parental consent
The rules about abortion are different depending on where you live. In some states, you can get an abortion without telling your parents. In others, there are Parental Consent or Parental Notification laws.
- Parental Consent means that you will need to get permission from a parent if you are under a certain age, usually 18.
-
Parental Notification means that you will have to tell a
parent if you are under a certain age, usually 18, but you don't need their permission.
The chart below shows the current situation for each state (last updated on 08/2011). You can find detailed information on your reproductive rights and monthly reports on Parental Consent and Notification laws at the website for the Alan Guttmacher Institute. Click on "parental involvement in minors' abortions."
If you are thinking about an abortion and live where there is a Parental Consent/Notification law, it's a good idea to call a clinic in your state (or the Abortion Hotline at 1-800-772-9100) and talk with someone about your options. Usually you can get around telling your parents by going to a clinic in a state without these restrictions or, explaining your situation to a judge (this is called Judicial Bypass). But this can take time, so call right away.
Parental Consent Laws are enacted on a state by state basis. They can be fought state by state too, so get involved. Abortion Rights organizations are listed in Resources under activism.
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parental
consent by state |
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| State | Status | Comments | |||||||||||
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| AL | Alabama | PC |
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| AK | Alaska | PN | New law since Dec 2010 | ||||||||||
| AZ | Arizona | PC | Need notarized written consent now | ||||||||||
| AR | Arkansas | PC |
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| CA | California | NONE | PC law stopped by court | ||||||||||
| CO | Colorado | PN | |||||||||||
| CT | Connecticut | NONE | |||||||||||
| DE | Delaware | PN | applies only to girls under 16years old; notice may also be to grandparent or counselor; doctor can bypass | ||||||||||
| DC | Washington | NONE |
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| FL | Florida | PN | |||||||||||
| GA | Georgia | PN |
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| HI | Hawaii | NONE |
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| ID | Idaho | PC | PC law is back as of March 2007 | ||||||||||
| IL | Illinois | NONE | PN law stopped by court again | ||||||||||
| IN | Indiana | PC |
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| IA | Iowa | PN | allows for consent by grandparent instead of parent | ||||||||||
| KS | Kansas | PC2 |
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| KY | Kentucky | PC |
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| LA | Louisiana | PC |
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| ME | Maine | NONE | |||||||||||
| MD | Maryland | PN | doctor can bypass the PN Law | ||||||||||
| MA | Massachusetts | PC |
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| MI | Michigan | PC |
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| MN | Minnesota | PN2 |
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| MS | Mississippi | PC2 |
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| MO | Missouri | PC |
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| MT | Montana | NONE | PN stopped by court | ||||||||||
| NE | Nebraska | PN |
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| NV | Nevada | NONE | PN stopped by court | ||||||||||
| NH | New Hampshire | NONE | |||||||||||
| NJ | New Jersey | NONE | PN law stopped by court | ||||||||||
| NM | New Mexico | NONE | PC law stopped by court | ||||||||||
| NY | New York | NONE | |||||||||||
| NC | North Carolina | PC | allows for consent by grandparent instead of parent | ||||||||||
| ND | North Dakota | PC2 |
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| OH | Ohio | PC |
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| OK | Oklahoma | PN & PC | |||||||||||
| OR | Oregon | NONE |
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| PA | Pennsylvania | PC |
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| RI | Rhode Island | PC |
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| SC | South Carolina | PC | Women under 17 years old; also allows for consent by grandparent | ||||||||||
| SD | South Dakota | PN |
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| TN | Tennessee | PC |
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| TX | Texas | PN & PC | |||||||||||
| UT | Utah | PN & PC |
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| VA | Virginia | PC | allows for consent by grandparent instead of parent | ||||||||||
| VT | Vermont | NONE | |||||||||||
| WA | Washington | NONE | |||||||||||
| WV | West Virginia | PN | doctor can bypass | ||||||||||
| WI | Wisconsin | PC | allows other family members over 25 years old to consent; doctor can bypass | ||||||||||
| WY | Wyoming | PC & PN |
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usually you can get around telling your parents