Turning Eighteen
N.J.S.A. 9:17B-3 — an adult at 18 for all other purposes, with the capacity of a person of 21
At 18. Every person 18 or more years of age is, in all matters and for all purposes other than those the section reserves, deemed an adult with the same legal capacity, powers and obligations as a person 21 or more years of age.
What stays at 21. The section reserves certain services for dependent or disabled young people between 18 and 21 who are in school or treatment, a court's power to act in the interest of a person under 21, and the gifts and transfers to minors acts.
Ages set for specific purposes elsewhere, such as buying alcohol or tobacco and some licenses and permits, are not on this page. How a particular age rule applies to a particular person is a question for a licensed New Jersey attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- N.J.S.A. 9:17B-3 — Majority at 18
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Jersey attorney.