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I plan on leaving home at 18 to another state, could the cops force me to go home or do I have the right to live on my own?
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Hello there, thanks for reaching out.
In most states, the legal age you become an adult also known as the majority age is 18. However there are a few states with older majority ages such as Mississippi, Nebraska, and Alabama. To make sure that you can legally leave at 18, you might look up your current state's majority age. You want to look up the majority age in the state you are currently in, the state where your parents would attempt attempt to contact to the police to list you as a runaway. If your state's majority age is 18, you cannot be forced to return home after leaving regardless if you leave the state or not. If you are considered a legal adult, police will not take a runaway report for you and you have the right to live on your own. You might leave a note or contact your parents without letting them know where you are to tell them that you are safe, just so they do not think you have been abducted or something bad has happened to you and try to report you as a missing person.
Please do not hesitate to call or chat if you have additional questions or if you need any support. We are here 24/7.
Best,
NRS
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What if I am 18 ( the age when i'm considered an adult in my country ) and i want to run away from home in another country where 18 is still the legal age of adulthood. Can my parents do something about it? Can they bring me back ?Comment
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Hi there,
It takes a lot of courage to come forward about issues that you are having in life. It sounds like you’re having difficulties if you’re trying to run away from home and to another country, and we definitely understand the gravity of your situation. Unfortunately, we are a resource that is only familiar with laws in the United States. We would not be able to comment with any degree of certainty if it is illegal for you to leave home to another country at your age. You may wish to see if there is a runaway hotline that serves your nation, and you may also wish to contact your local police with these questions if you believe it is safe to do so.
In the meantime, best of luck
-NRS
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Is it considered running away at 18 in OklahomaComment
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Hello there, thanks for reaching out.
No, you would not be considered a runaway at 18 in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, 18 is the majority age or the age you are considered to be a legal adult. You do not need permission to move away from your former legal guardian and can make your own life decisions.
Please call or chat if you would like to talk more about your situation.
Best,
NRS
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My boyfriend is leaving an abusive household. He is 17, but his legal majority age is 19. can he still not be reported as a runaway since our laws state anyone over 16 cant be reported?Comment
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Hi there,
Thank you so much for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. I’m really sorry to hear about the situation that your boyfriend is in – it’s good of you to want to help him and to reach out to us.
First, we’d encourage your boyfriend to reach out to the National Child Abuse Hotline. They can be reached over the phone at 1-800-422-4453 or online at childhelp.org. This service can be very helpful for your boyfriend in a number of ways. If your boyfriend is interested in reporting the abuse, this service can help with that. Additionally, there should be resources at your school (e.g., counselors, social workers) who can also assist with reporting abuse. Nobody should have to live in an abusive environment.
We are not legal experts and do not know the specifics of the laws of your state, but in our experience, if a youth is a minor, then running away is considered a “status offense.” A status offense is not a crime, it is something you cannot do because of your age, on par with smoking a cigarette. If your boyfriend does run away, his legal guardians would be obligated to file a runaway report. If your boyfriend runs away and the police find him, there would most likely not be any serious legal consequences for your boyfriend. If the police did find him, it’s difficult to predict what might happen after that, given the abusive situation at home.
At the National Runaway Safeline, our priority is to keep youth safe and off the streets. We’d encourage you or your boyfriend to utilize some of our other services. First, we have a telephone hotline that you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). We also have a chat service that is available through our website daily from 4:30- 11:30pm CST. We will be best able to assist you or your boyfriend through one of these services.
Finally, your support, friendship, and guidance will be very valuable to your boyfriend. Please keep supporting him as you have been. Thank you again for contacting us. Take care.
-NRS
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Hello im going to be 18 next month, i live in florida but i have been thinking about running away to another state for months, my dad is verbally abusive and has an addiction for marijuana and sometimes cocaine, my mom has been trying to just deal with it and she always says she'll divorce him one day but its been 7+ years of this and its really stressing me out. To the point that i have dropped out of high school a couple weeks ago and i get anxiety sometimes as well, he has also stressed my mom out sometimes shes not herself and she'll get upset with me for making simple mistakesand recently she think my dad has the capability to cheat on her and she has me practically spy on him for her while shes working and it drives me insanse cause she texts me just to tell me to ask or find out where my dad is, i also dont think tjeyll tdo tjerapy and counseling so im waiting till im 18 to just leave to a friend in another state but i have no money or transportaion so im stuck, i dont know what to do anymore, i want out asap.Comment
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Hi there, thank you for contacting us. It sounds like living with your parents has gotten pretty tough with your dad’s addiction and your mom’s getting stressed out from dealing with it. This all can have a big effect on your happiness there.
You mention turning 18 next month and wanting to leave home to live with a friend in another state. Leaving home can be a big step, so it is understandable if that may be intimidating. Once you turn 18, you will legally be able to leave home without parent permission. However, supporting yourself is not always that easy. Sometimes people pick up a part-time job to save up some money for transportation to move. Maybe your friend in another state can help secure you a job there for when you move. Picking up a job may also keep you out of your home longer, which can help you deal with your parents.
