Can I move out at 17 without consent in Michigan?

[Unregistered]

I'm 17 and wish to move out of my home. I have heard you can move out of your house at 17. I'm living in st. Joseph county and I just wanted to know if you can move out and not get reported as a runaway.

[ccsmod14]

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

Hi there,

Thanks for contacting us. It sounds like you are wanting to leave home before you are 18 years of age. We’re glad that you reached out to figure things out, we’re here to help work through options and discuss a plan.

So you shared that you want to move out of your house, and you heard that you can do this at age 17. Is there something specific going on at home that is making you want to move out? Moving out can be a big step. Do you have ideas of a safe place that you would be going to?

We’re not legal experts, but generally speaking if you leave before you turn 18, or become a legal adult, your legal guardians would have the right to make a runaway report. If a report is made, and the police find you, they just bring you back home. The way that the police handle 17 year old runaways is different depending on the state that you are in, even the county in some cases. Sometimes, police will not take/file a runaway report for a 17 year old, or they may take one but not actively look for the runaway. In other areas, they will take the report and actively look up until the youth turns 18. The circumstances change depending on the area in which you live, so one option you have is to contact your local police department and ask hypothetically how they would proceed with a 17 year old runaway. It looks like the phone number for Saint Joseph County Sheriff’s Office is (269) 467 9045. If this is something you are not entirely comfortable doing alone, understandably, you can give us a call here at 1800runaway (786-2929) and we can make a call out either with you or on your behalf to get these questions answered.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat with us if you would like to talk further. We’re here to support you in any way that we can.

Good luck and stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I have 4 siblings and I'm 17 and I do not have a room I sleep on the couch is that illegal? Or is that okay I do not choose to. There are no but 3 rooms, one for my brother one for my 3sisters and one for my mom and step dad. I do not have a dresser or a bed

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that your current living situation is making you unhappy. You deserve your own space in your home and it seems unfair that your other family members seem to have that while you do not. We are not legal experts, so it is difficult for us to say whether or not your situation is illegal. It may be worth calling the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Even if you do not want to report, they may be able to provide you with a more concrete understanding of what constitutes abuse/neglect. If you would like to talk in greater detail about what’s going on or what other options you may have please do not hesitate to reach out to us on our 24/7 hotline 1-800-786-2929 or on chat at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Can I move out of my house, i live in Michigan and was wondering. Can my parents make a report and get me back?

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. In some states there are emancipation laws that can be one way of trying to gain your independence. . We are not legal experts, but we can help you get a general sense of how emancipation works. Our general understanding is some states offer formal emancipation statutes while others do not unfortunately. Laws vary depending on your location, but in many states a minor can petition the court for emancipation to take responsibility for their own care before they turn 18.

Generally speaking, courts are wary about granting emancipation. In most cases, you would have to prove in court that you have an income and can care for yourself financially, and that you are able to live separately from your parents. It also helps to be in good standing at school. Usually your legal guardian would have to agree to this in court. It’s best to check your local court house to gain more information on this process.
Also you might check with your local police department to inquire about the runaway laws in your state or if someone that moves out of their parent or guardian’s home would without permission would be considered a runaway and forced to return home.
If you would like to talk more about your situation we are here to listen and here to help.
To speak with someone on our crisis or chat line contact 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800runaway.org
We look forward to hearing from you.
Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

im 17 and so is my friend we are both depressed and live with toxic families. my parents told me that im 17 if i wanna leave i can but dont come back, what happends if i leave and they call the cops and lie to them?. do we get brought home or what. we are in montague and muskegon county

[ccsmod1]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. We're sorry to hear about the situation you and your friend are both experiencing with your families. We realize that you're concerned with the police being involved if you do decide to leave your home. It is important to think about where you and your friend would stay if you were to run away.

We're not legal experts, but if your parents were to call the police after you left your home, they could file a runaway report. The runaway report would allow the police to bring you back to your parent's home if you were to come in contact with them. We realize both you and your friend are 17. It may be a good idea to consider if you would be comfortable staying in your house until you turned 18 in order to avoid any interactions with the police. We understand that this is a very difficult situation to be in and you're very brave to reach out to us for information. Unfortunately,we cannot tell you what the police would or would not do in this situation, but generally, they would just take you back home. If you would like more information or to talk further we are available 24/7 on our hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY. Please feel free to give us a call and we would be happy to help you and your friend with more information. Thanks again for reaching out and good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I am 17 years old. I am trying to leave home but my mom keeps telling me she is going to call the police and tell them that I am a runaway. I have a safe place to go and I have a steady income. Will the police do anything? I live in Michigan

[ccsmod8]

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline today on our Forum. It seems like there must be a lot going on in your life especially at home. It’s great that you were able to find out some information about our hotline. Hopefully we can help.

