Can I move out 2 months before I turn 18?

[Unregistered]

Im 17 I live in Kentucky and I turn 18 in May. Can I legally move out now and not get arrested? My home is awful, my dad sexually harassed me when I was 12 along with my brother, neither were ever convicted because there wasn't enough evidence against them and my mom is constantly verbally harassing me and degrading me. My home is not a place I'm happy. I have multiple places i could go i just don't want to get anyone in trouble. I don't care if i make my parents mad they don't really care about me anyways they threaten to kick me out all the time but never do and are always talking about how I'm leaving as soon as i turn 18 so am i allowed to go ahead and leave as long as i stay in school. I already have a job and an apartment lined up as soon as i turn 18 i just can't take this anymore.

[ccsmod9]

re: Can I move out 2 months before I turn 18?

Hi,

Thank you for posting on the National Runaway Safeline bulletin board. You're very brave to share your story with us here. It sounds like your home is a really difficult place to be.

You sound like you don't want to make waves in your house by leaving. However, no one has the right to harass and degrade you.

How do you cope with your difficult home situation? We at NRS are not legal experts, but we can tell you that running away is called a status offense, which means that the police may be able to return you home if you leave. It sounds like your situation is really tough and if you do want to run away, we at NRS can help you find a resource like a shelter to stay in. We may also be able to help you find some ways to cope with your difficult family situation.

It seems like you're going through a really tough time. We are here to provide a listening ear and to support you. If you’d like to talk more about your options or about anything else, please call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are available to talk 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. If you're uncomfortable with calling, another option is to chat with us through our website (www.1800runaway.org) from 4.30pm-11.30pm Central Time. We look forward to your call or chat.

Best of luck!

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 and pregnant I'm 5 months and a half I have a job and my dad has full custody over me even though he doesn't live with me I live under my grandpa roof but my dad says he lives here when he doesn't I wanted to know if I can leave because I pay for bills when it's not even my job I'm trying already for my kid but all I get from my dad are phone calls of him talking and cussing at me I live in California and I just wanted to know what I can do because I'm tired of them treating me like crap even when I'm trying to do good they always have something to say

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time right now. It sounds like you are frustrated with your grandpa and dad and don’t feel comfortable living in your home.

Although we are not legal experts here at NRS, we can tell you that until you reach the age of majority (18 in most states), you have to live with your legal guardians. If you choose to run away, your guardian could file a runaway report and if you come into contact with police, you would most likely be forced home.

One option you may want to consider is emancipation. Since you are already taking care of your finances and living apart from your guardian, you could be a good candidate for emancipation, or being legally independent from your guardians.

We encourage you to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY to talk more directly about your situation and plans for the future.

Hope to hear from you soon,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 and will be 18 two months after my daughter is born I want to move out after she's at least two weeks old can I legally move out with out getting in trouble?

[ccsmod15]

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you want to move out and you have concerns about your ability to move out before the age of 18. We’re not legal experts, but from what we understand, running away is not illegal, but it is considered a status offense in some states. If you ran away, your parent or legal guardian would have the option of filing a runaway report with your local police department. If you live in an area where your local police department looks for runaway youth, they would either return you home or ask your legal guardians to pick you up. It may be a good idea to try to talk to your parents about your plans. Especially since you’re so close to turning 18, it may be possible for you to come to an understanding for when you might be able to move out. If you’d like to find out how your local police department handles reports, the best way is to reach out to your local police department at their non-emergency number.

Whatever you decide, know that we are here to support you. We won’t tell you what to do, but we’ll do our best to help you stay safe. You can reach us 24/7 at 1.800.RUNAWAY (786.2929), or via chat every day from 4:30pm – 11:30pm CST. We wish you the very best of luck. Stay safe!

-NRS

[Guest]

Hi i want to get out of my house i turn 18 in two months what can i do i need to leave now

[ccsmod15]

Hi, thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. So without more information, we are limited in the resources we can provide. In most states, 18 is the legal age in which someone may leave the home without parental consent. There are few exceptions to this. So, if you leave without parental consent, your parent or guardian could try and file a runaway report. This means they inform the police than you are gone and if the police do come into contact with you, they will likely try to return you back home. However, not all police departments accept these reports for 17 year olds who are so close to legal age. If you want, you can call and ask anonymously to your local police station, or you can always call us here at 1-800-RUNAWAY and we can call out and ask for you.
If you want more information on the laws in your state you can look here. Not all states have information though: https://www.1800runaway.org/2015/09/...thwestern-u-s/.
You may consider also if there is a friend or family member your parents would allow you to stay with for the next 2 months. You sound like you are really trying to do what’s best for you and we know it can be difficult when you want to leave home for whatever reason.
We are here by phone 24/7: 1-800-786-2929. Feel free to call if you want more resources or want to talk more about your situation. We wish you the best of luck!

[Guest]

Hi,

I'm 17. I will be turning 18 in exactly 8 weeks, 5 days, 5 hours, 58 minute, and 59 seconds. I've been tracking this for about a year now, and I just want to leave my parents' home. Yes, I appreciate everything they've done for me, but I don't feel accepted here, and things have been tense ever since the end of my freshman year. I've been telling myself for 3 years now that I'll leave when I turn 18, but have been scared of the consequences that will come from it. I guess it would make more sense if I just tell you what's been going on, and hopefully that will help with answering my questions.

So, on 03/17/15 I got a girlfriend. I am a girl and come from a Christian home, so obviously, I knew this relationship wouldn't be accepted. So, both my girlfriend and I hid that part of our relationship from both of our parents. We went on like that for almost an entire year, until my parents found out. They immediately, a week before my sophomore year of high school started, took me out of the school I was going to and I was not allowed to contact anyone from my old school. My sophomore year, I was given the choice of going to a another (christian) school or doing online school. I chose online school because I wasn't ready to be "the new girl" at some other school where I knew no one. I spent my sophomore year, sitting on a couch in my living room, staring at a screen for an abnormal amount of hours (due to my ADD), and never had any breaks such as fall break, spring break, and even summer break. I'd wake up, start on school and wouldn't stop until my eyes felt heavy, which would be around 12 A.M. This continued, and finally, Christmas was just around the corner.
(Side note: Not only was all contact from any old friends taken away from me, but the only electronic I was allowed to use was my mother's computer, and only for school purposes)
Once Christmas finally arrived, I had been gifted a Kindle. I'm not going to lie, I thought about contacting my girlfriend multiple times, but I didn't. That is, until it had reached January, and my birthday had just passed. I would secretly check my girlfriend's social media accounts, and by the time my birthday had passed, she had posted many things about me. I missed her more than anything, and decided to try and contact her. So that was it. We were finally talking again. We talked and met up a few times and this went on for about 4-6 months, until I was caught once again. But in those 4-6 months, there are a few times that I worry about now. Example 1:
Once my girlfriend's parents found out that we were talking again, they opened their arms to me and would drive her to meet me places. Yes, they didn't know that she and I were dating at that point, but they knew how important I was to her and vice versa. One day, we planned for them to pick me up and drive not even a whole 5 minutes away to a park by my house. When the picked me up, they never once got out of their car and touched foot onto my property, BUT, they did take me away from home without my parent's consent or knowledge. We were gone for about 15-20 minutes, and then they brought me back home. Could they get in trouble for that if my parents decide to press charges in the near future? (Important Note: This happened about 3 years ago)
Example 2:
Again, my girlfriend and I wanted to meet up. Her dad dropped her off at my house, but she never actually stepped foot onto our property. We stayed in the cornfield, which is owned by one of the local farmers, by my house. Is it possible for her family to be charged with trespassing or anything else related to that?

(I also think it's important to state that I do not have a job, but I do have a plan in set).

Anyways, her parents had offered for me to live with them when I turn 18. Now, her parents know that she and I were/are together, and still have the offer out on the table. Because I have 2 months until I turn 18, if I were to wait another month, meaning there'd be one month left until I turn 18, could I leave without the police getting involved or getting her family or anyone else that was ever involved in trouble? I live in Indiana and the age majority is 18, and being so close to 18, there is no need to try and get emancipated, which is why I'm starting to ask around and hoping my questions will be answered. I just want to leave this house, but I don't want to hurt anyone in any way. I really hope this is making sense. But, yeah, thank you for your time!

[ccsmod1]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you’ve been in a really tough situation for quite a while and are finding it hard to stay in your house. It’s hard to not be accepted for you are and no one deserves that.

We are not legal experts, but generally speaking if you leave before you turn 18 and your parents file a runaway report, there could be consequences for you and for your girlfriend’s parents. Running away is not illegal, but if your parent’s file a report you could be returned home if found by the police. Since you are so close to being 18 this could not be the case so one thing you can do is call your local police station and inquire about what they would do with a 17 year old runaway situation. Another consequence to think about is that your girlfriend’s parents could face legal consequences for what is called “harboring a minor.” Once you’re 18 and considered an adult you would be able legally to live wherever you want and would not have to worry about those possibilities. It sounds like you will be 18 soon, are there things that you can do to cope for the next couple of months until then?

