Can a 17 year old go to urgent care alone?

Asked by: Krista Mertz  |  Last update: December 23, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (61 votes)

Any person age of 16 or over or married may consent to routine emergency medical or surgical care. Persons under eighteen (18) years of age may give legal consent for testing, examination, and/or treatment for any reportable communicable disease.

Can you go to urgent care as a 17 year old?

Minors over 14 years old or legally emancipated can often consent to their own medical treatment, but laws vary by state. Exceptions to these laws may include cases of pregnancy, medical emergencies, and financial independence.

Can my 17 year old go to the doctor alone?

In California, theoretically you need a parent present for every doctor visit until age 18, except if the teen is seeking care for an issue related to sex, pregnancy, STD's, or substance abuse.

What is the age of medical consent in South Carolina?

S.C. Code Ann. § 63-5-340 provides that any minor age 16 years or older may consent for any health service other than operations, which may be performed only if essential to the health or life of the minor in the opinion of the physician and a consulting physician if one is available.

Do you need your parents to go to urgent care?

When Bringing Minor Children for Treatment at Urgent Care. Patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who can provide photo identification, current insurance, and (as required) proof of guardianship.

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40 related questions found

Can a 17 year old go to the ER without a parent?

The ER can treat a minor in an emergency without parental presence. But they will go to great lengths to find someone. If the 17 year old is married, pregnant or in the Armed Forces, then they are considered adults in most locales.

Do I need my ID for urgent care?

Here is what we will need from you or may ask you to provide during your visit: Photo identification - Patients and adults who accompany patients under age 18 will need to have a photo identification, such as a driver's license, passport, military ID, employment badge, or student identification card.

Can a 17 year old discharge themselves from the hospital?

A minor must be discharged to a responsible adult. They cannot leave without one. If they are over 18, they are responsible for themselves.

Is 17 legal age in South Carolina?

The child is a minor until he or she reaches the age of majority which is eighteen years old. See, S.C.

Can you go to the dentist by yourself at 17?

However, a parent or legal guardian must accompany anyone under the age of 18 for dental treatment such as an extraction or a dental filling.

Can I go to the hospital by myself at 18?

Once you turn 18, your parents do not need to be told about or give permission for your medical care.

Can I go to the doctor without my parents knowing?

If you're 18 or older, your medical records are private according to the law. Any information that health staff receive or discuss with you at a clinic is completely confidential and cannot be shared with your parents or people you know without your permission.

Can a 17 year old see an adult doctor?

Family medicine physicians treat patients of all ages, from newborn to elderly. Internal medicine physicians typically see patients 16 years of age and older.

Can a 17 year old go to urgent care alone in Maryland?

A minor (i.e., a person under the age of 18) has the same capacity as an adult to consent to medical or dental treatment if minor: 1) Is married; 2) Is parent of a child; 3) i) Is living separate & apart from minor's parent, parents, or guardian, whether with or without consent of minor's parent, parents, or guardian; ...

How to make a doctor's appointment without parents?

How Can I See My Doctor Without My Parents?
  1. Talk With Your Parents First. Before the visit, tell your parents you want to start taking charge of your own health care, so you'd like some private time with your doctor. ...
  2. Call Your Doctor's Office Ahead of Time. ...
  3. Tell Your Doctor at Your Visit.

Can you legally leave home at 17 in South Carolina?

Generally, your parents have control of you until your 18th birthday, when you reach the age of majority, unless you become emancipated before your 18th birthday.

How to move out at 17 without emancipation?

Only if your parents agree to it. Until you turn 18, your parents are legally responsible for you. That means, if you move out of their home, it must be to a place they approve of, with people they agree to have looking after you.

At what age can a child refuse to see a parent in SC?

There is no set age at which a child can refuse visitation in South Carolina. However, once a child reaches their teens, forcing them to visit with a noncustodial parent can be difficult. South Carolina mandates that a noncustodial parent receive a minimum amount of visitation.

Can my 17 year old go to urgent care by herself?

Any person age of 16 or over or married may consent to routine emergency medical or surgical care. Persons under eighteen (18) years of age may give legal consent for testing, examination, and/or treatment for any reportable communicable disease.

Can you go to jail for leaving the hospital without being discharged?

It is not illegal to leave, and there is no law requiring you to sign any discharge documents. With that being said, you should prepare a letter explaining why you have decided to leave. Keep a copy of the letter for yourself and give a copy to the hospital administrator.

Can a minor admit themselves to a mental hospital?

Psychiatric Hospitalizations in Minors

For a child younger than 16 years, a voluntary admission requires an application by the parent or guardian that is supported by a medical professional.

Do u have to be 18 to go to urgent care?

Urgent care clinics provide medical services for both adults and children. To get the best care possible for your family, be sure to go to an urgent care center that can cater to people of all ages. A pediatric urgent care takes care of children up to age 18, and an adult urgent care serves adults.

What to say when you walk into urgent care?

Reception
  • Do you have a family doctor/GP? (You can tell her your doctor's name in your country.)
  • Why do you need to see a doctor today?
  • What is your medical concern?
  • How long have you had this problem/these symptoms?
  • Are you taking any medication?
  • Do you have any allergies?