Moving out a month before I'm 18

[ccsmod11]

(If you are in danger for any reason, please call the police or go to your local emergency room.)

Hi there,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us. We are here to listen and to help as much as we can.

So technically if you left home before your 18th birthday, your parents could choose to file a runaway report with the police which means they'll find you and bring you home. You won't get in trouble with the police, but you'll have to face any consequences your parents might have. Additionally anyone you stay with over age 18 COULD be charged with harboring a runaway which is a criminal charge. This is uncommon and varies by state and situation, so it's worth it to check on this with your local non-emergency police. If you call the police within 24 hours of your arrival at your friend's house for example to let them know you're safe, this can help avoid charges.

We can also help talk you through what it might look like to stay safe at home for the next 9 days so that when you do leave home you don't have to worry at all about runaway reports. We would be grateful to hear more about your story and give you more personalized guidance. The NRS is available 24/7 via online chat or by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We hope to hear from you soon, good luck!
-NRS Crisis Team

hi im 17 turning 18 in 9 days could i get in trouble if i leave before i turn 18 like could the cops do anything about it

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out; we are glad that you did.
It sounds like you have survived a lot from both of your parents being drunk and abusing you. You never deserved that. You have been brave and survived.
We do not have a way to know the answer to your question, because in most states, parents do have the right/obligation to file a runaway report while you are a minor.
We do our best work if we can have a conversation with people, and we can help check the safety of your plan. We hope that you will either chat us through this website, or call the hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY, 24/7 so that we can support you, which you deserve.
We truly hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
NRS

Hi I’m 17 years old and about to turn 18 in 1 month , I’ve been living in a home with my mom and my stepdad, they’re very both drunks and and abused me most of my life, I just wanna be somewhere safe and move out , so would they file me as a runaway for saving myself ?

[ccsmod10]

Thanks for reaching out to us, it sounds like you have good reason to want to leave. The treatment you've described from your family sounds stifling, excessively controlling, and judgmental. It makes sense if you're feeling angry, frustrated, sad, or depressed, and you have the right to pursue a place where you can feel happier and supported.

Although technically police COULD return you home if your parents reported you as a runaway, realistically they probably would not. In most cases with 17-year-olds, police might look for you to check that you were safe (and potentially visit the place that you were staying if they learned where it was), they would most likely not return you home if you did not wish to.

You have options and we are here to support you as you work through all of this. Please feel free to contact us again by forum, text chat (1800runaway.org) or phone (1-800-786-2929). You don't have to go through this alone.

Hi I’m 17 and I turn 18 in 9 days I live in Tennessee I’m pregnant and my family likes to try and control my life and currently my pregnancy I’m not really even able to make my own choices about it and they make me feel ungrateful and stupid for voicing my opinions. I just want to know would the cops do anything with me only having a couple days till I’m 18 if I leave?

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are glad that you are reaching out for help—that takes a lot of bravery. It sounds like you are going through an extremely difficult time right now with taking care of your mental health and life at home. We are sorry to hear that home isn’t a place where you feel supported mentally and was a place where you were abused in the past. You deserve unconditional love and support.

Although we are not legal experts here at NRS, we can do our best to offer some suggestions about your question of leaving home before turning 18 years old in 3 months. If you go to stay at a friend’s house without parental permission for over 24 hours (the exact timing depends on which state you live in), you parents could potentially file against your friend’s parents with something called “harboring a runaway.” This is a legal term for kidnapping. Might sound extreme, we understand. If your parents don’t know this friend and do not know where to look, they could also file a missing child report to their local police department. Law enforcement will collect basic information about you that will go into a national database, and they can then return you home in the event you are found. Because you turn 18 years old rather soon, some law enforcement may not invest as much time in attempting to find you compared to a younger youth. Again, this is truly all depends on your city and state. Once you are 18, however, that is no longer a concern as you know.

You also shared how you feel like your mental health is not being cared for. If you ever have thoughts of hopelessness, and despair, or feelings like you wish to harm yourself, there is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline available 24/7 at 988 or perhaps try the Mental Health American Agency that can help you locate a local mental health support group at 703-684-7722. Another resource is the 24-Hour Mental Health Delegate Line at 215-685-6440.

As you decide your options, if you ever feel unsafe at home, you can always text the word “safe” and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) to get the nearest safe location. Or, text 741741 from anywhere in the US to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.

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 turn 18 in less than three months and Is there a way I can move out legally before then? My parents are always telling me to focus on my mental health and I have asked them to go to my best friends house for a night and that I would be back first thing in the morning they said no but I have had 6 mental break downs in less than a week and they still won’t let me go over there to get my mental health straight my dad told me that everything good I have going for me if it gets messed up it’s my fault he used to abuse me but I need to get out of here like now I turn 18 in march is there any legal way to move out?

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for contacting us at National Runaway Safeline regarding your question about leaving. Please note that we are not legal experts. However, once a person is age 18, they are legally recognized as an adult. Once you are 18, you will be responsible for yourself and should have the ability to choose where you would like to be. If you would like to talk further with us about the situation, or if you are in need of locating resources near you, please feel welcome to reach out to us through out chat portal, found on our website at www.1800runaway.org or give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

We look forward to the opportunity to talk further with you and we wish you safety, health, and peace.

Take care,
NRS

I'm going to be 18 in 9 days can I leave???

[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 turn 18 in less than 30 days. I live at home with my dad who licks me out of the house and doesn’t allow me to eat and is starting to block off the kitchen and restroom. I found a transitional house that will let me come now just so that I am safe. I am an Honor roll student who just received a full ride scholarship. I just to finish high and move on in life will I be made to go back home?

[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 17 about to be 18 at the end of October and my moms mentally and emotionally abusive and saying I need to stay until I’m 18 an even after I’ve been trying to get out of my home for the past 3 years but couldn’t bc I was no where close to 18 since I have alil over a month to go would I be able to move out with out being considered a runaway if I’m almost 18

[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 sounds like things with your dad are really hard at home. It must feel really bad to be told that you are not wanted. It sounds like you have the support of your boyfriend and his family. When things are hard it can be helpful to have the support of others who care about you. In thinking about leaving home, ultimately the decision is up to you. You know your situation best and what is safest. You could decide to stay at home until you are 18 or you could consider other options. At 17 you Dad is technically your legal guardian. If you decide to leave, he could still file a runaway report if he finds you gone.

So that we can have more context to what you are asking, we encourage you to reach out to us by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. We can work with you to gather information that might be helpful so that you can weigh your options and make a plan.

Best,

NRS