Can I leave my home at 16 without my parents' consent?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you so much for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like your boyfriend has had a really difficult and isolating time in his home. And we're glad to hear he has you and your family who seem to really care for him.

We are not legal experts, but we do have some general knowledge on runaway laws. Generally, guardians file runaway reports with the police and if that young person is found or their whereabouts are known, they will be returned home. To our knowledge, running away is usually not illegal and is considered a status offense. However, something to possibly consider are harboring a runaway laws. These are charges that can potentially be filed against the adults who house the runaway. It could be a good idea to talk this over with your mom and boyfriend and see what you all are willing to handle. Like we said, we are not experts and cannot give concrete answers or advice. However, if you are your mom were to reach out to your local police department, they could possibly give you an answer about how they handle runaway cases. There are also emancipation options for youth in some states. Generally, the process is lengthy and youth have to be able to care for themselves financially. But, to learn more about this option it could be a good idea to get in contact with a legal resource. We would be happy to connect you with one if you call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) Or chat with us through our website, www.1800runaway.org. We are here 24/7 to help in anyway we can. We hope to hear from you or your boyfriend soon. Best of luck!

Take care,
NRS

hello, my boyfriend is turning 15 soon and will wait till 16 to move out. we live in ohio and he wants to move in with me. my mom will let him live here rent free and will pay groceries and he would be eligible to get a job to pay for anything else he may need. but his parents would never be okay with it? my house is a safe environment. would he be able to move in with me without being removed from the premises or being arrested? they have left him places and completely forgot about him and he lives in a house with foster family with parents who neglect him. they’ve left him places thousands of times and had the be reminded by foster siblings that he was left or by the school or him himself.

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us, we hope to help as best we can. You mentioned some things that raise concern for your safety and well-being. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. We are not experts on the issue, but generally once it's been reported, social services will either decide whether or not to take the case and further investigate. Threatening or refusing to provide basic needs is a form of abuse as well. If they do take the case, they will send out someone from child protective services to do an investigation (interviewing people in the household) and from there they will decide the level of danger within the household. It generally ranges from no danger (the youth stays in the home, some services are given, and the case is closed), moderate danger (they will provide family services with possible temporary displacement) and high danger (they will remove the youth from the home and offer certain services).

If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering.

Please be safe and reach out soon by phone or chat so that we may help.
Take care,
NRS

Hello, I'm 16, almost 17, and my mother has been threatening me. All I want is to get away for a day or two at a friend's or family's house. If it makes a difference, I have text proof of the threats. The threats include not giving me access to food, locking all the house doors (I don't have a key), and saying she will call me in as a runaway if I'm not home 30 minutes after my work shift. For context on the last one, my work is a 15 minute drive from home, and she is refusing to give me a ride. I really hope I can somehow leave for maybe two days. Thank you!

[ccsmod9]

Hi there,
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. It seems like your home life has gotten a bit overwhelming and you're considering leaving home.


To be frank, if you are under 18 leaving home without parental permission can be tricky. While running away is not illegal, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway which means that if you are caught you will have to return home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway.

If you'd like to discuss your options further via chat line or telephone, please reach out.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

Be safe,
NRS

i am 17 and i want to leave and be independent. i am not allwoed to drive yet and cant get a job till i can drive myself. i would like to know my legal options here. and i want to do this immediatly if possible. i dont get chances to be a 17 year old like getting to go with friends possibly home schooled which i do not want. i do more than i have to and need to do and i just want to do for myself now.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

It seems as if you are wanting to know how you can leave home before turning 18. The easiest way to leave home is with your legal guardian's permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your guardian. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.

Please reach out soon so that we may offer support and resources to you. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Be safe,
NRS

CAn I leave my blood parents got to my step parents

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us, we understand it can be difficult to take that first step. We hope to help as best we can. In most states, 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 aunt 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.
You mentioned experiencing emotional abuse which may be reportable against your aunt. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. Unfortunately, emotional abuse is often harder to provide evidence for compared to physical abuse which is often what CPS relies on when conducting an abuse investigation. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453 or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. 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 and stay strong,
NRS

Hi name is ************* I am 16 and live in *********. I want to move in with my girlfriends family but my aunt won't let me. Can I move in with them without my aunts consent my girlfriends parents are okay with me moving in with them I am emotionally abused. I do not want to live here anymore I need help what do I need to do. If there is someone who can help me my number is **********i more than likely will not be able to answer because i will be with her. It would mean alot to me if someone could help me find a way to move out

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
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 forum to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please 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,
NRS

I’m 16 in the state of Idaho and my mom wants to move with her boyfriend in Washington and I don’t wanna go and she is leaving the apartment for my brother can I stay with him without her being okay with it or will I get in trouble

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes a lot courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like things at home are not so great right now and that it feels like a stressful situation.

Since you are under the age of 18, your parents can file a runaway report. Running away is not illegal but it is a status offense (something you cannot do because of your age). If your parents were to file a runaway report, then you could be found by the police and returned home. Also, there are laws about harboring runaways, so while this is rarer, you should know that it is possible for your best friend or girlfriend to get in trouble if your parents file a runaway report and you are staying with them.

You are allowed, however, to live elsewhere with your parent’s permission, if you feel like that may be an option. It also is helpful to have strong support systems and people you can talk to. Sometimes just having someone that will listen can be super beneficial.

Your mental health is also super important. We want to make sure you are taking care of yourself. You can listen to music, journal about what is going on, exercise, take a walk, draw, or just do an activity that makes you feel good.

Thank you again for contacting NRS. We’re glad you have a good friend in your life and want you to know that we are here to support you 24/7. If you would like to talk in more detail, please contact NRS either by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chatting online through 1800runaway.org.

We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,

NRS

Hi I am currently 16 years of age, i just had an incident with my father basically he said he will kick me out the house if i don't fix myself soon and to be honest i really think i will never be up to his standards so i might get kicked out anyway, i rather just save some time and leave now then later. Im not sure how my mom feels about me but i have a feeling she has the same opinions as my dad so i see no hope. I have an older sister, a girlfriend, and a best friend should i go live with one of them? Or should I just get myself a job and try and find my own place somewhere (I live in California), I'm scared to leave but at the same time scared of my parents if they find me I don't know what they will do to me so can I just have anyones opinions?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out to our forum. It sounds like you miss your boyfriend doubly so because of how your parents have been treating you. It's hard when people aren't willing to come to a compromise about big decisions that impact you.

Additionally it sounds like you're feeling at your limit and having safety concerns about suicide and your parents haven't addressed that in a supportive manner. Your safety matters and you deserve to feel cared for when managing such heavy thoughts.

To your question, they would get in trouble for harboring a youth because you would need CPS to get involved to address the emotional abuse before being able to move to another household. Unfortunately, CPS doesn't necessarily move people for emotional abuse and your family may get counseling at most. Childhelp.org are the National Childhood Abuse hotline that you reach out to and discuss your options.

You can always reach out to us through phone at 1.800.RUNAWAY or talk to us through our online website to talk further about your options. We are here for 24/7 crisis support. Take care, and may you find the support you need!