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Can a Minor Sign a Contract?

By Javaria Sagheer · Updated October 2026
TL;DR Yes — a minor can sign a contract, but in most situations the law lets the minor cancel it later, and that choice belongs to the minor, not to the business. Lawyers call that kind of contract voidableVoidable: valid and enforceable unless the protected person chooses to cancel it. A voidable contract is different from a void one, which never counts at all., and cancelling it is called disaffirmingDisaffirm: to cancel a contract you signed as a minor, by clearly telling the other side you will not be bound by it. You generally have to give back what you still have.. The right has limits: it usually does not reach necessariesNecessaries: the basics a person needs to live, such as food, housing, and medical treatment. Some state statutes hold a minor to a contract for these when no parent or guardian was providing them., certain federal student loans, or contracts a court has approved. It can also run out soon after you become an adult — keep the item or keep paying, and you may have accepted the deal. The details are state law, so check your own state’s statute.

A Signature at 16: How the Law Treats Minors and Contracts

You are 16. The gym’s tablet shows a twelve-month membership agreement with a box for your signature. The employee looks at your birth date and says, “We’ll need a parent to sign this too.” A week earlier, you tapped “I agree” on a game’s terms of service and nobody asked your age. Last month a 17-year-old friend bought a used car from a neighbor for cash. All three are contracts, and the law treats each one differently from the same contract signed by an adult. The rule behind that difference is old — Washington’s version dates to 1866 — and lawyers call it the infancy doctrine. Here is what it does, where it stops, and what to do if you want out.

Can a Minor Sign a Contract? The Short Answer

Contract law is state law, and the states start from the same rule: a person under the age of majority can make a contract, but can usually cancel it. Georgia’s statute says it in one sentence: “Generally the contract of a minor is voidable.” (O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20(a)). California’s says a minor “may make a contract in the same manner as an adult, subject to the power of disaffirmance” (Family Code § 6700). Voidable is not the same as void: the contract stays in force unless the minor chooses to cancel it, and that choice has limits, covered below. The dividing line is the age of majorityAge of majority: the age at which state law treats you as an adult who is fully bound by your own contracts. It is set by each state’s statute.. For contracts, that line is 18 in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Washington, and Ohio. Alabama and Nebraska set the age of majority at 19, and Mississippi’s code treats anyone under 21 as a minor — but each of the three has a separate provision letting 18-year-olds make binding contracts, with some conditions. (For what else changes at that age, see whether your parents can kick you out at 18.)
How six states write the rule:
  • California — A minor is anyone under 18 (Family Code § 6500) and may disaffirm a contract “before majority or within a reasonable time afterwards” (§ 6710). A minor cannot make a contract relating to real property (§ 6701).
  • New York — A contract made after turning 18 “may not be disaffirmed” on the ground of infancy (General Obligations Law § 3-101(1)). Neither may certain college loans signed at 16 or older (Education Law § 281).
  • Texas — “The age of majority in this state is 18 years.” (Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 129.001). A court can give a self-supporting minor who is 17, or 16 and living apart from parents, an adult’s capacity to contract (Family Code §§ 31.001, 31.006).
  • Georgia — A person who keeps the property, or keeps enjoying the benefit, after turning 18 has ratified the contract and is bound by it (O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20(a)).
  • Washington — A minor is bound unless he or she disaffirms “within a reasonable time” after reaching majority and gives back the money and property still in his or her control (RCW 26.28.030).
  • Ohio — People 18 or older who are under no legal disability “are capable of contracting and are of full age for all purposes” (Revised Code § 3109.01).
To find your own state’s rule, search the statutes on your state legislature’s official website for “age of majority” and “contracts of minors” (or “disaffirm”).

Minors and Contracts, Situation by Situation

Situation 1 · Everyday deals Phone plans, gym memberships, and store credit — why they ask for a parentA business that signs up a 16-year-old takes a risk: the customer may be able to cancel. That is why a phone carrier, a gym, or a lender may refuse to deal with a minor alone and ask an adult to sign too.

The adult who signs is a cosigner, and the cosigner’s promise is the adult’s own. A federal rule makes lenders and retail installment sellers give the cosigner a written notice first, and it is blunt: “If the borrower doesn’t pay the debt, you will have to.” (16 C.F.R. § 444.3). Credit cards have their own federal rule: no account for anyone under 21 without proof of an independent ability to pay or a cosigner who is at least 21 (12 C.F.R. § 1026.51(b)(1)).