Once again, we’re not legal experts so we cannot speak to your specific case, but you would be able to get information from your local police about trespassing laws. It sounds like you are asking a lot of good questions and have a concern for not hurting any of the people around you. A good step would be just reaching out to them to weigh all of your options.

We are here 24/7 and are completely confidential if you want to speak with someone on the phone or over chat for more resources specific to your situation. We can be reached at 1-800-786-2929. We are always here to listen and to support.

Good Luck!

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 17 and I'll turn 18 in 3 months. I live in Michigan. I'll like to know if I can move out on my own, I work and get stuff on my own. My mom and I are currently like under my aunt's roof. But I can't take my mom anymore. Everytime we try to talk it always end up as an argument. I get stuff done on my own and I already have my permit to drive too.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out, it sounds like you’re going through a difficult time with your mother, and we hope we can help you out.

Arguing with a parent is never fun. We’re sorry that you and your mom hare having such a difficult time getting along. We know it can be frustrating when every time you try to communicate with someone, things turn confrontational. We are available 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 if you wish to speak with someone about your frustration. We also can help you process other experiences you’ve had that are difficult for you.

Moving out is a complicated legal matter, simply because there are so many ways a youth can leave home. We also are not legal experts, so all the information we give is simply general. If a youth leaves home without permission from a guardian, they may be filed as a runaway. A runaway youth will be ordered to return home by police if police are able to make contact with the youth. However, because running away is most often a status offense (like breaking curfew), it’s unlikely that a runaway youth will be arrested or detained for running away. Adults who house runaway youth may be criminally responsible for harboring a runaway. If you get parental permission, you can legally stay where you have been permitted to stay. However, your mom could change her mind without telling you, and file a runaway report on your behalf if this agreement is not made official by the courts. In addition, some police departments don’t actively search for runaway youth that are 17 years of age, especially if one is going to turn 18 soon. This all being said, you may want to contact your local non-emergency police department (not 911) with these questions. You can ask these questions anonymously and hypothetically, meaning you don’t have to give the police any identifying information at all. If you would like to call us as well about any of your questions, we encourage you to do so.

We wish you the best of luck and invite you to reach out with further comments,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi,

On 11-12-2017, I asked a few questions which were answered and really helped me out. Now, I am finally 18 and have a few more questions. I am now legal to leave whenever I'd like. My girlfriend's parents still say I can stay with them if it becomes necessary, whether that be something really bad has happened with me or with their daughter. The problem is, if I leave and don't tell my parents where I'm going, is it possible for the police to come look for me, and even bring me back? Also, because I'm still in high school, if I leave (or if they even kick me out), would I not be able to transfer schools in time for graduation, or would I have to drop out? I honestly don't want to drop out of high school AT ALL. A high school diploma is important to have, and I'd like to graduate on time, but I don't want to risk leaving home and not being able to go to school. Honestly, this whole situation is confusing. Anything could happen at anytime. I just would like to be prepared for the worst. And I understand that this is a site for people who are thinking about running away, and need help, and my question may seem very irrelevant in that area. But, to me, this would seem just like running away to my parents, and even I would view it that way. Yes, I'm 18 and can legally leave, but if I leave and don't give my parents exact details, such as where I'm going or who I'm staying with, they will try and find me. I'd be running away from a bunch of family issues, which I've tried dealing with, but I can't change who I am for them. I can't stop loving who I love because they want me to. Trust me, I've tried, and it's impossible. I want to be able to figure out who I am, and if they want to come along in that journey with me, I will accept them with open arms, but if they're going to continue to belittle me and make me feel like i'm a mistake, I will have to move on. I love them, they're the ones who gave me life, but at this point, enough is enough and I respect myself enough to try and be happy. I don't want anyone to be hurt by this, but it's inevitable. If I stay, and try and pretend to be someone I'm not, I'll be hurting. If I go, it'll be hurting my entire family. I'm so conflicted with this decision. I will end up leaving eventually and making my own decisions, and they'll be hurt eventually, so I feel as though I'd be putting off something that's bound to happen if I stay with them.

