# 18 year old rights? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789 "2006-11-17T04:12:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![novamaster0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b38774/32.png) [@novamaster0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/novamaster0)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/1 "2006-11-17T04:12:02Z")
I’m currently a 17 year old living in Nevada, anyways I soon have realized that most of my high school senior year I will be 18 years of age. I’ve heard rumors from my uncle that you can do things like “legally sign yourself in and out of school” anyways I’ve been searching Google a lot, and without finding too much I’m curious anyways at 18 about what “sudden rights I get” things such as Voting papers requiring parental consent jury duty? Gambling (I do live in Vegas so) and other things that the world thinks I can handle at 18 years but not 17 years and 364 days ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/2 "2006-11-17T04:14:03Z")
I thought the gambling age in Las Vegas was 21? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/3 "2006-11-17T04:16:07Z")
You have to be 21 to gamble, even in Vegas. I turned 18 early in my senior year of High School and I was able to sign my own notes. Of course that was in California in the early '80s. You may legally be an adult but your High School’s policy may require a parent’s signature anyway. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/4 "2006-11-17T04:17:07Z")
You can buy cigarettes but I wouldn’t reccomend it. ---
**Author:** ![novamaster0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b38774/32.png) [@novamaster0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/novamaster0)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/5 "2006-11-17T04:20:23Z")
I know the gambling age is 21, I have no desire to smoke or buy porn… I did think Bingo was 18 though… and I think though I can’t Gamble (21) I think at 18 you’re allowed to Loiter around the casino … (funny how that works huh) Anyways where would I find out what my schools rules about stuff like absent notes? there isn’t much about it on there website, and it’s probably not something they’d blatantly advertise in any hand book ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/6 "2006-11-17T04:42:08Z")
[QUOTE=novamaster0] I know the gambling age is 21, I have no desire to … buy porn… [/QUOTE] If you’re male, I find that hard to believe… 😃 Joe ---
**Author:** ![The\_Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Octagon)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/7 "2006-11-17T05:06:43Z")
You can stop lying on all those “click here if you’re 18” forms. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/8 "2006-11-17T08:27:51Z")
You can buy Nevada Lottery tickets, if it ever gets beyond the planning stages. You’ll also be able to book your own hotel room in some hotels. ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/9 "2006-11-17T13:10:47Z")
From distant memory, I and most of my contemporaries were doing most 18 year old things long before we were. Stolen fruits taste sweeter. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/10 "2006-11-17T13:18:51Z")
Our town’s high school handbook specifically states that 18 year olds are not allowed to excuse themselves from school. I imagine if it was allowed it would be very disruptive to have 3/4 of the senior class calling themselves in every morning. So, check your handbook and if it doesn’t say there call the office. ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/11 "2006-11-17T14:49:41Z")
I vaguely remember in high school the rules were even though you were 18 years old, you still needed a parent or guardian signature of basically everything dealing with the educational part of school (getting in and out of school, missing class, etc.). Yes, you can vote. Take advantage of that one. You probably fall under someone else’s medical insurance, but you might have a little more privacy when it comes to visiting the doctor, etc. (I am neither a doctor nor lawyer). Yes, you can smoke, or at least be the super cool guy who causes the premature death of your 16 and 17 year old friends. You can go car dealership to car dealership attempting to test drive cars. Can you visit a brothel? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/12 "2006-11-17T15:01:30Z")
Generally speaking, when you turn 18, suddenly, magically, you can run for public office, you can get married, you can buy a house, you can buy a car, you can join the Army–and you can be drafted. 😉 Don’t forget to fill out that Selective Service registration thingie, they’re not kidding. And you can also start paying property taxes on the house you just bought. Welcome to the adult world. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/13 "2006-11-17T15:39:45Z")
I was able to sign myself in and out of school once I turned 18 in September of my senior year. This was, however, because I lived with relatives other than my parents and technically paid them some money that could be considered rent. To have it be considered an excused absence, however, it needed to be for an approved reason (like with a doctor’s note) if a parent signed. With one exception. My school allowed people to make up the work in advance and take time off for a vacation, with a note from the parents. Did I ever take advantage of that? Hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/14 "2006-11-17T17:49:09Z")
Not regarding your school question but your “what are my new rights at 18” question, 18 year olds can sign a contract. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/15 "2006-11-17T17:50:46Z")
What do you mean you can’t gamble at 18? Is that just a NV thing? I went gambling on my 18th birthday, but the place I went didn’t serve alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/16 "2006-11-17T18:17:37Z")
You can file a lawsuit to try to obtain the right to buy alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/17 "2006-11-17T18:25:21Z")
[QUOTE=wheresgeorge04] [QUOTE=novamaster0] I know the gambling age is 21, I have no desire to … buy porn… [/quote] If you’re male, I find that hard to believe… 😃 Joe [/QUOTE] With the internet only fools buy porn. The rest download filthy pics for free. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/18 "2006-11-17T19:24:45Z")
[QUOTE=SP2263] Our town’s high school handbook specifically states that 18 year olds are not allowed to excuse themselves from school. I imagine if it was allowed it would be very disruptive to have 3/4 of the senior class calling themselves in every morning. So, check your handbook and if it doesn’t say there call the office. [/QUOTE] I wasn’t able to sign myself out by virtue of being 18, but once I had been kicked out of my mom’s house and was living with my best friend’s parents, the administration decided there were no “parents” left to sign. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/19 "2006-11-17T19:48:06Z")
[QUOTE=hawksgirl] What do you mean you can’t gamble at 18? Is that just a NV thing? I went gambling on my 18th birthday, but the place I went didn’t serve alcohol. [/QUOTE] Well California is definitely 18+ for gambling, but I really don’t know about other states. Maybe it’s just a California thing as opposed to being just a Nevada thing? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789/20 "2006-11-17T20:12:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Our town’s high school handbook specifically states that 18 year olds are not allowed to excuse themselves from school. I imagine if it was allowed it would be very disruptive to have 3/4 of the senior class calling themselves in every morning. But what could they do about it? I imagine that most of the truancy laws just say “under 18”. Would this just be “If you don’t come to school we’ll kick you out.”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/18-year-old-rights/380789.md?page=2)