Policy & Program

Minors and the Right to Consent to Health Care
and to Make Other Important Decisions


MC = Minor explicitly authorized to consent. MD = Minor allowed to decide.
PC = Parental consent explicitly required. PN = Parental notice explicitly required.
NL = No law or policy found.

State General medical
health services
Abortion
services
Drop out of school1 Marriage Medical care
for child
Placing child
for adoption
AL MC5 PC MD6 PC MC MC
AK MC7 NL8 MD6 PC MC NL9
AZ NL NL8 MD6 PC NL MC
AK MC12 PN13 NA14 PC MC11 MC15
CA NL NL8 NA14 PC NL MC
CO NL NL8 MD6 MD6 MC11 MC
CT NL MC PC PC MC MC15
DE MC7 PN20,21 MD6 MD22 MC11 MC
DC NL MC NA14 PC MC MC
FL NL NL8 PC MD22 MC11 NL9
GA NL PN MD6 MD22 MC11 MC
HI NL NL MD26 MD19,27 NL MC
ID MC28 PN13,29 MD6 PC MC11 MC
IL MC7,11 NL8 MD30 PC MC11 MC
IN NL PC PC MD22 NL MC
IA NL PN21 MD32 PC NL NL9
KS MC11,33 PN MD32 PC MC11 MC
KY MC4,7 PC PN6 MD22 MC11 MC15
LA MC4,11 PC MD34 PC MC11 PC35
ME NL MC MD34 PC NL NL9
MD MC4,7 PN21 MD6 MD22 MC MC15
MA MC7 PC MD26 PC MC NL9
MI NL PC MD PC MC PC
MN MC4,7 PN13 PC PC MC PC
MS PC PC13 MD34 PN38 MC11 MC
MO MC7,11 PC PN26 PC MC11 MC
MT MC4,7,11 NL8 MD39 PC MC11 MC15
NE NL PN MD26 MD34 NL NL9
NV MC7,12,18 NL8 MD40 PC MC MC
NH MC12 NL PC PC NL MC41
NJ MC7 NL8 MD6 PC MC11 MC
NM NL NL8 PC PC NL MC
NY MC7 NL MD6 PC MC MC
NC NL43 PC21 MD6 PC NL NL9
ND NL PC13 MD6,26 PC NL MC
OH NL PN21,29 NA14 PC NL MC
OK MC4,7 NL PC MD22 MC MC6
OR MC4,11,19 NL MD46 PC NL NL9
PA MC5 PC MD34 PC MC PN
RI NL PC MD6 PC MC PC
SC MC6,47 PC21,48 MD49 PC MC MC
SD NL33 PN MD6 PC NL NL9
TN NL PC MD34 PC NL MC
TX NL PN NA14 MD51 NL NL9
UT PC PN52 NA14 PC MC MC
VT NL NL MD53 PC NL MC
VA NL33 PN21 NA14 PC MC11 MC
WA NL NL MD6 PC NL MC15
WV NL PN21 MD30 PC NL MC
WI NL PC21 NA14 PC NL NL9
WY NL PC MD55 PC NL MC
TOT MC/MD 22 3 34 11 30 35
TOT PC/PN 2 31 9 40 0 5
TOT NL/NA 27 17 8 0 21 11

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