The target group for Swedish youth policy is young people between 13 and 25 years of age, according to the government’s youth policy bill ’With youth in focus – a policy for good living conditions, power and influence’ (Med fokus på unga - en politik för goda levnadsvillkor). 

In relation to youth unemployment, there is another age-specific target group:

• 16–24 years of age, for local agreements and training contracts, according to Ordinance 'On cooperation to reduce youth unemployment' (Om samverkan för att minska ungdomsarbetslösheten).

In relation to government’s subsidies to children’s and youth organisations, the general rule is that a grant may be provided to organizations that have at least 1 000 members between the ages of 6–25.

In other legislation, the definition of the youth population varies depending on the subject area (see 1.2 National youth law for more information). One example is Parents code (Föräldrabalken). According to Parents code, parents are responsible for maintenance for the child until the child turns eighteen. If the child goes to school after this time, the parents are liable for maintenance during the time that the schooling lasts, but at the latest until the child turns twenty-one. Schooling includes studies in primary or secondary school and other comparable primary education.