Other people find it helpful dealing with family by talking with a friend or other adult. This can be a teacher, school counselor, or aunt/uncle who you feel comfortable talking with. We are also always available to talk with you, if you ever wanted to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health hotline also may be helpful to talk with if you call 1-877-726-4727.
We appreciate you reaching out to us. We hope that these ideas are helpful and look forward to talking with you more if you need. Best of luck and take care.
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Hi I am 18 years old , I lost both my parents last year and I'm in a home that i do not want to be in. I want to run away but i do not know what to do? I'm lost in my own thoughts, I have a safe place to go but I'm still in school and trying to finish my metric year , the people I'm living with are treating me horribly and i cant handle stress . I have been through alot the last couple of years I'm wishing that i can receive help. My parents that passed away didn't leave me with anything. My school is paying my school fees i got a bursery by the school so i do not have to worry about school fees but i have to worry about my needs should i run away to my aunt who can help or should i stay and be abused mentally?Comment
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Hello, Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have been having a rough year and you would like to start somewhere new. It is understandable that after the loss of your parents you would be stressed and the added mistreatment from the people you are staying with now, most likely didn’t help.
While we are not legal experts but to our knowledge in most states the age or majority is 18. (Nebraska 19, Alabama 20) This means that you are legally responsible for yourself and your guardians can no longer control what you do and where you go. On the other hand your guardians are no longer required to provide you with food, shelter, or financial assistance anymore.
You mentioned that your school is paying for itself, but if you move would you still be able to go to the same school? We understand that becoming an adult is a big step and we want to make sure that you know that you are supported during this time. It could also be a good idea to talk to your aunt about your plans to move with her. We say this because she might not be able to take care of you fully which is why you have the guardians you have now.
Additionally, if you ever need a safe place to go, we also can provide you with various resources for agencies in whatever area you are in to best help during this difficult time. You must be an incredibly resilient person to have endured all of this. We provide free, confidential, and nonjudgmental services. Everyone deserves to be respected and loved. 1-800-786-2929
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Hello. I’m 19 years old and have a 4 month old daughter.in Virginia the legal age it 18. My fiancé lives in England. My family refuses to let me get a job, borrow their car, or have someone pick me up. They also tell me what I can and can’t do with my daughter.... how can I leave....Comment
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Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you’re frustrated with your situation at home, not being able to have freedoms. It’s tough to feel trapped in a place, where you’re tired of the way things are going.
Since you're a legal adult (being 19), you are able to live with your fiancé. Your family has no legal control over you. If you feel like you or your daughter’s safety is at risk, you are always able to call police. Your family cannot hold you, or your daughter, against your will. It may be a safe idea to start safety planning around when you are going to leave. Maybe starting to pack you and your daughter’s belongings, and finding a time where you can leave without your family noticing right away, could be a smart start?
Again, we’re glad you reached out to us. If you want to talk further about your situation, you can chat with us or give us a call any time.
Stay safe, NRS
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I'm 18 and live in Alabama I know I can't move out until I'm 19 in Alabama but what if I went to another state where there legal age is 18 could my dad do anythingComment
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Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’ve been going through a tough time, but we are here to support you and help you in any way we can.
We’re not legal experts here at NRS, so we can’t say for sure what would happen if you went to a different state. You could consider calling your local nonemergency police department to ask about their policies on runaways. We also have legal aid resources that could answer specific questions about the law.
There are also many resources that could help you find a safe place if you’re in need, talk through what’s been going on, or help you with anything else you may need. If you want to talk more about what’s been going on, or if you would like more information about resources, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us online.
Again, thank you for contacting us. It sounds like you’ve been going through a hard time, but you’ve shown a lot of strength by working through these challenges and reaching out for help. If you ever need anything in the future, please feel free to call us or chat with us online. We’re always here to listen and here to help.
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i am 17, i plan on moving out when i am 18, to another state as soon as i graduate. i will be in a safe and stable environment. the age of majority in both where i am leaving to and where i am from is 18, i've done my research. i understand that my parents cannot file a runaway report.. but i am concerned that my father will get around this by coming to find me himself and bring me home which is a hell to me. since i will be 18, if he tries to force me home or inflict physical harm or emotional abuse on me like i believe he will since he often does, what can i do ? what if he doesn't inflict harm but insists i come home and just tries to find me and force me back home.. am i able to get a restraining order against him ? what are my options ? i truly fear this will happen when i leave so i'd like to know what i can do to prevent it. thank you so much.Comment
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Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out, it sounds like you’re concerned that your father will try to make you come home if you leave when you’re 18. We hope that we can help you out in this difficult time.
