What are legal ages for drinking and getting married?
What things don’t have a legal age?
Where do I get an 18+ card?
What are the legal ages for things like drinking and getting married?
Many activities have legal ages (the minimum age you can legally do something) to try to protect children growing up. Below is a guide describing what you are allowed to do at different ages.
at 5 years
- you can enrol in a state school
at 6 years
- you must start school unless you live more than 3km from the school, in which case you must start when you are 7. If your parents want to teach you at home they must get an exemption from the Ministry of Education
at 10 years
- you can be prosecuted for murder or manslaughter
at 12 years
- if you have to give evidence in Court, you have to take a formal oath
at 14 years
- you are now legally a Young Person
you can be left at home alone
you can baby-sit children
you can be prosecuted for any criminal offence
at 15 years
- you can sit a driving test and obtain your learner licence (until 1 August 2011)
at 16 years
- you can sit a driving test and obtain your learner licence (from 1 August 2011)
- you can leave home
- you can get married or enter a civil union with your parents’ consent – your parents will no longer be your guardians if you do
- you can decide which parent you want to live with if your parents split up
- you can agree to, or refuse, medical treatment
- you can’t be made to be treated for mental disorders unless you are under a compulsory treatment order
- you can get a tattoo without your parents’ permission
- you can leave school and work full-time
- you can be expelled from school
- you can apply for certain benefits, such as the Independent Youth Benefit, Invalid’s Benefit and the Unemployment Benefit
- you can apply for a firearms licence
- you can consent to sexual intercourse. If you are treated for a sexually transmitted disease the doctor does not have to tell your parents
- your parents can’t change your name without your consent
- you can change your name or make a will if you are married or in a civil union
- you’re entitled to the adult minimum wage, if you’re not a new entrant or trainee
- the new entrants minimum wage applies if you’ve completed 200 hours or three months of employment, or are supervising or training other workers, or are a trainee
- you’re entitled to the training minimum wage if you’re doing a recognised industry training involving 60 credits a year
at 17 years
- you can join the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force
- police can question you without your parents or another adult present (but remember you have a right to consult with a lawyer)
- if you are charged with a criminal offence you will appear in the District Court, not the Youth Court
- Child, Youth and Family can no longer get an order for your care and protection
at 18 years
- your parents are no longer your legal guardians
- you are no longer protected by the United National Convention on the Rights of the Child
- you can get married or enter a civil union without your parents’ consent
- you can make a will
- you are no longer entitled to free dental care
- you can buy and drink alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco, and apply for an 18+ identity card
- you can be employed as a bar person or in a liquor store
- you can join the Police
- you can apply for the Unemployment Benefit, Domestic Purposes Benefit, Sickness Benefit or Student Allowance
- you can ask your bank for a cheque account, credit card and a loan
- you are fully bound by any contract you enter into
- you can place bets at the TAB or a racecourse and buy Instant Kiwi lotto tickets
- you can vote in national and local authority elections and stand as a candidate
- you can be called in for jury service
at age 19
- you stop being eligible for free primary and secondary education on 1 January after you turn 19
- if you are adopted you can prevent Births, Deaths and Marriages from giving your birth parents your contact details
at age 20
- if you are adopted you can apply to Births, Deaths and Marriages for a copy of your birth certificate to find the names of your birth parents
- you can apply to adopt a child who is related to you
at age 25
- you can apply to adopt a child who is at least 20 years younger than you
What things don’t have a legal age?
There are some things you have to do regardless of your age.
At any age you must;
- Wear a helmet on a bike
- Wear your seatbelt or be in a child restraint
At any age you can
- Get a passport
- Travel overseas
- Make a claim in the disputes tribunal
- Have an abortion without your parents’ consent
- Join a union
- Negotiate an employment contract
At any age you have the right not to be discriminated against because of your sex, religious or ethical beliefs, sexual orientation, disability, political opinion, employment or family status, whether or not you are married.
Where do I get an 18+ card?
You can go to any NZ Post shop to get the form for an 18+ card. To complete the form, you will need;
- A signature from a Justice of the Peace
- A recent passport photo of yourself
- One form of primary ID – a passport, or drivers licence or birth certificate
- A letter or bill with your name and address on it
- Someone to fill in the identifier statement on the form
- $20 to pay the form’s fee
It usually takes about three weeks for your card to arrive after you’ve lodged it. If you have any questions, or you think your card should have arrived a week ago, you can call 0800 500 503.