I'm 17 and have wanted to live with my dad for as long as I can remember.. I have been told the legal age in Missouri is 17 to move out so I want to know if I can move in with my dad even though my mom has full custody..

What are your reasons for wanting to live with your father and not your mother?

There are so many..
First off I am currently grounded with no cell phone no car all because over winter break my dad was on vacation and I spent the night at his house so she took everything away from me. So now it's very hard for me to get to work or to get rides because I don't have numbers. My dad takes me as much as he can but he has work as well. Me and my dad just like spending time with each other so that's why I spent time with him over my winter break. My mom cheated on my dad with my step dad now and I am disgusted by that. The reason I know is because her and my step dad have notes they wrote back and forth and I found them when looking for a yearbook. She didn't even care that I know about it. We do not get along at all and every single day is a fight.. I try and rationally talk to her but if one thing I say isn't what she agrees with (for example I think once in a while I should be allowed to spend the night at my dads) her and my step dad gang up on me. I'm not happy here at all and I know that courts probably don't care about that and its not a good reason but I figured I would ask because I'm 17 and I can't wait any longer.

That's no where near the amount of reasons but just a few. Another thing I can't stand is she reads my text messages gets on my Facebook searches my room everyday.. and I can honestly say yeah I'm not a perfect kid.. but I've never done anything so bad that means she need to search all of my stuff constantly. I'm on lock down at my house for spending the nigth at my dads

I can't find anything to support that you can change custody or even move out on your own at 17 in MO. I have found data that indicates 18 is the age of majority.

If dad wants you to move in with him, he will have to petition for a change in custody.

OK.. thanks for the help

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

If dad wants you to move in with him, he will have to petition for a change in custody.

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Which will take time and money. Unless your mother agrees (and it doesn't sound like she will), it may be your best bet to wait until you are 18 and then choose where you will live.

It is very normal to want to be where you have a friend for a parent. But when you mature, you will realize that rules and regulations are a part of life and growing up responsibly.

In MO, no you can not move out at 17. It is 18, before that mom would have to allow you to live with dad, but dad would have to keep paying child support, unless he files in court for custody but that could take months