We’re glad you’ve done your research, as it shows that you’ve already started planning for your safety and well-being for when you leave home. We are not legal experts, however, and the information we provide is only general. Laws where you live may vary slightly. If your father tries to force you to return home with him and you are no longer considered a minor in your state, you may be able to call the police. For instance, if he comes into your home to try and make you return home with him, then he may be trespassing. If he inflicts physical harm in trying to return you home, you may also call the police. For a second opinion on what rights you have in that situation, we recommend you call your non-emergency local police. They should also be able to answer questions you have about restraining orders. We are able to help youth call out to the police – just call us at 1-800-786-2929.
We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think
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Im 18 And Wanna Runaway From Home and Want To Start A New Life as a whole different person somewere from were i reside , What do i do when i have no money or a job ? Like were do i start from scratch At ?Comment
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Hello there -
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. Thanks for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline with your concerns. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline and posting on our public forum. By helping you during your crisis, hopefully there are other youth that are in similar situations can read this for help as well. Since you are 18 years old, you are not considered a runaway and you are free to leave home without any consequences or fear of being brought back home.
If you don't have a way to support yourself, it might be helpful to look into youth shelters or TLP programs in your city and state. So what TLP does is it offers a comprehensive services to young people between the ages of 14 to 24 who are unstably housed or experiencing homelessness at their current time. They provide tools that youth need to thrive. Things like stable housing, employment and education opportunities, primary and mental health care, lasting connections with caring adults, and/or the skills to live a healthy and independent life. Another good website for you to look into would be “Homeless Shelter Directory” because it will show you all the available places that you can reach out to. Take a look and see what resources fit your needs (https://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/).
Now “Job Corps” is a great resource if you’re looking to get some experience in learning more about a specific career/trade, gain skills that you will need later in life, and find and keep a good job with those skills you have learned by creating a personal career development plan with the staff members. Most centers even have campus-like settings with dormitories that you can live in while you work towards graduating the two year program. So it sounds like something that, if you’re really committed to will help set you up for a bright and independent living. So to talk to someone in person about getting into the Job Corps program you can find the closest center by finding your state (http://www.jobcorps.gov/centers.aspx) or call their national number to talk to someone over the phone (1.800.733.5627).
Hope this information helps!Last edited by ccsmod8; 03-13-2018, 03:06 PM.
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I am 18 and in my state this means that I am of age to leave home on my own terms. My parents are very controlling and abusive so running away seems like the option to go for. I have been considering how I prepare to leave a lot lately and I have a few questions.
What should I take with me as far as documentation? (birth certificate, id etc)
My phone and devices can be tracked by my family. So is it a good idea to perhaps erase the info on them and sell them?
Is it suitable for me to leave a note explaining that I have run away for my family so they do not file a missing person report?
Anything else I should bring or prepare?
I'd like to live in a share house as I study at uni. Would you reccomend this?
Thanks heaps,
MikiComment
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Hey Miki,
Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. Since you are 18 you are considered a legal adult which means that you can move out if you want to and you won’t be considered a runaway. As a legal adult, you have a right to make your own decisions about where you live. We can help you make a plan for how to deal with your situation and help you find resources to land on your feet. Having a plan for where you will live and how you will survive once you move out can be very helpful. Moving is a huge step, and you don’t have to be alone. Some steps you can take towards independence might be to find employment if you don’t have an income, or to save up money for moving expenses. It is also helpful to research rents in your area, find a roommate, or make a budget. Another thing you might want to consider is what kinds of things you depend on your parents for currently such as tuition expenses for school, or health insurance, and whether they would continue to provide those things after you leave. There may be social service agencies in your area that can help meet some of these needs, such as Transitional Living Programs, a kind of shelter where young adults can live and get services to help them transition to independent living. We are here to listen and help however we can. Please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email. or live chat if you have any other questions or just want to talk.
We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey:.https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_thinkLast edited by ccsmod2; 04-06-2018, 12:56 AM.
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Hello, I'm 20 years old, living with my mother and brother who both take advantage of me. I'm disabled, and she threatens to get that taken away from me. I am also high functioning autistic. She won't let me go anywhere but the food shelf and work. If I run away, and live with a "Special friend" can she call the cops and have them take me home?Last edited by ccsmod4; 04-19-2018, 01:16 AM.Comment
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Reply:Hello, I'm 20 years old
Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS).
We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.
We are sorry to hear that you are going through a hard time living at home with yur mother and brother. You do not deserve to be treated unfairly.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. Now since we do not have enough information about your legal independence status this could vary. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
If you would like to talk more in detail please reach out to NRS.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRSPlease remember you can reach us directly by calling our 24 hour hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or through our Live Chat.
National Runaway Safeline
[email protected] (Crisis Email)
1-800-RUNAWAY (24 Hour Hotline)
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I am 18 and i am Sick of My mom!!!!!! She is very controlling!!!! She wont let me do anything!!! Help me!Comment
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Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. After reading your port we have found that this a similar situation to other post that we have received. We have attached our reply to that post here. If you have any further questions please feel free to give us a call 1-800-786-2929
Originally posted by ccsmod4 View Post
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I’m in foster care voluntarily but I’m 18 and I want to sleep at my sisters house can the cops arrest me I love in MinnesotaComment
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