We get frequent email enquiries from worried New Zealand parents wondering what the safe legal age is for their child to do a certain activity. In response to these requests we have created a quick reference list for parents of NZ children regarding minimum Legal Age for Activities between age 5 to 25 years.
|  Ages        Activities |
| Â Â 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â starting school (earliest age) |
| Â Â 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â starting school (latest age) |
| Â Â 7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â starting school (latest age if the child must walk more than 3 km to school) |
| Â Â 14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â babysitting — a babysitter’s minimum age |
| Â Â 14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â leaving a child alone in your house |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â getting a learner’s driving licence |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â leaving school (earliest age) |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â living with a partner |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â to leave home without parental consent |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â age of consent for sex |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â deciding on which parent to live with (if separated) |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â parental consent is required for medical/dental treatment |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â starting full time work |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â getting a tattoo |
| Â Â 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â getting married or having a civil union (with parents’ consent) |
| Â Â 17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â getting a full driving licence |
| Â Â 17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â joining the Navy, Army, Airforce without parental consent |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â getting married or having a civil union (without parents’ consent) |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â can be legally independent of their parents’ guardianship |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â enter into contracts |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â buying alcohol |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â drinking alcohol |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â buying cigarettes |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â buying firecrackers |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â opening a cheque account, applying for credit card |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â borrowing money |
| Â Â 18 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â joining the Police Force |
| Â Â 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â electoral voting |
| Â Â 18 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â making a Will |
| Â Â 19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â the right to free education ends |
| Â Â 20 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â if adopted applying to Births Death and Marriages for a copy of the birth certificate (to find out birth parents) |
| Â Â 20 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â adopting a child if they are related. |
| Â Â 25 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â adopting a child – if the child is at least 20 years younger. |
