# Things you can do at age 18 but not before **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338 "2002-12-12T21:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/21 "2002-12-13T02:24:11Z")
Get a tattoo/piercing without parental permission! (Although in practice an 8-yo could probably get a belly button ring without being asked for ID.) And happy belated birthday! Mine is tomorrow (and I’ll be 18 too). ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/22 "2002-12-13T02:41:44Z")
You can see the inside of a jail cell courtesy of the govt. well OK in this state they’d throw you in adult jail before 18 if you were really bad,but you wouldn’t be in with adults Also now you can get your own apt **young man** …😃 ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/23 "2002-12-13T04:08:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*buy a lottery ticket? \*\* Actually, I think you can buy lottery tickets as a minor, but you can’t cash them. In Ohio, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/24 "2002-12-13T05:18:22Z")
You can move out of your parents’ house! ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/25 "2002-12-13T14:53:39Z")
Call 1800-buy-crap numbers on TV, without asking your parents for permission first. Hope you enjoy your new Ove-Glove! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/26 "2002-12-13T16:24:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SenorBeef \* > \*\*Actually, I think you can buy lottery tickets as a minor, but you can’t cash them. > > In Ohio, at least. \*\* Must be different for different states then. In Texas, you gotta be 18. A friend of mine (who was 22 at the time, but looked a lot younger) got carded once when buying a lotto ticket. It made him so mad–I thought it was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![YEP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@YEP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YEP)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/27 "2002-12-13T17:21:55Z")
You can no longer use the excuse your young and stupid to a cop. Now you’ll most likely be going downtown. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/28 "2002-12-14T06:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*Must be different for different states then. In Texas, you gotta be 18. A friend of mine (who was 22 at the time, but looked a lot younger) got carded once when buying a lotto ticket. It made him so mad–I thought it was hilarious. \*\* Actually, I carded people too when they did that (I think I was told to, not sure), but was told by a coworker that it was only necesary to cash them. I’m not exactly sure, but I’m not gonna card anyone for a ticket unless you want to buy 50 or something. ---
**Author:** ![cookeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@cookeze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cookeze)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/29 "2002-12-14T16:11:53Z")
You can get kicked out by your parents. It’s not just what you can do—it’s also what people can do to you, too. So be careful. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/30 "2002-12-14T17:29:52Z")
You can get a job, get your own apartment and support yourself now. Quick, do it now while you still know everything. I thought it was ironic that on my way back home from Nam, I couldn’t buy a beer in the SF airport bar because I wasn’t old enough to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/31 "2002-12-14T18:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Quick, do it now while you still know everything. I remember that part of life. Sure wish I’d written it all down. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/32 "2002-12-14T18:49:08Z")
On the sex and minors thing… I’ll be 18 for about a month and a half before my girlfriend is. Any legal issues? (I’m in NY btw) ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-can-do-at-age-18-but-not-before/142338/33 "2002-12-14T19:43:04Z")
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