The chart below shows the ages in each state when children must start attending school, when they may drop out legally, and the relevant statutes. If students drop out early or have too many absences when they’re still covered by their state’s compulsory education laws, they (and their parents) risk facing penalties for truancy, including fines, juvenile court proceedings, or even criminal charges for parents.
This chart is a rough guide. Almost all states have exceptions to the age limits. Many allow students to drop out at different ages if they meet certain conditions, and some require parental permission to leave school even when the student has reached the upper age limit. (Learn more about dropping out of school, including consequences and alternatives.) Follow the links below to find details about the requirements in some states. Because states can change their laws at any time, it's always a good idea to check the current statutes through this guide to state laws from the Library of Congress.
|
State |
Ages |
Statute |
|
6-17 |
Ala. Code § 16-28-3 |
|
|
Alaska |
7-16 |
Alaska Stat. § 14.30.010 |
|
6-16 |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-803 |
|
|
Arkansas |
5-17 |
Ark. Stat. Ann. § 6-18-201 |
|
6-18 |
Cal. Educ. Code § 48200 |
|
|
6-17 |
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-33-104 |
|
|
Connecticut |
5-18 |
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-184 |
|
Delaware |
5-16 |
14 Del. Code Ann. § 2702 |
|
6-16 |
Fla. Stat. § 1003.21 |
|
|
6-16 |
Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-690.1 |
|
|
Hawaii |
5-18 |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 302A-1132 |
|
Idaho |
7-16 |
Idaho Code § 33-202 |
|
6-17 |
105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/26-1 |
|
|
7-18 |
Ind. Code Ann. § 20-33-2-6 |
|
|
Iowa |
6-16 |
Iowa Code § 299.1A |
|
Kansas |
7-18 |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-3120 |
|
6-18* |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 159.010 |
|
|
Louisiana |
7-18 |
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 17:221 |
|
Maine |
7-17 |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 20-A, § 5001-A |
|
5-18 |
Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-301 |
|
|
6-* |
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 76, § 1; 603 Mass. Code Regs. 802 |
|
|
6-18 |
Mich. Stat. Ann. § 380.1561 |
|
|
7-17 |
Minn. Stat. § 120A.22 |
|
|
Mississippi |
6-17 |
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-91 |
|
7-17* |
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 167.031 |
|
|
Montana |
7-16 |
Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-102 |
|
Nebraska |
6-18 |
Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-201 |
|
Nevada |
7-18 |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 392.040 |
|
New Hampshire |
6-18 |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 193:1 |
|
6-16 |
N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:38-25 |
|
|
New Mexico |
5-18 |
N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 22-8-2, 22-12-2 |
|
6-16 |
N.Y. Educ. Law § 3205 |
|
|
7-16 |
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-378 |
|
|
North Dakota |
7-16 |
N.D. Cent. Code § 15.1-20-01 |
|
6-18 |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3321.01 |
|
|
Oklahoma |
5-18 |
Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 10-105 |
|
Oregon |
6-18 |
Or. Rev. Stat. § 339.010 |
|
8-17 |
24 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 13-1326 |
|
|
Rhode Island |
6-18 |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-19-1 |
|
5-17 |
S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-10 |
|
|
South Dakota |
6-18 |
S.D. Codified Laws § 13-27-1 |
|
6-18 |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3001 |
|
|
6-19 |
Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 25.085 |
|
|
Utah |
6-18 |
Utah Code Ann. § 53G-6-201 |
|
Vermont |
6-16 |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 1121 |
|
5-18 |
Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-254 |
|
|
8-18 |
Wash. Rev. Code § 28A.225.010 |
|
|
Washington, D.C. |
5-18 |
D. C. Code Ann. § 38-202 |
|
West Virginia |
6-17 |
W. Va. Code § 18-8-1 et seq. |
|
6-18 |
Wis. Stat. § 118.15 |
|
|
Wyoming |
7-16 |
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-4-102 |
*Under a process set in motion by Kentucky law, all school districts in the state were required to raise their dropout age to 18 by 2017. Massachusetts directs local school boards to set the minimum and maximum ages for mandatory attendance in their school districts, but the minimum age must be at least six. In Missouri, metropolitan school districts may lower the legal dropout age to 16.