Transitioning into Adulthood
Legal independence at 18 means young adults are responsible for making their own decisions.
reaching the Age of Majority
The age of majority is a term used to describe when a person is legally no longer considered a child. In South Carolina, this is when a person turns 18 years old. Historically, the age of majority was set at 21 in most states. But after the 1971 ratification of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving 18 year-olds the right to vote in federal elections, most states, including South Carolina, lowered their age of majority to 18 (S.C. Code § 15-1-320; 42 U.S.C. § 1973bb).
At the age of majority, teenagers acquire the right to:
- Enter into binding contracts;
- Buy or sell property, including real estate and stock;
- Marry without the written consent of a parent (or guardian) and a judge;
- Sue or be sued in their names;
- Compromise, settle or arbitrate a claim;
- Make or revoke a will;
- Inherit property outright;
- Vote in state and local elections;
- Consent to all types of medical treatment;
- Join the military without parental consent; and
- Own and purchase a gun from an individual (federal law prohibits the sale of guns by dealers and retailers to people under 21 years old).
However, reaching the age of majority does not necessarily mean you have attained all rights and privileges of adulthood. For example, until you turn 21 years old, you may not legally purchase alcohol or alcoholic beverages; you may not apply and receive a concealed weapons permit.