Age of legal autonomy: 16 or 18, depending on what it is.

Age of medical autonomy: depends on the mental abilities of the child. Technically 16, but not always.

I go with the mental skills one. Liebling is old enough to decide how he wants his hair and what he wants to wear. I can always pack a jumper for him, if he decides he's cold. He's old enough to help with chores and to help pick the menu for dinners.

He is NOT old enough to have his ears pierced! I know that no matter how well I have looked after piercings, they get infected. Every single time. I'm not having that happen to Liebs until he's out of the house and I don't have to cope with it. Cos I know full well he changes his mind about clothes/haircut/paintings in his bedroom/favourite superhero quickly enough! (That and I still control some of the aesthetics!)