Nevada Legal Ages Laws

By FindLaw Staff | Legally reviewed by Nicole Prebeck, Esq. | Last reviewed January 16, 2024

Like most states, Nevada recognizes 18 as the "age of majority." This is the age when state residents are legally considered adults. Other legal age laws, however, give minors the ability to become emancipated, give consent to medical treatment, and perform other legal matters that are usually reserved for adults. This article is a quick summary of legal age laws in Nevada.

Age of Majority in Nevada

The "age of majority" is 18 in most states. For those younger than 18, legal age laws also dictate certain rights and responsibilities for minors. For instance, Nevada's legal age laws state that a child that is 16 or older may be emancipated by judicial order.

Nevada Age Statutes

The following chart highlights the basics of Nevada legal age laws.

Age of Majority	Under §129.010, the age of majority is 18.
Eligibility for Emancipation	Under §129.080, minors are eligible for emancipation at the age of 16.
Contracts by Minors	Under §609.550, a minor cannot cancel or void a court-approved contract on grounds related to how they entered the contract before reaching the age of majority or that a parent that entered into the contract on their behalf lacked the authority to do so. Under §687B.070, a minor can enter into a contract for annuities or insurance, including life insurance on themselves and others upon whose life they have an insurable interest. Under §129.130, a contract by an emancipated minor is valid.
Minors' Ability to Sue	Under §12.050, a minor may file a lawsuit through a general guardian or guardian ad litem.
Minors' Consent to Medical Treatment	Under §129.130, an emancipated minor can consent to all medical treatments. Under §129.030, a minor can consent to all medical treatments if they are living apart from their parents, are married, have a child, or are experiencing a health hazard. Under §129.050, a minor can consent to all medical treatments while they are under the influence of drugs. If they cannot give consent, consent will be assumed. Under §129.060, a minor that has a sexually transmitted disease can consent to treatment for the disease without their parents' or guardians' consent.

Each state can have its own age limits for voting, marrying, and consuming alcohol. Most of the time, these differences reflect community and societal values regarding minors' decision-making abilities and capacity for holding responsibilities. For example, while a 14-year-old may be old enough to be sued in court for intentionally injuring someone or damaging someone else's property, they may not be allowed to drink until age 21 or vote until age 18.

Legal Responsibilities of Minors and Parents

The emancipation of a minor refers to a legal process by which a minor can become an adult in the eyes of the law. While Nevada sets the default age of majority at 18, emancipation can allow a minor to be responsible for their own wellbeing and make all of their own major decisions regarding healthcare, school, and other matters. Until they turn 18 or are they are emancipated, juveniles will generally be treated as such in criminal cases, including age and status offenses.