Yes, you can get an abortion in California without a parent’s permission or knowledge, no matter your age. California Family Code Section 6925 gives any pregnant minor the legal authority to consent to pregnancy-related care, including abortion, on their own.1California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6925 – Consent by Minor Separate laws keep your medical records and insurance paperwork from reaching your parents without your written okay.
You Can Consent on Your Own at Any Age
Family Code Section 6925 sets no age minimum. A 13-year-old and a 17-year-old have the same right to consent to abortion care as an adult patient does.1California Legislative Information. California Family Code 6925 – Consent by Minor You do not need a parent, a guardian, or a judge to sign off.
California also does not use judicial bypass, the process in some other states where a minor asks a court for permission in place of a parent. The California Supreme Court struck down the state’s parental consent statute in American Academy of Pediatrics v. Lungren, and no version of that requirement exists today.2Justia. American Academy of Pediatrics v. Lungren You walk into the clinic as the decision-maker.
Your Parents Cannot See the Medical Records
Health and Safety Code Section 123115 blocks a minor’s parent or guardian from inspecting or copying medical records tied to care the minor consented to under Section 6925.3California Legislative Information. California Code HSC 123115 – Patient Access to Health Records Abortion falls squarely under Section 6925, so clinical notes, lab results, prescriptions, and provider communications are all off-limits to your parents.
A provider who handed those records to a parent without your written authorization would be breaking the law. The only way a parent gains access is if you sign a release.
Insurance Won’t Send a Notice Home
If you are covered under a parent’s health plan, the usual worry is that an Explanation of Benefits or bill will show up in the mail. California Insurance Code Section 791.29 prevents that. Insurers and health care service plans must send all communications about sensitive services, including abortion, directly to the patient who received the care, not to the policyholder.4California Legislative Information. California Insurance Code 791.29
You can give the insurer an alternative mailing address, email, or phone number for anything connected to the visit. Without your express written authorization, the insurer cannot share medical information about sensitive care with the policyholder or anyone else on the plan.4California Legislative Information. California Insurance Code 791.29 When you call to schedule, ask the clinic to help you set up confidential communication with the insurer before the visit.
How to Pay for Care Without Involving a Parent
Cost rarely has to be a barrier. A few options:
If you already have Medi-Cal, abortion care is free from any Medi-Cal abortion provider, and coverage applies regardless of how far along the pregnancy is.5California Department of Public Health. How to Pay for an Abortion6Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal Provider Manual – Abortions and Directly Related Medical Services and Supplies One exception: Medi-Cal with a Share of Cost may leave you responsible for part of the expense.
If you have no insurance, apply for the Medi-Cal Minor Consent Program. It covers pregnancy-related services and is fully confidential, so your parents are not contacted about the application or the care.7Medi-Cal. Minor Consent Program Clinics like Planned Parenthood routinely help patients complete the paperwork during the same visit.
If you are on a parent’s private plan, the billing confidentiality rules above let you use that coverage without triggering a notice to the policyholder. If you would rather keep the plan out of it entirely, the Minor Consent Program or clinic financial assistance can cover the care instead.
Scheduling the Appointment
Reproductive health clinics across California, including Planned Parenthood locations, handle confidential minor appointments every day. You can usually book by phone or online on your own. When you call, say you are a minor seeking confidential care so the staff can set up consent and billing correctly from the start.
Bring ID if you have one, though it is not always required. Ask the clinic to list your own phone number, email, or address for every follow-up, so appointment reminders and results do not go to a shared family line. If you plan to use Medi-Cal or apply for the Minor Consent Program, ask the staff to help you fill out the forms on-site.
The California Attorney General’s office confirms that minors have the right to obtain an abortion without parental consent and that parents or guardians generally will not be notified.8State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Reproductive Rights If a provider tells you otherwise, that is not the law. You can reach out to the Attorney General’s office or a reproductive rights legal helpline if a clinic pushes back.
If You Are Traveling From Another State
California protects out-of-state patients who come here for care. State employees, agencies, and courts are barred from cooperating with other states’ investigations or civil judgments targeting people who obtained a lawful abortion in California, and the governor has committed to refusing extradition requests tied to another state’s abortion restrictions. Medical information connected to the care is also shielded from out-of-state subpoenas. For a minor traveling from a state that restricts abortion, the care you receive here and the records attached to it stay protected from legal action back home.