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21 Cool Things You're Allowed to Do Once You Turn 21

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Drinking alcohol, gambling at casinos, renting a car, and more!

Co-authored by Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: December 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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In the United States, a 21st birthday is considered a major milestone since it marks the age that you’re legally allowed to drink alcohol. But did you know that there are a ton of other things you can only do once you turn 21? We’ve compiled a complete list of all the things you’re legally allowed to do once you hit your 21st birthday. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

New Things You Can Do at 21

Go to a nightclub or bar.
Gamble at a casino.
Purchase legal cannabis products.
Stay at an all-inclusive resort.
Rent a car.
Adopt a child.
Drink alcohol.

1

Go to a nightclub or bar.

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There are some clubs that only require customers to be over 18, but you’ll usually be required to wear a wristband that marks you as underage and prevents you from buying alcohol. At 21, you’re legally able to visit any bar or club you’d like, order drinks, and have a great time! ^{[1]
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2

Do a bar crawl.

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Since you’re legally allowed to drink alcohol and visit bars at 21, you’re finally able to participate in this super fun activity! ^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson
Go to source} You can plan a bar crawl with your friends, or attend a themed bar crawl in your city. Oftentimes, themed bar crawls will be planned around holidays such as Halloween, St. Patrick’s day, or Christmas. ^{[3]
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3

Participate in a wine tasting.

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This is a great option if you’d like to exercise your new ability to legally drink alcohol, but nightclubs and bars aren’t really your scene. Wine tastings are a fun activity you can do with your friends, and you can even turn the experience into a weekend getaway by visiting a winery in another city or state.

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4

Order alcohol on a plane.

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U.S. based airlines require you to be 21 to order an alcoholic beverage, even if you’re traveling to a country with a different drinking age. ^{[4]
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Research source} Once you turn 21, you can finally partake in a drink during your flight. If you’re not a fan of flying, having a drink with whoever you’re traveling with can help you relax and unwind, and it may even make the experience fun!

5

Buy tobacco products.

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In 2019, the minimum age to buy tobacco was raised to 21. Prior to this, you only needed to be 18 to buy tobacco products in most states. Now, if you want to purchase and use tobacco products such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and cigars, you'll need to present a valid ID proving that you're at least 21 years old. ^{[5]
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US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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- Some U.S. states haven’t officially raised their own minimum legal sales age for tobacco yet, but they’re still required to abide by the new federal law. ^{[6]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
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6

Buy legal cannabis products (in some states).

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As of 2024, recreational marijuana use is fully legal in 24 states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, and New York. ^{[7]
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Research source} If you live in any of these states and you're over 21, you can purchase the cannabis products of your choice legally.

7

Buy a lottery ticket in all U.S. states.

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In most states, the minimum age to play the lottery is 18, but there's one exception. In the state of Louisiana, you must be 21 years of age to buy a lottery ticket . ^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} This means that, when you turn 21, you’re officially able to purchase a lottery ticket in any of the U.S. states that sell them.
- Interestingly, there are 5 U.S. states that don’t sell lottery tickets at all. These states are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. ^{[9]
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8

Gamble and visit a casino.

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Whether you’re planning on visiting Las Vegas or checking out a local casino in your home state, you’re finally able to try your luck on the slot machines , or play table games such as blackjack or poker once you turn 21. ^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Just be sure to gamble responsibly!

9

Stay at a 21+ all-inclusive resort.

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This is likely to ensure that all guests are legally allowed to drink the alcohol the resort is serving. Once you turn 21, you can book a room at one of these hotels and enjoy a relaxing trip, free from the hectic energy that often goes along with more family-centric resorts. ^{[11]
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10

Book a 21+ cruise.

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These cruises are often designed to provide a more relaxing experience for older guests (or a more booze-y one, depending on the cruise). After you turn 21, you’re officially allowed to book a ticket for one of these cruises and enjoy the unique, child-free experience! ^{[12]
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11

Attend 21+ concerts and events.

