What Emancipation Means
Arizona permits teens who are sixteen or seventeen to file a motion to become emancipated.
Once a teen is emancipated, their parents are no longer financially
responsible for the teen and the teen is legally free from their parents or legal guardian. The parents will not be required to provide
health insurance, food, or clothing.
Once emancipated a teen has many of the same rights and obligations as an adult. This includes responsibilities; if the teen causes damage to
another’s property, their parents can no longer be held responsible.
Emancipation Requirements
A teen may apply to the court to be emancipated if they are at least sixteen, a resident of the state of Arizona, financially self-sufficient and not a ward of the court.
The teen will also need to provide proof that they have been living on their own for at least three months, or provide a statement explaining why their home is an unsafe environment or provide a notarized document from their parents consenting to the emancipation.