Young People and the Law

This section looks at young people and the law. You will learn about:

• Legal rights and responsibilities of young peple
• Going to school
• Working
• Getting married
• Young people and criminal law
• What happens to youth who commit a crime
• Young people and gangs
• Rules about driving

Help for children

Legal rights and responsibilities of young people

This chart shows when young people gain legal rights in BC.

Right/Responsibility	Age
Be responsible for crimes	12
Be sentenced for crimes under adult law	14
Go to work	15
Leave school	16
Get married with permission of parent(s)	16
Get married	19
Get a driver’s licence with permission of parent(s)	16
Get a driver’s licence	19
Vote in a federal election	18
Vote in a provincial election	18
Drink alcohol	19
Leave home without permission of parent(s)	19
Buy cigarettes	19

In law, in British Columbia a person under the age of 19.

In family law, the natural or adoptive father or mother of a child; may also include stepparents, depending on the circumstances and the applicable legislation; may include the donors of eggs or sperm and surrogate mothers, depending on the circumstances and the terms of any assisted reproduction agreement. See "adoptive parent," "assisted reproduction," "natural parent" and "stepparent."

In law, the making of a choice between two or more options.