Free lookup
What age can a child stay home alone? Every state and province.
Most places set no age at all. Pick yours to see what the law or the child-welfare agency says, with a link to the source.
Checked October 15, 2026. Laws change, and this isn’t legal advice: your local child protection office can tell you how they see it.
| State | Rule | Age in the rule | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Alaska | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Arizona | No set age | No age set | No law found. Arizona’s Department of Child Safety treats a child left alone as a possible supervision concern; its FAQ could not be opened to check for an age. No official source found |
| Arkansas | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| California | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Colorado | Official guideline | Alone from 10 | Colorado law sets no age for staying home alone. The Colorado Department of Human Services’ CO4Kids campaign says the state has generally accepted age 10 to be alone and 12 to babysit as a guideline for short periods. Colorado Department of Human Services, CO4Kids: "School is out. Is it okay for my kid to stay home alone?" |
| Connecticut | Official guideline | Alone from 12 | No law sets an age. The Connecticut Attorney General’s child protection FAQ says many experts believe a child should be at least 12 to stay home alone; that is advice, not a rule. Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, Child Protection Department FAQ |
| Delaware | No set age | No age set | Delaware’s children’s department says there is no law in Delaware regulating the age a child can be left home alone, and gives no recommended age. Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families, FAQs |
| District of Columbia | Official guideline | Alone from 11 | D.C.’s Child and Family Services Agency recommends that a child 10 or under never be unsupervised for any period, and that no child 12 or under supervise another child. (Agency guidance from 2008.) D.C. Child and Family Services Agency, Administrative Issuance CFSA-08-7: Children’s Self-Care and Care for Others (Dec. 24, 2008) |
| Florida | No set age | No age set | Florida sets no age. DCF’s Abuse Hotline says a report is required for a child of any age left home alone without supervision or arrangements appropriate to the child’s age or condition. Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Abuse Hotline FAQ (Q30) |
| Georgia | Official guideline | Alone from 9 | Georgia DFCS guidelines say children 8 or younger should not be left alone; 9 to 12, depending on maturity, may be left for brief periods (under two hours); 13 and older may be left alone and may babysit for up to 12 hours. Georgia DFCS, Lack of Supervision Reference Guide (Child Welfare Policy Manual, Appendix C; rev. 08/2014) |
| Hawaii | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Idaho | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Illinois | No set age | No age set | No age in law. Illinois removed its old “under 14” wording in 2023 (Public Act 103-233): its law now says no specific age decides whether leaving a child alone is reasonable, and looks at the child’s maturity and the risk instead. Illinois Compiled Statutes, 720 ILCS 5/12C-10 and 705 ILCS 405/2-3 |
| Indiana | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The state’s FAQ says the law leaves the decision to parents, weighing the child’s maturity and risks. IN.gov FAQ (Department of Child Services): How old does a child have to be before he/she can stay home alone? |
| Iowa | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Kansas | Official guideline | Alone from 7 | Kansas DCF says Kansas has no law on when a child can stay home alone, and recommends children under 7 never be left without adult supervision; 7-9 for short daytime periods only; 10 and older depending on maturity and circumstances. It notes most children are ready around 12 or 13. Kansas DCF, PPM Appendix 1B, ’Is Your Child Ready to Be Home Alone?’ (Rev. JUL-25) |
| Kentucky | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Louisiana | No set age | No age set | No home-alone age law found; no official guidance found. Two criminal statutes protect children under 10, but only against abandonment with no intent to return or exposure to a hazard, not leaving a child home alone as such. Louisiana R.S. 14:79.1 (Criminal abandonment) |
| Maine | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Maryland | In law | Covers under 8 | A person caring for a child under 8 may not leave the child locked or confined in a dwelling, building, enclosure or vehicle while out of sight, unless a reliable person at least 13 years old stays with the child. Violation is a misdemeanor (up to $500 and/or 30 days). Maryland Code, Family Law §5-801 |
| Massachusetts | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The state’s law library says Massachusetts sets no specific age and decides such cases one at a time. Mass.gov (Trial Court Law Libraries), Massachusetts law about child abuse and neglect |
| Michigan | No set age | No age set | No law found; no current official guidance found. The ’home alone’ PDF on michigan.gov is a reprint of a 2007 federal factsheet, not Michigan guidance. michigan.gov (MDHHS) copy of ’Leaving Your Child Home Alone’, Child Welfare Information Gateway factsheet, July 2007 |
| Minnesota | Official guideline | Alone from 8 | No statute sets an age. State screening guidelines say reports may be screened in for children 7 and under left alone for any time, 8-10 for over 3 hours, 11-13 for over 12 hours, and 14-15 for over 24 hours. Children under 11 should not provide child care. Minnesota Child Maltreatment Intake, Screening and Response Path Guidelines (DHS-5144-ENG, November 2025) |
| Mississippi | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Missouri | No set age | No age set | No law found; no current official guidance found. A Children’s Division tip sheet that said Missouri statutes set no age has been taken down. No official source found |
| Montana | No set age | No age set | No law found. Montana DPHHS’s own pamphlet says there is no set age; parents decide based on the child and the situation. Montana DPHHS Child and Family Services, "Is Your Child Ready to be Home Alone?" (pamphlet) |
| Nebraska | No set age | No age set | No Nebraska law sets an age. DHHS used to publish guidelines saying children 6 and under should never be left alone, but they are no longer on its website. No official source found |
| Nevada | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| New Hampshire | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| New Jersey | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| New Mexico | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. A 2015 Legislative fiscal impact report states New Mexico has no statute setting a minimum age for leaving a child home alone. New Mexico Legislature, Fiscal Impact Report for HB 104 (2015) |
| New York | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official state guidance with an age found. A Broome County parent guide says New York law sets no age and urges caution about leaving any child under 10 alone. Coalition of Parent Educators of Broome County, "Home Alone" guide (2012), hosted by Broome County |
| North Carolina | In law | Covers under 8 | North Carolina has no general home-alone age. G.S. 14-318 makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to leave a child under 8 locked or confined in a dwelling or building, without someone of the ’age of discretion’ in charge, so as to expose the child to danger by fire. N.C. General Statutes § 14-318 (Exposing children to fire) |
| North Dakota | Official guideline | Alone from 9 | North Dakota Supervision Guidelines say children 8 and younger should be supervised at all times; a 9-year-old should not be alone more than two hours in the daytime; children 12 and older may babysit, ideally after an approved childcare course. North Dakota Supervision Guidelines, Parents Lead (June 2026) |
| Ohio | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance with an age found. Ohio State University Extension says Ohio law sets no minimum age and only requires parents to provide adequate supervision. Ohio State University Extension fact sheet HYG-5321 (2010) |
| Oklahoma | Official guideline | Alone from 6 | Oklahoma DHS says no statute sets a home-alone age. Its guidelines say children under 6 are never left alone; ages 6-7 rarely, for under an hour in daytime; older elementary one to two hours; middle schoolers up to four hours. Oklahoma Human Services, "Guidelines for Leaving a Child at Home Alone" (DHS Pub. No. 03-24, rev. 8/2019) |
| Oregon | In law | Covers under 10 | It is a crime (child neglect in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor) for someone with custody of a child under 10 to leave the child unattended, with criminal negligence, for a period likely to endanger the child’s health or welfare. Oregon Revised Statutes, ORS 163.545 (Child neglect in the second degree) |
| Pennsylvania | County guideline | Alone from 12 | No state law or state guidance with an age found. Berks County Children and Youth Services (county) recommends a child be at least 12 to be left home alone or to babysit. Berks County Children and Youth Services, Intake FAQs (county) |
| Rhode Island | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. Rhode Island General Laws, § 40-11-2 (Abused and neglected children: definitions) |
| South Carolina | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 63 Chapter 7 (Child Protection and Permanency), § 63-7-20 definitions |
| South Dakota | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The state DSS lists failure to supervise as neglect and says the child’s age and competence, time left alone, time of day and parental planning must be considered. South Dakota Department of Social Services, Child Protection: Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect |
| Tennessee | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found that could be opened. No official source found |
| Texas | No set age | No age set | DFPS says Texas law doesn’t set an age for a child to stay home alone, and that inadequate supervision can be neglect. It lists factors to weigh instead: the child’s age, maturity and ability, the home and neighbourhood, how many children, and how long and how often. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Supervision |
| Utah | No set age | No age set | No age in law. Utah’s definition of neglect expressly excludes letting a child of sufficient age and maturity, whose basic needs are met, remain at home unattended. Utah Code § 80-1-102 (Juvenile Code definitions: neglect) |
| Vermont | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Virginia | No set age | No age set | Virginia DSS says state law does not give an age limit for leaving children unsupervised at home, and that age alone is not a good measure of maturity. It offers questions about maturity, the situation and distance instead. Virginia Department of Social Services, Is Your Child Ready to Stay Home Alone |
| Washington | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found that could be opened. No official source found |
| West Virginia | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found for families in general. No official source found |
| Wisconsin | No set age | No age set | The Wisconsin State Law Library says Wisconsin has no statute or regulation setting the age at which a child may be left unsupervised or in charge of other children, and points to the abandonment and neglect statutes (948.20, 948.21). Wisconsin State Law Library, Children Home Alone |
| Wyoming | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. No official source found |
