Age Based Legal Rights - Age 16
Age Based Legal Rights - Age 17
Age Based Legal Rights - Age 18
Age Based Legal Rights - Age 19
The age of majority in British Columbia is 19 years old. That’s the age when someone legally becomes an adult and can do things like vote in an election. However, there are some things that young people can do before they legally become an adult.
Young people in British Columbia gain the legal right to perform specific activities at different ages. The table below provides a quick summary of aged-based rights for youth.
|
Age |
Right or Responsibility |
|---|---|
|
5 |
Attend school |
|
12 |
Name change with permission of parent(s) |
|
12 |
Consent needed for adoption |
|
12 |
Able to work with consent of parent/guardian |
|
12 |
Age of consent if partner is less than 2 years older |
|
12-17 |
Responsible for crime - protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act |
|
14 |
May be sentenced for crimes under adult law |
|
14 |
Donate organs/tissues for medical purposes |
|
14 |
Age of consent if partner is less than 5 years older |
|
16 |
Able to work without consent of parent/guardian |
|
16 |
Leave school |
|
16 |
Able to write a will |
|
16 |
Marry with permission of parent(s) |
|
16 |
Apply for own passport |
|
16 |
Get a driver’s licence with permission of parent(s) |
|
16 |
Age of consent |
|
17 |
Join the armed forces with parental consent |
|
17 |
Able to donate blood |
|
18 |
Vote in a provincial or federal election |
|
18 |
Able to run in an election |
|
18 |
See a restricted/adult movie |
|
18 |
Entitled to full minimum wage |
|
19 |
Enter a binding contract |
|
19 |
Get married (without parent’s permission) |
|
19 |
Get a driver’s licence (without parent’s permission) |
|
19 |
Drink/Purchase alcohol |
|
19 |
Age to gamble |
|
19 |
Buy lottery tickets |
|
19 |
Join the forces without parental consent |
|
19 |
Minimum age required to adopt a pet from SPCA |
|
19 |
Leave home (without parent’s permission) |
|
19 |
Age to receive a credit card in BC |
|
19 |
Buy cigarettes |
|
19 |
Sue or be sued on your own |
|
19 |
Name change (without parent’s permission) |
|
no legal age |
Babysitting |
|
no legal age |
Consent to health care treatment depending on maturity level |
|
no legal age |
Getting tattoos or piercing |
|
no legal age |
See school records |
|
no legal age |
Testify in court |
|
no legal age |
Single parents can sign up for social assistance |
|
no legal age |
Consume alcohol at home, if supplied by parent(s) |
|
no legal age |
Protection from age-based discrimination |
In this section, you can learn about age-based legal rights for the following activities: