Minors' Consent Laws for HIV and STD Services
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk of getting HIV, including minors. A minor is a person who does not have the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult. Minors’ ability to access PrEP independently, i.e., without parental or guardian consent, varies throughout the United States (see Provider Reference Guide for details by state). CDC assessed the statutes/regulations addressing minor’s ability to access STD and/or HIV services without parental/guardian consent, in the 50 states and D.C. CDC findings show that no jurisdiction explicitly prohibits minors’ access to PrEP without parental/guardian consent. Sixteen jurisdictions have statutes/regulations that explicitly allow minors of a particular age to independently access PrEP; the age for access varies by jurisdiction. However, minors might still be legally allowed to access PrEP without parental/guardian consent in some jurisdictions without explicit statutes/regulations.
All jurisdictions have statutes/regulations that explicitly allow minors of a particular age to independently consent to STD diagnosis and treatment; the age for access varies by jurisdiction.
Provider Reference Guide for Offering STD and HIV Services, including PrEP, to Minors without Parental/Guardian Consent
Based on Explicit Language in Statute and/or Regulation
| ∆Age of Majority | STD Diagnosis & Treatment (N=51) | STD Prevention (N=19) | HIV Testing (N=39) | HIV Treatment (N=33) | HIV Prevention (N=16) | ∆∆Disclosure Permitted (N=23) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 19 | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | May |
| Alaska | 18 | ✔ | ✔*** | ✔*** | ✔*** | ✔*** | |
| Arizona | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Arkansas | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May |
| California | 18 | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | |
| Colorado | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May (Under 13) |
| Connecticut | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | ||
| Delaware | 18 | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | May |
| District of Columbia | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | |||
| Florida | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | ||
| Georgia | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Hawaii | 18 | ✔ (14 or older) | May | ||||
| Idaho | 18 | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | |
| Illinois | 18 | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | ✔ (12 or older) | May | ||
| Indiana | 18 | ✔ | |||||
| Iowa | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Must (If HIV+) |
| Kansas | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (16 or older)*** | ✔ (16 or older)*** | ✔ (16 or older)*** | May |
| Kentucky | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Louisiana | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May |
| Maine | 18 | ✔ | May | ||||
| Maryland | 18 | ✔ | May | ||||
| Massachusetts | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | ||
| Michigan | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Minnesota | 18 | ✔ | May | ||||
| Mississippi | 21 | ✔ | ✔ (18 or older) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (18 or older) | No Obligation |
| Missouri | 18 | ✔ | May | ||||
| Montana | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May |
| Nebraska | 19 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Nevada | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | ||
| New Hampshire | 18 | ✔ (14 or older) | |||||
| New Jersey | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (13 or older) | May | ||
| New Mexico | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | May | |||
| New York | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | |||
| North Carolina | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (If Parents Refuse) | ✔ | ✔ | May** |
| North Dakota | 18 | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | |||
| Ohio | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Oklahoma | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May |
| Oregon | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Pennsylvania | 21 | ✔ | ✔ (18 or older) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ (18 or older) | |
| Rhode Island | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| South Carolina | 18 | ✔ (16 or older) | ✔ (16 or older) | ✔ (16 or older) | ✔ (16 or older) | ✔ (16 or older) | Not Permitted* |
| South Dakota | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | Not Permitted* | |||
| Tennessee | 18 | ✔ | Not Permitted* | ||||
| Texas | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Utah | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
| Vermont | 18 | ✔ (12 or older) | Not Permitted* | ||||
| Virginia | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | May | ||
| Washington | 18 | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | ✔ (14 or older) | |||
| West Virginia | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Wisconsin | 18 | ✔ | ✔ (14 or older) | ||||
| Wyoming | 18 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
∆ The age at which a person is no longer a minor and is granted legal rights and responsibilities of an adult
∆∆ If provider may disclose without consent from the minor, it is discretionary
✔ Provider may provide service to minor without parental or guardian consent
*Disclosure (notifying parents/guardians) is not permitted without consent from the minor
**Parents/guardians must contact provider in order to obtain records
*** If parents/guardians are not immediately available, cannot be contacted, or unwilling to consent
The information presented here does not constitute legal advice and does not represent the legal views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services, nor is it a comprehensive analysis of all legal provisions relevant to HIV. This information is subject to change and does not contain measures implemented by counties, cities, or other localities. Use of any provision herein should be contemplated only in conjunction with advice from legal counsel.