Situation 2 · Big purchases Buying a car at 16 or 17 — you can usually undo it, but not always for freeA car sale to a minor is voidable like any other contract. The hard question is how much money comes back. In Washington, the minor restores the money and property still within his or her control (RCW 26.28.030).

Tennessee’s Supreme Court went further in Dodson v. Shrader (1992). A 16-year-old paid $4,900 in cash for a used pickup. Nine months later it developed mechanical problems; he kept driving it, the engine failed a month after that, and he asked for the full price back. The court ruled that when the deal was fair, the seller is entitled to reasonable compensation for use, depreciation, and damage. So the size of the refund depends on your state.

The loan and the insurance policy are separate contracts. Florida, for example, lets certain 16-year-olds in foster care who have finished driver education sign for car insurance themselves, with a court order (Fla. Stat. § 743.047).

Situation 3 · Online Apps, games, and “I agree” — the same rule, plus federal enforcementTapping “I agree” is one way of making a contract; terms of service are agreements too, which is why sharing a Netflix password raises contract questions. None of the state statutes we read carves online agreements out of a minor’s right to cancel. The usual dispute is narrower: a parent’s card charged for a child’s purchases inside an app or game.

The Federal Trade Commission has brought those cases under consumer protection law. Apple agreed in January 2014 to refund at least $32.5 million for children’s in-app purchases billed without a parent’s consent. Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, agreed in December 2022 to $245 million in refunds over unwanted charges. In January 2025, the developer of Genshin Impact agreed to stop selling loot boxes to players under 16 without a parent’s consent.

The practical route is the platform’s refund process: ask promptly and say the buyer was a minor.

Situation 4 · The exceptions The contracts a minor usually can’t cancelStatutes take some contracts out of the rule.

Necessities. In California, a minor cannot disaffirm a contract to pay the reasonable value of things necessary for support that were actually furnished while no parent or guardian was able to provide them (Family Code § 6712). Georgia has a similar rule (O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20(b)).

Student loans. When certain federal student loans are collected, the guaranty agency or the Secretary of Education “shall not be subject to a defense raised by any borrower based on a claim of infancy,” whatever state law says (20 U.S.C. § 1091a(b)(2)). Florida treats anyone 16 or older as an adult for borrowing for their own higher education (Fla. Stat. § 743.05).

Court-approved entertainment and sports contracts. In California, an acting, music, or sports contract that a superior court has approved cannot be disaffirmed, and the court must order 15 percent of the minor’s gross earnings set aside in trust (Family Code §§ 6750–6752). New York and Florida have similar approval laws (N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law § 35.03; Fla. Stat. § 743.08).

Insurance, banking, and emancipation. New York treats a minor older than 14 years and 6 months as competent to buy life insurance (Insurance Law § 3207(a)) and lets a bank pay a minor’s deposit to the minor (Banking Law § 134). A California emancipated minor may “enter into a binding contract” (Family Code § 7050).

Lying about your age. In Washington, a minor who misrepresented his or her age, giving the other side good reason to believe it, cannot disaffirm (RCW 26.28.040).

Situation 5 · The birthday Turning 18 — when doing nothing becomes a yesAccepting a contract after you become an adult is called ratification, and you can do it without saying a word. Georgia’s statute is the clearest: keep the property, or keep enjoying the benefit, after turning 18, and the contract binds you (O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20(a)).

California and Washington give you a “reasonable time” after majority, and neither statute counts it in days. Nobody can tell you in advance when that window closes, so decide before your birthday or right after it, not after six more monthly payments.

What to Say When You Want Out of a Contract You Signed as a Minor

Act early — cancel in writing — return what you have
1. Before you contact anyone, collect the facts:

The contract or receipt, the date you signed, what you have paid, what you still have, and whether an adult cosigned.

2. Tell a parent or guardian, then cancel in writing, by email or a letter you can prove was sent:

“I signed this agreement on [date], when I was [age]. I was a minor under [state] law. I am cancelling (disaffirming) this contract as of today. Please confirm in writing.”

3. Offer to return what you still have:

“I still have [item] and I am ready to return it. Please tell me where to send it, and refund the $[amount] I paid.”

4. If the answer is “you signed it, so you’re bound”:

“I understand. Because I was under [18] when I signed, I am asking you to treat the contract as cancelled and to confirm that in writing.”

5. If they refuse or stop answering:

Don’t argue and don’t keep using the item. Save every message, and take the file, with a parent or guardian, to your state attorney general’s consumer protection office or a legal aid office.

