Young Persons - Effects of Age in Civil Law
(HKLRC Report)
The general approach of this 1986 report was to recommend lowering from 21 to 18 years the age at which young persons are presumed to be capable of assuming full responsibility in civil law. The report recommends no change, however, in certain respects. For example, the report proposes that the voting age should not be lowered from 21 to 18 years, as the change would have important political and constitutional implications. The Commission considered that any such change should be considered in a wider context. The report also proposes that there should be no change to the age limits set for prospective adopters, who must be at least 25 years of age if not related to the intended adoptee, and must be at least 21 years if the parties are related.
The Commission's principal recommendations were implemented by the Age of Majority (Related Provisions) Ordinance in 1990.
| Press Release (PDF) (MS Word) |
| Report (PDF) (MS Word) |