Is There a Legal Age to Pump Gas In Michigan?

Seems like it is a silly question, but is there a legal age to pump gas in Michigan? Find out the answer here because you might be surprised.

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Social Media Tackles the Big Questions

She calls herself on X the RealHousewifeOfMichigan and recently asked her followers "Is there a legal age to pump gas in Michigan?"

I remember one day showing my son how to pump gas and seeing this question got me thinking I may have broken the law so I dug a little deeper into it.

As you see on the thread above, some say it is written on the pump. I may have missed that while watching all the commercials on the screen while I was pumping gas. I did see that RealHousewifeOfMichigan said a gas attendant enforced the "must be 16 or older to pump gas rule" by shutting down the pump when he saw a teenager pumping gas believed to be under 16.

What Is the Minimum Age Requirement for Kids to Pump Gas in Michigan?

I've seen the no-smoking rule on gas pumps forever and always thought that to be obvious but stories like a Michigan man setting a gas pump on fire to kill a spider reminded me that some people still need the warning.

Turning your engine off was another rule that has been around for a while and in the last 15 years, turning off mobile phones has been added to gas pump warnings.

So what is the minimum age you can pump gas in Michigan?

It turns out there is no state law in Michigan preventing children from pumping gas. The warnings on pumps that no one under the age of 16 is allowed to operate them are put there by station owners to protect children from getting hurt and protect stations from liability.

With no law, there is no penalty but it's best parents use their heads on this one.

I did find that Wayne County has an ordinance that says, "No person under the age of sixteen years shall operate a gasoline dispensing device at a self-service island."  So, I guess, outside of Wayne County it's fair game.