
11. ↑ Status of treaties - ratification status from the CRC. UN Treaty collection , accessed on March 19, 2019 . 
12. ↑ up to May 1, 1990 21; since 18 (Article 488 of the Civil Code )
13. ↑ since July 5, 1974 (loi no 74-631). From 1792 to 1974, the age of majority was 21.
14. ^ The Civil Code pf the Islamic Republic of Iran. (PDF) p. 112 , accessed on September 12, 2016 (English, Article 1210, Note 1). 
15. ↑ asia.nikkei.com ( Memento of the original from October 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
16. ↑ Sandra Grauschopf: Age of Majority in Canada by Province. What is the Age of Majority in Each Canadian Province? In: contests.about.com. About, Inc., September 11, 2016, accessed January 29, 2017 . 
17. ↑ canadaonline.about.com (Engl.)
18. ^ Art. 476, Civil Code
19. ↑ Loi n.1.261 du 23/12/2002 abaissant à dix-huit ans l'âge de la majorité civile. Princier Governorate, Principauté de Monaco, December 23, 2002, accessed October 15, 2016 (French). 
20. ↑ PDF at www.lawreform.gov.na  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
21. ↑ www.lac.org.na
22. ↑ Age of Majority Act 1970 No 137 (as of September 3, 2007), Public Act
23. ^ North Korea fact sheet
24. ↑ www.pcw.gov.ph ( Memento of the original from December 29, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
25. ↑ Polish Civil Code (kodeks cywilny), Art. 10 § 2, p. 1.
26. ↑ www.youthpolicy.org
27. ↑ www.youthpolicy.org
28. ↑ www.youthpolicy.org
29. ↑ minors.uslegal.com
30. ↑ www.youthpolicy.org

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