Age of Majority by State 2026

The age of majority is defined as the age that a person is considered a legal adult.

A person that has reached the age of majority is legally held responsible for their own actions, such as signing a contract or committing a crime. Before reaching this age, a person is considered a minor child.

The age of majority is different from the age of consent, which is when a person can legally consent to a sexual relationship. The age of majority also differs from other legal ages, including voting age, driving age, and marriage age.

In most states in the United States, the age of majority is 18 years old. However, this is not the case for every state. A total of 47 states plus Washington, D.C., have laws that set the age of majority at 18 years old. Remember, this is different from the age at which a person can consent to sexual relations, get married, vote, drive, or gamble. These ages vary by state and jurisdiction.

For the age of majority, only three states have ages that differ from 18. Alabama is the first state. In Alabama, the age of majority is 19 years old. Another state with an age of majority higher than 18 is Nebraska. Like Alabama, the age of majority in Nebraska is 19.

Mississippi has the highest age of majority in the U.S. The age of majority in Mississippi is 21 years old.