Please be aware NRS is not affiliated with any legal associations and our information is just general information that we have heard from other callers and reaching out to the local non-emergency police. Now in the state of Michigan, a 18 year old is considered an adult and can leave home without permission. It can be a little tricky. it can be a little tricky to leave at 17 years old. There are some cases in which a police officer won't take a runaway report for someone that is 17. This is not the case all the time of course, but it is something that we have heard of happening before in some states without forcing the minor to return back home. But something to keep in mind is that though a police officer doesn't take a report it doesn't make it legal for minors to leave home before turning 18. They might not spend too much resources and time trying to locate you in order to bring you back home.

Now we do offer a service that is basically a Conference Call where the parent/guardian, the youth, and us would be on the phone talking about what has been going on. This way there can be a mediator in between keeping things calm and productive. It might be helpful to speak to your parents about your thoughts and see if there is a way to work out your differences. So maybe that might be an option for you and your parents. Something constructive so that it certainly opens the lines of communication, but that services is completely up to you.

Here at NRS our main concern is your welfare and your safety should you leave home. We also have a database of resources from which we can provide you some local help to be sure you are safe should you leave home. You can reach us by calling 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) where someone is available to chat 24/7. Thanks again for reaching out to NRS. Good luck and please stay in touch!

[Guest]

I’m 17 and live in adrian, Michigan. I recently moved out of my toxic household and moved in with my boyfriend, my parents are trying to get me back and are threatening to come to my new home and drag me out my hair or by calling the cops. They even told me they would get me put in juvie, are the capable of that?

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at NRS and we appreciate you sharing a bit about your situation. It sounds like you are in a really tough spot, but we are glad to hear you feel safer in your new living arrangement. You mentioned being concerned about some recent threats from your parents and seem to want to know more about runaway laws. We are not legal experts, but we can speak generally about laws affecting youth in crisis.

18 is usually the age you are considered a legal adult with the ability to choose where you live. In most states, leaving home without permission is considered running away which is only a status offense and not a crime. This means you would not be arrested for leaving home. However, Michigan is different in that 18 is still the age of majority (age when you are considered an adult), but you are usually able to choose to leave home without interference from the police as a 17 year old. This means that your parents can request a welfare check from police where they check to make sure you are safe, but the police would likely not force you to return home. Because runaway protocols can vary by city and county, we advise any young person with this question to call their local police department to ask. The police department would be able to confirm if you would be still be considered a runaway at 17.

We hope this information helps. If you would like to talk more, please do not hesitate to reach out any time. 1-800-RUNAWAY; 1800runaway.org

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi, i’m 15 turning 16 soon…and i’m wondering if my parents can report me as a runaway if i leave my house once i turn 16 and live with a family i feel valid at. in my case my parents sometimes invalidate how i feel and the family i want to live with does not. i live in michigan, and i’m really hoping i do not have to get emancipated in order to move out.

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us, we are happy to help. It sounds like things get pretty tough at home. In regards to moving out, 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth. If you would like more info about emancipation as well, please don’t hesitate to connect with us. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We hope to hear from you soon.


Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Good afternoon,
Things at home aren't great right I haven't talked to my dad in just about 3 weeks and my goal is to join the military but my parents want me to finish high school as an A/B honor roll student. 17 in the 11th grade but I'm ready to leave cuz things are hostile rn and I'm not here for the passive aggression if I were to get a job and stayed with a friend for a Lil bit would they report me as a runaway

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,



Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It takes a lot of courage to reach out, and we are glad that you did reach out to us. It sounds like you are having a difficult time at home right now, and that you want to move out. We are sorry that you are going through a tough time right now. It is understandable to want to leave a hostile environment at home. In regards to your question about the legality of moving out without parental consent at age 17, here at NRS we are actually not legal experts, but it is possible that your parents could report you as a runaway if you leave home and they call the police. I would recommend contacting your local police for any legal questions you might have.



If you would like to talk more in detail and/or if you would like us to help you locate shelters or other resources in your area, feel free to chat us through our website www.1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are confidential, and you can reach out to us anytime. We are 24/7.



We wish you the best of luck with your situation.



Be safe,

NRS