This isn't very relevant, but... (Side Note: Aside from that, I've been searching for a job near my girlfriend's house, school, and her dad's place of work. The places i'm looking at would be really convenient and helpful for her family. I intend on getting a job at one of the places close by, that way I'll have a way to pay for myself and help out her family when needed. Also, to save up for an apartment that my girlfriend and I'd both pay for. We've been searching for apartments for a while now, as well as jobs. We're talking to her parents about the future. My point is, we're trying to set everything up for a better future. I'm just worried that my family could interfere in this.)

I understand if my post isn't displaying the question in a comprehensible manner. At this point, I just have so many questions and things to get off my chest, and I know this website has helped me before, instead of just telling me to "grow up" and "stop being a spoiled brat". If there are any answers to my questions/worries, or any advice that could be given, I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you

[ccsmod4]

Reply: On 11-12-2017

Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.
We appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.
Some situations can be disappointing and even upsetting thus making things uncertain about what to do or where to turn.

We understand and we want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
You have many questions that would probably be best considered to discuss by calling or chatting with one of our crisis liners.
If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or www.1800Runaway.org.

Again tell us what it is you would like us to help you with and we will be happy to explore some options with you.
NRS is here to listen and here to help.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I’m 17, my birthday is in October, I was going to leave my home in July, a few months before I turn 18 to live with my boyfriend who’s 19, we’ve been together 5 years. My parents have abused me and sexually abused me, they’ve sent me to hospitals and laugh at me when I tell them I wanted to kill my self. I’m ready to leave but I’m scared if I go to early they will hunt me and take me back. I know if you leave not to late from turning 18 the cops won’t bother trying to take you home because you will be 18 soon and leave anyways . I just need help should I wait a month untill I turn 18? I’m just scared and need advice I’m not staying here till I’m 18, I can’t.

[ccsmod6]

Thanks for writing to NRS, and it sounds like a lot is going on.
Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse is unacceptable. You do not deserve to be scared of your parents and treated that way. Reporting abuse directly to the police is one option, or you can also share what happened with other mandated reporters such as a doctor, nurse, teacher, coach and counselor. Also, NRS can help advocate on your behalf, for example joining you on a phone call with the appropriate agency – if you are comfortable with that.
Wanting to kill yourself is serious, not something parents should laugh at. If you are thinking about self-harm, please call 911 or NRS 1-800 RUNAWAY (786-2929) or National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.
You asked about consequences if leave home while 17. Laws differ by state. Typically a parent or guardian is responsible for a minor until age 18 – unless directed otherwise by a court. And if a 17 year old runs away, police response may include reuniting the youth with the parents/guardians and status offenses. NRS can help you get answers to legal question, through a network of legal resources.
You are scared and want to leave. Please talk to us at NRS about how that feels and let’s explore options.

[Guest]

HI I'm aja Im going to be 18 in 5 months and I hate being home I would like to know can I leave now I live in Virginia by the way

[ccsmod11]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us to help you decide about this situation. It sounds like you’re going through a lot at home and are thinking of leaving. This is surely a difficult time for you, and we’re sure you’ve been enduring a lot. Hopefully we can help.

We’re not legal experts, so what we tell you may not apply in your community, even if it applies in most of the U.S. In Virginia, the age of majority is 18, so you are still considered a minor, and if you leave home without parental permission, you can be considered a runaway. This would happen if your parents filed a runaway report on your behalf. Usually, if a runaway report is filed on a youth, the police are authorized to search for the youth and return them home. In most parts of the U.S., running away is not illegal and won’t result in a youth getting arrested or fined. Adults who you stay with could be charged for harboring a runaway, which is a very rare charge, but a charge you may want to know about. Penalties for this charge vary widely across the U.S.

Hopefully this helped. Thanks so much for reaching out to us. If you have any questions or want to talk more, please call us at 1-800-786-2929.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi. I'm 17 and turn 18 in 2 months. I have a job and have had it for a year. I want to leave home because I constantly get degraded and threatened with the police. I live with my grandfather and I feel like he wants to trap me here... can I leave?

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a difficult situation and no one ever deserves to be degraded or threatened. Since you are a minor, you would still technically need guardian consent to leave home. Your grandfather would still have the right to file a runaway report with the police and the police could still return you home. That being said, it’s possible that your local police would not bother pursuing you because of your age. To find out for certain (since we are not legal experts), you might want to call your local non-emergency police line to ask about their protocol for 17 year olds who leave home.
Thank you again for reaching out. We hope this was helpful and we encourage you to reach out by phone if you need additional resources or need help figuring out your options. Our number is 1-800-786-2929 and our lines are always open. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your feedback of our crisis services at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe!