Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

[Unregistered]

I've made some pretty bad decisions, and because of that my life at home has become a living hell. Don't get me wrong there is no abuse, and they give me pretty much whatever I want, but all of the material things don't matter to me. Its my senior year, I have a 3.8 gpa, 4 college credits already and I want a good future for myself. My boyfriends family is willing to let me live with them, even said they would pay 150 dollars for guardianship papers because they want to make sure I stay in school. But my parents wont let me talk to him. They are threatening to send me to some boot camp if I continue to see him. I want to leave, but I'm scared I'll get his family in trouble and if the police takes me back home, I'll be shipped off for sure. I want to know if in Michigan, I can move out without my parents consent, and if Im at school if they can come and force me to go with them?

[ccsmod11]

Re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Hello,

It sounds like you are going through a tough time at home right now. You said that your boyfriend’s family is willing to let you live with them. What is going on at your house that makes you want to leave? Have you talked to your parents about how you’ve been feeling, and if you did, how did they respond? Generally speaking, someone under the age of 18 is a minor, so if you do leave home without your parents’ permission and they file a runaway report, you will be classified as a runaway. In this situation, your boyfriend’s family could be charged with “harboring a runaway” if the police found you staying there, which is a legal offense. If you are still a minor, your parents have legal guardianship of you so they have the right to try to force you to go with them if they came to your school. It seems like you are going through a difficult time with your parents. One thing you might want to consider is talking to someone about what’s been going on. Have you thought about family counseling, or talking to another family member you trust? It’s understandable that you would be upset and afraid about your parents’ reaction to you moving out. If you would like to talk more, please call us at our hotline number 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat us from 4:30-11:30 CST at www.1800runaway.org. Thank you for reaching out to us, and good luck.

-NRS

[Unregistered]

In the state of Michigan, at 17 you can legally move out. I know from experience. My friend was sick of her home and moved in with one of her friends. Her parents called the cops and they didn't pick her up or anything because she was 17

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out and providing support. It sounds like your friend has some experience with this and it’s great that you are providing input for others in similar situations. Unfortunately, we aren’t legally trained here so we don’t know for sure but it is our understanding that if a youth is under 18, they are still considered to be a minor. This can vary from county to county too so contacting the police may be more helpful in finding out for sure. Another thing that sometimes has an effect on it is whether or not a person has a juvenile record. Again, the police would be better equipped to answer those questions. If you would like to call and talk with them, please give us a call here at anytime; we are completely confidential and anonymous. Our 24 hour hotline number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) but we also have online chat services that are available from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST), 7 days a week if you would like to talk with us that way instead.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck!

~NRS

[Unregistered]

???

My boyfriend lives with three of his friends they live in a house they are all old enough and capable to support themselves they all are really good people they dont do drugs or anything bad. And i want to move in with them but im only 17 i dont have a horrible life just depressed at home alot and im really just a built in babysitter because my mom has three toddlers i dont mind babysitting but i cant be their mother... i have a job but am doing online schooling, can i legally move out without having to pay a ton of money right now?

[ccsmod8]

re??

Hi and thanks for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like home life is upsetting right now and that you aren’t happy with the role that you are in having to take care of your siblings. That must be really frustrating to not have more freedoms and to be treated like a baby sitter. Have you tried talking with your mom about how life at home is causing you to feel depressed? It’s great that your boyfriend is a healthy person in your life and that you are able to talk with him.

While we are not legal experts at NRS, we can tell you that in most states you are a minor at the age of 17 and probably would not be able to move out without your mom’s permission. Is there any chance she would allow you to live outside the home if you talked about it? One thing you can do is contact your local police department through the non-emergency line and ask about laws in your area. You can also call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY 24 hours a day and we can talk about other options you might have.

Take care,
NRS

[ashten803]

Moving out

Hi, I'm sixteen years old and I'm turning 17 in December. I've gotten in a lot of trouble over the past few years with my parents, nothing illegal just trouble at home. I don't live with my dad anymore only my mom. My dad doesn't know that I've been dating this boy either I've kept it a secret so I wouldn't have to hear him yell at me about it. I have a boyfriend who is turning 20 on the 15th of October he is enlisted in the army and is about to go to western Michigan university. He wants to find an apartment and have me move in with him. I am taking online classes on my own and I'm enjoying it very much. I was wondering if I am able to move out at the age of 17 without parents permission? Also is it legal for me to buy a cell phone and pay for it without them taking it away from me at the age of 17? Do they still have rights to control what I can and Can't do at the age of 17 or no?

[ccsmod7]

Reply: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Thanks so much for reaching out in regards to your situation. It sounds like you are considering leaving your home but you are trying to get information on what legally could happen. While we are not lawyers here and cannot give you specific legal information we can certainly talk through this situation with you. You mentioned that you are turning 17 in December and that is when you are planning to go and live with your boyfriend. If you did end up leaving do you think you would stay in contact with your family or let them know you are safe? It’s good to hear you have a safe place to go if you do decide to leave. While the age of majority in most states, when you can leave home without permission, is 18; we often hear that in Michigan they consider youth adults at the age of 17 which means your parents may not be able to make a runaway report or make you return home if you leave after that age.

