Medical consent age changes from 14 to 16 in Alabama on Oct. 1
Starting Oct. 1, minors under the age of 16 will need parental or guardian consent in most cases to receive medical, dental or mental health services in Alabama.
Effective Oct. 1, Alabama law will change the age of medical consent from 14 to 16. This means that, in most cases, minors under the age of 16 will need parental or guardian consent to receive medical, dental or mental health services.
Exceptions remain in place for certain situations, including emergency care, pregnancy-related services, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, substance-use concerns, emancipated minors, and other legally recognized circumstances.
In addition, healthcare providers may not deny parents access to their child’s medical records unless restricted by a court order or other legal barrier.
Staff should be aware of this important change and ensure that updated consent procedures are consistently applied beginning Oct. 1.
