Legal ages in Belgium
In Belgium: age of majority 18, voting age 18, minimum age to marry 18, age of consent 16, age of criminal responsibility 12, alcohol purchase age 16.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Age of majority
18 years
The age at which a person becomes an adult in civil law: able to sign contracts, own and manage property in their own name, and leave parental authority.
Minimum age to marry
18 years
The lowest age at which the law allows a marriage, in the general rule.
Age of consent
16 years
The age at which the law treats a person as able to consent to sexual activity.
Age of criminal responsibility
12 years
Young offenders are dealt with by youth courts, with protection and measures; a transfer to the adult court is possible from 16 only in exceptional cases.
The lowest age at which a child can be held criminally responsible.
Voting age
18 years
16 for European Parliament elections since 2024.
The age at which a citizen may vote in national elections.
Alcohol purchase age
16 years
16 for beer and wine, 18 for spirits.
The lowest age at which a person may legally buy alcohol, in the general rule.
More about Belgium
Sources
- Inter-Parliamentary Union: Parline, the global data hub on parliaments
- UNICEF: child marriage data and legal minimum ages
- UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: minimum ages of criminal responsibility
- WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health
For the exact rule and its text, use Belgium’s own legislation, which is the authority.
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Marriage, divorce, custody and support, step by step.
A short PDF reference book with self-check questions.
A whole chapter of black-letter law on one printable page. Free sample.
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TheLawToKnow Tools’s legal ages guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the country’s own law or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.