One option may be to contact a non emergency line for the police in your area to see how they would deal with the situation. Because they are the ones that would make a runaway report or respond to that they would be able to tell you specifics for your area. If you would like to discuss your situation more in depth please feel free to contact us anytime. You can reach out through our 24 hour hotline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We also have a live chat that is available from 4:30p to 11:30p CST. All of our services are completely confidential and anonymous. There is always someone to listen. Take care and best of luck with everything.

[White Wolf]

Im just bout 17

Im just about 17 and im tired of life at home! i live in Michigan and ill be 17 next thursday. My best friend's parents told me that i could go ahead and live with them if ever need be. but they live in Indiana!! What do I do????!!!!!

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you are difficult situation right now and it was very brave of you to contact us. Hopefully we can provide you with some resources that may be able to help you out but we are completely non directive so we wouldn’t be able to tell you what you should do.

You mentioned that you are about to turn 17 and no longer want to live at home. Can you tell us more about what’s making you feel that way? It’s great that your friend and their family are so supportive of you; sometimes that can be the most important thing when we are feeling stressed out and frustrated. Is there anyone else that you feel comfortable talking with when you start to feel this way?

Now we aren’t legally trained here so we can’t tell you what would happen if you were to leave home but we may be able to give you a general idea of what could possibly happen. Generally speaking, if a youth is under 18 and they leave home without a parents’ permission, the parents’ may have the option of filing a runaway report with the local police department. Running away is generally considered to be a status offense, which is something that you can’t do when you are under 18 so if the police were to locate you, they may either take you home or take you to the police department. Another thing that may happen is that your parents may have the option of pressing charges of harboring a runaway or contributing to the delinquency of a minor against your friends parents if they find out where you are staying; again, since we aren’t legally trained we wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly what would happen if your parents chose to do this.

Here at the National Runaway Safeline, we are a confidential and anonymous hotline for youth. You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you would like to talk more about what’s going on or if you would like to discuss what options may be available to you. You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our online chat services from 4:30 PM-11:30 PM (CST), 7 days a week.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck!

~NRS

[Unregistered]

17 Michigan Parent. Can I move out?

I am 17 and live in Michigan (kalamazoo county). I have a one year old daughter. I live with my parents, however, there is a past of abuse and my home life is horrible! I am constantly yelled at an so is my baby. i am still in high school therefore I have no job right now. My boyfriend is wanting me to move in with him to get me away from here. Is there any way I can move out before high school is over?

[ccsmod11]

RE: 17 Michigan Parent. Can I move out?

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you are going through a hard time and are in a potentially dangerous situation. If you are experiencing any physical abuse or feel that you or your daughter at home, we are available 24/7 to help you file a police report or talk you through the process. You can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

You mentioned that you are considering living with your boyfriend. It is important to keep in mind that in Michigan, the age of majority is 18 meaning your parents could file a runaway report if you ran away. With that said, we have also heard that some local police won’t take runaway reports at age 17 since you are so close to the age of majority. One option is to call your local police station anonymously and ask them this question. You might want to phrase it like “How would you respond to a 17 who left home without permission? Would you accept a runaway report? Would you actively search for the 17 year old?”

If you decide to leave before school is over, the police may search for you at school. That might be a bit of information that is helpful to you.

If you are considering running away, please feel free to call us at any time or contact us through our chat system (4:30-11:30pm CST) through our website (www.1800runaway.org) so we can help make sure you stay safe and know your options. We want what is best for you and your daughter! Good luck.

Team NRS

[~KA]

I'm turning 17 in June. can I move out and in with my boyfriend and his parents with out my parents permission? I live in Michigan and I don't know if I can legally move out

[ccsmod6]

re: Can I move out at 17 without parent consent in Michigan?

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. Michigan is one of the rare states where it is legal to move out at the age of 17. However this will depend on the county where you reside. One of the best ways to get the most up to date information is to contact your local law enforcement nonemergency hotline. Here is an example of how the police in Barry County, Michigan views minors who have reached the age of 17: http://www.barrycounty.org/YSB/MILaw.pdf. You can contact your local police to determine if the same law applies.

We hope the information provided helps. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are available 24/7 and can be reached by dialing 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Our hotline is toll-free, confidential, and anonymous.

We can also be reached via live chat between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST.

Best Wishes
~NRS

[Unregistered]

17 Years old

Hey im about to turn 17 in march and i want to move from standale michigan to brunswick georgia to live with one of my close friends. Not because im being abused or anything like that just at this point im living with my mom in a motel room with her girlfriend and we have been here for 3 years. I have a job and a house and a lot of things waiting for me in georgia and i was just wondering if my friend that im moving in with or i could get in legal trouble for this? i know that in michigan the legal age of minority is 18 but there is a loop hole in there laws that is at 17 you are an adult by the courts standards so can no longer be charged with laws that only apply to monors such as running away, does that apply to moving out of state? I dont think my mother is going to agree to me moving out and im very scared she will call the cops and get the friend im moving in with in trouble or get me in trouble so please respond as fast as you can.