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Why Do Age Thresholds for Adulthood, Voting, and Drinking All Differ?

There isn't just one standard for "how old is an adult" — explore 5 different age thresholds set for different purposes.

Age of majority (legal adulthood)

The legal age of adulthood at which a person can enter into contracts or manage property on their own, without parental consent. Many countries around the world use age 18 as the standard, though some do not. Example: South Korea sets the age of majority at 19 under its Civil Act (lowered from 20 in 2013), and Japan lowered its civil-law age of majority from 20 to 18 starting in April 2022.

Voting age

The age at which a person can participate in elections and vote, which is often set separately from the age of majority. Example: The United States lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 through the 26th Amendment in 1971, and South Korea, through an amendment to its Public Official Election Act, currently also allows voting starting at age 18.

Legal drinking age

The minimum age at which a person can purchase or drink alcohol, which does not necessarily match the age of majority or voting age. Example: Most US states set the drinking age at 21 (per the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act), which is actually higher than the voting age (18). South Korea and Japan, by contrast, set their drinking ages at around 19 and 20, respectively, aligning them more closely with their age of majority.

Legal marriage age

The age at which a legal marriage becomes possible, either regardless of parental consent or on the premise of it — many countries set different age standards depending on whether consent is given. Example: South Korea's Civil Act sets the marriageable age at 18, and minors generally require parental consent to marry.

Driver's license age

The minimum age at which a person can obtain a license to drive a motor vehicle, which can vary within a single country depending on the license type (moped, regular, special, etc.). Example: In South Korea, a moped license can be obtained starting at age 16, while Class 1 and Class 2 regular licenses can be obtained starting at age 18.

Why do some countries set the age of majority and the drinking age differently?

Because each age threshold is an answer to a different question — namely, "at what age can a person be trusted to take responsibility for this particular action?" The age at which someone has the judgment to enter contracts, the civic awareness to participate in elections, and the ability to handle the health and safety risks of drinking are each determined through separate social consensus processes, so it's actually quite natural for these thresholds to differ from one another even within the same country.

Why does the standard differ by state in the US?

Because the United States is a federal country in which a significant share of matters, including much of criminal and family law, are determined independently by each state. That said, the drinking age is an exception — since the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act, virtually all states have unified it at 21.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does South Korea's "man nai" (international age) system relate to these standards?

Starting in June 2023, legal age calculation in South Korea was, in principle, unified to use "man nai" (international age counting). The ages for adulthood, marriage, and a driver's license introduced on this page are all based on this international age counting method.

I'm also curious about electoral systems around the world.

Yes — if you're curious how the method of choosing representatives through voting differs by country, check out our dictionary of the world's electoral systems.