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These venues often serve alcohol or function as bars as well, so they restrict entry to anyone under 21 in order to comply with the federal drinking age. ^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson
Go to source} After you turn 21, you’re legally allowed to enter these venues, so you no longer need to worry about missing out on an awesome concert just because you’re too young!

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12

Rent a car.

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You may have heard that you need to be 25 years old to rent a car in the U.S., but this isn’t always true. To rent a car through the major car rental service Enterprise, you only need to be 21 years old. However, all drivers who are under 25 are required to pay a “young renter fee,” so it will unfortunately be a little pricier. ^{[14]
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13

Teach someone to drive.

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In many states, you need to be over 21 to teach someone how to drive. This is because new drivers must earn their learner’s permit before taking their driving test, and these permits often require a licensed driver over the age of 21 to be in the car. ^{[15]
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- Some states may require you to be older to teach someone to drive . In California, for example, a licensed driver over the age of 25 needs to be in the car with a permit holder. ^{[16]
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14

Become an Uber driver.

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In many U.S. cities, you need to be 21 to be an Uber driver. Even though the legal age to get your driver’s license is 16, the ridesharing app requires that drivers be much older than this due to liability and insurance coverage. Depending on the city you live in, you’ll finally be allowed to sign up to be an Uber driver after your 21st birthday, which is a great way to earn some extra cash! ^{[17]
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- Unfortunately, if you live in California, you’ll need to wait until you’re 25 to become an Uber driver due to the extra high cost of insuring young drivers in the state. ^{[18]
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15

Become a bartender.

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This makes sense, considering that you need to be at least 21 to consume alcohol yourself! ^{[19]
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Research source} If you’re over 21 and you’re interested in becoming a bartender , consider taking a bartending course. You’ll be able to decide whether it's the right career for you, and learn how to make some delicious cocktails in the process!

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16

Get married without parental consent in all U.S. states.

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Other U.S. states only require you to be 18 (or 19, for Nebraska) to get married, but Mississippi requires parental consent for anyone who tries to get married under the age of 21. ^{[20]
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Research source} After your 21st birthday, you're officially allowed to get married without parental consent in all 50 states.

17

Adopt a child.

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Once you turn 21, you can officially become an adoptive parent in Delaware, Colorado, and Oklahoma. You can also adopt a child in Washington, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Montana, since they only require adoptive parents to be 18 or older. ^{[21]
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18

Get a horizontal ID.

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These vertical designs are meant to help restaurants, retailers, and bars distinguish underage customers. Once you turn 21 and reach the legal drinking age, you can officially request to change your ID to the horizontal format.

19

Get a concealed weapons license.

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Although many states only require you to be 18 years old to apply for this license, California, New York, Colorado, Arizona, and more require applicants to be over 21. ^{[22]
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20

Serve on jury duty.

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You’ll also need to be a U.S. citizen, speak English, have resided in the judicial district for at least a year, and have no disqualifying mental or physical conditions. If you meet all of these requirements, get ready—you might just be called for Jury duty sometime soon! ^{[23]
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United States Courts
Official website for the U.S. court system
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21

Drink and purchase alcohol.

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This means that you can order drinks at restaurants, clubs, and bars, and purchase alcohol at grocery and liquor stores once you turn 21. All you need to do is present your ID with your birthday on it! ^{[24]
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Trustworthy Source
Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson
Go to source}

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About This Article

Co-authored by:

Annabelle Reyes

wikiHow Staff Writer

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes . Annabelle earned her B.A. in English with departmental honors from UCLA in 2020. Her writing has appeared in various online publications and magazines. She now writes and edits for the content team at wikiHow with the goal of making expert knowledge accessible to anyone. She loves learning, and she is passionate about writing clear, accessible, and enjoyable content for all of wikiHow’s readers. This article has been viewed 18,285 times.

3 votes - 33%

Co-authors: 5

Updated: December 4, 2024

Views: 18,285

Categories: Birthdays

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 18,285 times.

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