If your contract falls into one of the exceptions above, or an adult cosigned, a cancellation letter may not end the debt. Get advice before you stop paying.
What to Do If You Signed a Contract as a Minor and Want Out
  1. Act promptly. Cancel before you reach the age of majority if you can, or as soon after as possible. If an adult cosigned, talk to that adult first.
  2. Stop using it. Keeping the item or continuing to pay as an adult can count as accepting the contract.
  3. Cancel in writing, using the wording above.
  4. Return what you still have, in the best condition you can.
  5. Keep proof. Save the contract, your notice, proof of delivery, the return tracking number, photos of the item, and a record of every payment.
  6. Get help if you are refused. Contact your state attorney general’s consumer protection office. For a loan, credit card, or bank account, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which says most companies respond within 15 days. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or to your state attorney general if that site is unavailable.

Contracts Before 18: What a Minor Can vs. Can’t Do

✓ A MINOR CAN

  • Sign a contract — it counts unless the minor chooses to cancel it
  • Cancel most contracts before the age of majority or within a reasonable time after
  • Ask for money back when returning what is left
  • Make binding contracts a statute specifically allows, such as certain student loans
  • Gain adult power to contract through emancipation or a court order, in states that offer it

✗ A MINOR CAN’T

  • Keep the item and also get the money back
  • Use age as a defense when certain federal student loans are collected
  • Cancel an entertainment or sports contract a court has approved
  • Escape a contract for necessities where state law makes it binding
  • Rely on cancelling after misrepresenting age — Washington bars it by statute
Liability waivers signed by a parent are a separate question, and states disagree. Ohio’s Supreme Court upheld parent-signed releases for nonprofit community sports in Zivich v. Mentor Soccer Club (1998). Florida’s Supreme Court held in Kirton v. Fields (2008) that a parent could not sign away a child’s injury claim in advance for a commercial activity; a Florida statute now lets parents waive, in advance, claims arising from the inherent risks of a commercial activity (Fla. Stat. § 744.301(3)).

Minors and Contracts: Myths, Corrected

Myth: “A contract signed by a minor is automatically void.”
False. It is voidable — Georgia’s statute uses that exact word — which means it counts until the minor cancels it.
Myth: “I’m under 18, so I can cancel and keep what I bought.”
False. Washington’s statute requires you to restore the money and property still in your control, and Tennessee’s Supreme Court lets the seller deduct for use and damage when the deal was fair.
Myth: “A minor can get out of any contract.”
False. Statutes make some contracts binding: necessities in some circumstances, certain student loans, court-approved entertainment and sports contracts, and others that vary by state.
Myth: “If my parent cosigned, cancelling gets both of us out.”
Don’t count on it. The federal cosigner notice warns that the creditor can collect from the cosigner without first trying to collect from the borrower.
Myth: “Everyone becomes an adult at 18 in every state.”
Not for every purpose. The age of majority is 19 in Alabama and Nebraska, and Mississippi’s code defines a minor as anyone under 21 — though all three let 18-year-olds make binding contracts, with some conditions.

Minor Contract Questions People Actually Ask

Tap a question to open it.
Can a 17-year-old sign a contract without a parent?
Yes. A 17-year-old’s signature makes a real contract, but in most situations the 17-year-old can cancel it before the age of majority or within a reasonable time after. Because of that risk, a business may refuse to sign with a minor alone or may require an adult cosigner.
Can you get out of a contract after you turn 18 if you signed it as a minor?
Sometimes, but only if you act quickly. California and Washington allow cancellation within a “reasonable time” after majority and do not define that in days. In Georgia, keeping the property or continuing to enjoy the benefit after 18 ratifies the contract.
What happens if a minor lies about their age to sign a contract?
It can cost the minor the right to cancel. Washington’s statute says a contract cannot be disaffirmed when the minor’s own misrepresentations about age gave the other party good reason to believe the minor could contract (RCW 26.28.040). Other states handle it differently, so check your own state’s rule.
Can a minor sign a lease for an apartment?
It depends on the state and on the landlord. A lease is a contract, so a landlord may refuse a minor or require an adult cosigner. Some statutes open a path: a California emancipated minor may lease property (Family Code § 7050), and Florida lets certain 17-year-olds in foster care sign, with a court order, for a residential lease that starts on their 18th birthday (Fla. Stat. § 743.045). Once you have signed, see whether you can break a lease.
Is a parent responsible for a contract their child signed?
A parent who cosigned is responsible, because the parent made a separate promise to pay. Whether a parent who signed nothing can be billed depends on state law and on what was bought.
Can a minor get a refund for in-app or in-game purchases?
Often, yes, but usually through the platform’s refund process rather than a court. The Federal Trade Commission has obtained refunds in cases about these charges, including at least $32.5 million from Apple in 2014 for children’s in-app purchases billed without a parent’s consent and $245 million from Epic Games in 2022 for unwanted charges. Ask promptly and say that a minor made the purchase.
Is a job agreement binding on a minor?
A job is a contract too, and state law decides how the rule applies to it. Washington’s statute says that paying a minor directly for work, as the contract provides, fully satisfies the employer’s debt for those services (RCW 26.28.050). Wage and child labor laws apply on top of any agreement; see the minimum wage for teens.

