Alabama Raises Medical Consent Age for Minors to 16

On October 1, 2025, Alabama’s age of consent for medical, dental and mental health treatment will increase from 14 to 16.

Alabama has enacted a new law, Act 2025-455, that increases the age at which minors can consent to medical treatment from 14 to 16. The legislation, also known as Senate Bill 101 (SB101), was signed into law by Governor Ivey on May 21, 2025.

Alabama's previous threshold of 14 was among the lowest in the nation. By raising the age to 16, Alabama moves closer to the national median, emphasizing parental involvement in minors' healthcare decisions.

Key Provisions of SB101 include:

• Increased Age of Consent: Minors must now be at least 16 years old to consent independently to medical, dental, and mental health services.
• Exceptions: Minors under 16 can still consent to services related to sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, or in cases of medical emergencies. Additionally, minors who are pregnant, legally emancipated, or living independently may retain the ability to make their own medical decisions.
• Parental Access to Medical Records: The bill prohibits health care providers and government agencies from withholding a minor’s medical records from their parents or guardians, unless a court order prohibits access or the parent is under investigation for a crime against the child.
• School Counseling Services: Minors under 16 now require written parental permission to participate in school counseling services. Local school boards must adopt policies requiring annual written notification to parents about mental health services, including details about the services and parents' rights to allow, limit, or prevent their child's participation.

Supporters of the legislation argue that it reinforces parental involvement in minors' healthcare decisions. "Fourteen-year-olds’ brains are not fully formed. We don’t let 14-year-olds get a tattoo or vote," said Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover), who managed the bill in the House. "We want parents engaged in the process."

With the enactment of SB101, Alabama aligns its medical age of consent with several neighboring states. In Florida and South Carolina, minors must be at least 16 to consent to medical treatment. Georgia requires parental consent for most medical decisions unless the minor is emancipated or married. Tennessee permits minors aged 14 and older to consent to medical treatment under the "mature minor doctrine," which assesses the minor's maturity on a case-by-case basis.

Nationally, the age at which minors can consent to medical treatment varies widely. Many states set the age at 18, while others have provisions allowing minors as young as 12 to consent to specific services, such as reproductive health or substance abuse treatment.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia) and passed the Senate with a 30-2 vote on April 8, 2025. It was subsequently passed by the House on May 7, 2025, and delivered to the Governor on May 14, 2025.

The full text of SB101 is available HERE.