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If I turn, say, 18 at home, and immediately travel westwards into a different time zone where it's still the previous day, will I be legally 17 or 18 there?

And if 17, how would that affect e.g. any rules that would require me to be of age for that specific journey (can't think of any specifics, and yes this is getting rather academical now).

This question is about the legal aspects, not the practical side of how to actually do it.

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  • Cannot happen more than once, see the canonical question for details
    – Gayot Fow
    Jun 8, 2015 at 11:23
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    In practical terms Calchas' answer is probably applicable 99.9% of the time. I could imagine it being fought in court if you, say, committed a major crime and extradition to be tried as an adult was at stake. Hopefully you're not planning to murder anyone.
    – Spehro Pefhany
    Jun 8, 2015 at 12:57
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    Should be moved to Law SE.
    – o0'.
    Jun 8, 2015 at 13:03
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    There are some uninhabited islands to the East of the date line that are 2 days behind NZ's date for one hour per day during NZ summer daylight saving. It would take some fairly rapid travelling (probably military class) to make any real (or unreal) use of this. I think :-). | Alaska cheats and runs on Ca time or would otherwise be a prime candidate. |All of China notionally runs on Beijing time (don'y tell HQ that this is not always followed) so the Western side is hours different to its cross border neighbours. ...
    – Russell McMahon
    Jun 8, 2015 at 16:05
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    @GayotFow - See my China + daylight saving neighbour + non daylight saving neighbour for a possible multi change case :-).
    – Russell McMahon
    Jun 8, 2015 at 16:06

1 Answer 1

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You will be 17 according to the local calendar.

No one checks your "Place of birth" when they ask for your age.

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  • 2
    You've obviously never seen the John Travolta classic, Phenomenon (1996). ;-)
    – user30447
    Jun 8, 2015 at 13:40

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