| Province or territory | Rule | Age in the rule | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. Alberta’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act treats a guardian who is unable or unwilling to provide adequate care or supervision as neglect, but sets no age. Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, RSA 2000, c C-12, s. 1(2.1)(c) (Alberta King’s Printer) |
| British Columbia | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. B.C.’s Child, Family and Community Service Act lets a director act when a child is found without adequate supervision (s. 25, ’Unattended child’), but sets no age. Child, Family and Community Service Act, RSBC 1996, c 46, s. 25 (BC Laws) |
| Manitoba | In law | Covers under 12 | Manitoba’s Child and Family Services Act says a child is in need of protection if, being under 12, the child is left unattended without reasonable provision for their supervision and safety. The Child and Family Services Act, C.C.S.M. c. C80, s. 17(2)(g) (Manitoba Laws, current as of 2026-10-13) |
| New Brunswick | In law | Covers under 12 | New Brunswick’s Child and Youth Well-Being Act makes it an offence for a person caring for a child under 12 (or a child or youth with a disability) to leave them for an unreasonable period without reasonable provision for their care and supervision. Child and Youth Well-Being Act, SNB 2022, c. 35, s. 51 (Acts and Regulations of New Brunswick) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The Children, Youth and Families Act treats a child left without adequate supervision appropriate to their developmental level as in need of protection, with no age stated. Children, Youth and Families Act, SNL 2018, c. C-12.3, s. 10 (House of Assembly NL) |
| Northwest Territories | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The 2021 CWRP review of every provincial and territorial child welfare act lists no home-alone age for the Northwest Territories. CWRP Information Sheet #213E, Legal Age for Leaving Children Unsupervised Across Canada (2021), Table 1 |
| Nova Scotia | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. Nova Scotia’s Children and Family Services Act counts failure to provide adequate supervision as neglect, with no age. Children and Family Services Act, SNS 1990, c. 5, s. 3 and s. 22 (Nova Scotia Legislature, consolidated to 2026-04-09) |
| Nunavut | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The 2021 CWRP review lists no home-alone age for Nunavut. CWRP Information Sheet #213E (2021), Table 1 |
| Ontario | In law | Covers under 16 | Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act says no one in charge of a child under 16 may leave the child without making provision for their supervision and care that is reasonable in the circumstances. Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 14, Sched. 1, s. 136(3) (Ontario e-Laws) |
| Prince Edward Island | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The 2021 CWRP review lists no home-alone age for Prince Edward Island. CWRP Information Sheet #213E (2021), Table 1 |
| Quebec | No set age | No age set | No law sets an age for leaving a child home alone. Separately, Quebec’s Highway Safety Code forbids leaving a child under 7 unattended in a vehicle. Highway Safety Code, CQLR c C-24.2, s. 380 (LégisQuébec) |
| Saskatchewan | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The 2021 CWRP review lists no home-alone age for Saskatchewan. CWRP Information Sheet #213E (2021), Table 1 |
| Yukon | No set age | No age set | No law found; no official guidance found. The 2021 CWRP review lists no home-alone age for Yukon. CWRP Information Sheet #213E (2021), Table 1 |
How to use it
- Choose your state, province or territory to see its rule, the age in it, and the source.
- “In law” means a statute sets an age, sometimes only for a narrow case, which the summary explains. “Official guideline” is advice from the state’s own child-welfare agency.
- Where no age is set, the question is whether the arrangement is reasonable for that child: their maturity, how long, the time of day, and whether an adult is close by.
This is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. A number appears here only where we could read it in the law or the agency’s own page; where a source couldn’t be opened or has been taken down, we say no age was found rather than repeat what other websites claim.
FAQ
Questions parents ask
Is there a legal age to leave a child home alone?
In most of the US and Canada, no. Only a few places set an age in law: Maryland (under 8 may not be left locked or confined), Oregon (under 10, when it endangers the child) and North Carolina (under 8, where there is a fire risk) in the US, and Manitoba and New Brunswick (12) and Ontario (16) in Canada. Most others give guidelines or nothing.
What age can a child stay home alone in Illinois?
Illinois no longer sets one. Its old “under 14” wording was removed in 2023 (Public Act 103-233), and the law now says no specific age decides whether leaving a child alone is reasonable.
What age can a child stay home alone in Ontario?
Ontario’s law says no one in charge of a child under 16 may leave them without supervision that is reasonable in the circumstances. It doesn’t mean a 15-year-old can never be alone; it means the arrangement has to be reasonable.
What age can a child stay home alone in BC?
British Columbia sets no age. Its child protection law lets a social worker act when a child is left without adequate supervision, and looks at the child and the circumstances.
What age do experts recommend?
The Canada Safety Council says not before 10, and then only for short periods with an adult nearby. Several US state agencies give similar advice, with under 8 or under 9 never alone.
For the days they can’t be home alone
Kid Pickup puts a name on the sick days, early dismissals and practice runs, and the app sends a nudge when one still has nobody. Grandparents and sitters never pay.
Worth reading: How old can a child stay home alone after school?
Worth reading: What age can a child walk home from school alone?
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