Minors and Contracts: Key Terms, Explained

Age of majority — the age a state treats you as an adult. For contracts it is 18 in the states compared above.
Infancy doctrine — the rule that a minor’s contract is generally voidable: valid unless the minor cancels, which is not the same as void.
Disaffirm — to cancel a contract made as a minor and give back what you still have.
Ratify — to accept the contract after becoming an adult; in some states, keeping the item is enough.
Necessaries — the basics of living, such as food, housing, and medical treatment. Some state statutes bind a minor to pay for these.
Cosigner — an adult who signs the same agreement and promises to pay if the main signer does not.

The Law Behind Minors and Contracts

Each of these is linked in Sources below.
California Family Code §§ 6700–6712A minor may make a contract, subject to the power to disaffirm before majority or within a reasonable time afterwards — with exceptions for obligations a statute authorizes and for necessities.
O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20 (Georgia)A minor’s contract is generally voidable, but keeping the property after 18 ratifies it, and contracts for necessaries can bind.
20 U.S.C. § 1091a(b)(2)The federal statute that removes the infancy defense when certain federal student loans are collected, regardless of state law.
Dodson v. Shrader (Tenn. 1992)The Tennessee Supreme Court held that when the contract was fair, the seller may recover reasonable compensation for use, depreciation, and damage after a minor cancels.
California Family Code §§ 6750–6752 and N.Y. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law § 35.03Court-approval laws for child performers and athletes. Once a court approves the contract, the minor cannot disaffirm it.

Minor Contract Law That’s Still Moving

The edges to watch as of October 2026:
  1. App stores and parental consent — Utah’s App Store Accountability Act (S.B. 142, passed in 2025) says an app store provider may not enforce a contract or terms of service against a minor unless it has obtained verifiable parental consent. Under the law as enacted (Utah Code § 13-76-201), the duties for app stores and developers were set to take effect on May 6, 2026, and the enforcement section on December 31, 2026. Texas has a similar law, S.B. 2420. Apple’s notices to app developers say a district court injunction suspended its enforcement in December 2025 and that, after a later court ruling lifted the injunction, the law applied to new Apple accounts in Texas from June 4, 2026. Check the current status in your state.
  2. Young online creators — California’s law on minors’ entertainment contracts now names content creators, including vloggers, podcasters, social media influencers, and streamers (Family Code § 6750).
When these move, this article gets updated.
One important note: almost everything in this article is state law, and the states differ on the age of majority, the exceptions, and how much a minor must give back. The states compared here are examples, not a survey of all fifty. Read your own state’s statute on your legislature’s official website before you rely on any rule here.

The Bottom Line on Whether a Minor Can Sign a Contract

A minor can sign a contract, and the signature counts — until the minor decides it should not. That power to cancel has edges: necessities, certain student loans, and court-approved contracts can bind you anyway, a cosigner may still owe the debt, and what you still have must go back. The right also fades fast once you are an adult. If you want out, say so in writing, return the item, keep your proof, and do it before your birthday or right after. If you want to stay in, understand that keeping the item as an adult can be your yes. Now you know.
The age of majorityCan your parents kick you out at 18? → After the purchaseCan a store refuse a refund? → The whole subjectExplore Teen & Young Adult →

Sources

Primary sources: Secondary sources:

LawJustic is for educational purposes only and does not provide legal advice. The law on minors’ contracts varies by state and by the type of contract. If you are trying to cancel a contract or are being billed for one, talk to a parent or guardian and consider contacting a legal aid office or a licensed attorney in your state. Last reviewed: October 2026.

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