Legal Question

[Guest]

hello, i know you all are not legal experts, but please answer this question to the best of your ability.

In texas, at the age of 17, are you allowed to leave home, without the cops bringing you back, as long as you are in a safe place? I heard that this is the case when you are 17 in texas.

thank you.

[ccsmod3]

Re: Legal Question

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Switchboard. Although we are not legal experts, we can try and answer your question in a general sense. To our knowledge, the age of majority is still 18 in TX. Government funded runaway and homeless youth shelters in TX serve “under 18” which is consistent with other states. To avoid getting in legal trouble, shelters that serve minors ask for parental consent or notification. They may call immediately or wait up to 72 hours after you arrive. It may be that police won’t actively look for youth at age 17 and they may file missing person’s report rather than a runaway report. However, if you get charged with a criminal offense, you may get tried as an adult.

Running away is normally just a status offense, meaning you are unable to do so until you reach the age of majority. However, harboring a runaway, crossing state lines with a runaway, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor are considered illegal to our knowledge. With that said, laws seem to vary in TX based on county, so you could always check with your local law enforcement to see how they view 17-year-olds leaving home. You are welcome to call us anytime, toll-free at 1-800-RUNAWAY to continue discussing your situation. You can remain anonymous and we are confidential. We are here to listen and can try and provide referrals if necessary. We wish you the best of luck and hope you are able to remain safe.

-NRS