18, the final Hurdle in the UK

At age 18

Adoption
If you are adopted, you can apply for a copy of your original birth certificate on application to the Registrar General.

If you are adopted you can apply to have your own name and address put on the Adoption Contact Register.

Alcohol

• You can buy and drink alcohol in a bar.

• You can apply for a licence to sell alcohol.

Armed Forces
You can join the Armed Forces without parental consent.

Contracts and property ownership

• You have complete contractual capacity, so you can make binding contracts in your own right.

• You can own land, buy a house or flat, hold a tenancy, and apply for a mortgage.

• You can act as an executor or administrator of a deceased person’s estate.

• You can pawn an article at a pawnshop.

• You can hold a licence to drive a medium-sized goods vehicle (maximum7.5 tonnes).

Legal

• You can buy fireworks.

• You can obtain a commercial pilot’s licence to fly an aeroplane, helicopter, glider, balloon or airship.

• You can enter a betting shop and place a bet. You can also work in one.

• You can leave home without parental consent.

• Criminal charges against you will be dealt with in the adult courts.

• You can serve on a jury.

• You can be sued and you can sue in your own right.

• You can make a will.

• You can make an application for legal aid in you own right.

• You can get married without parental consent.

• You can open a bank account or a Post Office Girobank account without a parent’s signature.

• You can donate your body to science, or anatomical study, or donate your body organs without parental permission.

• You can vote in general and local elections.

• You can be tattooed.

• You can apply for a passport without a parent’s/carer’s consent.

• You can buy cigarettes, tobacco and cigarette paper (from 1st October).

Medical treatment
You have to pay for dental treatment and prescriptions unless you are still in full-time education, or pregnant, or certain other circumstances apply.

(From the Connexions Website.)

There are only a couple of important things you have to wait for age 21 to do: adopt a child or stand for parliament. Everything else is open to you, hence the idea of receiving 'the key of the door!'