What if you are under the age of 18?

If you are under the age of 18, you do not have the legal capacity to enter into a contract or a rental agreement unless you are an “emancipated minor.” To become an emancipated minor you must go through a court process where the court legally declares you an adult.

If you are under the age of 18, a landlord may not be able to enforce a rental agreement against you, even if you misrepresented your age.⁴⁴ However, you will probably be responsible for paying a reasonable amount of rent for your use of an apartment.⁴⁵ If you are under 18 you cannot legally enter into a contract unless you are an emancipated minor. To learn more, see Emancipation and your legal rights as a minor.