World Ages of Consent

Last Updated: Summer 2007

The United States
Country / State	Last Data	Legal Age of								Special Cases			ETL	Source	*
		Maj		Cons		Mar		Prost		Special Cases
		M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	D	C	A
Specific date signifies the date of the source material cited. Quarterly date signifies date last updated on this site.		If one age appears, it means that the age is same for both sexes or is unspecified by sex. Marriage ages are for marriage without parental approval. Age may be lower with parental or court approval. MO = Marriage Only								D = [Use of] Deception / Seduction C = Corruption / Inexperience A = [Position of] Authority X = Forbidden at any age			Hold mouse over note field for brief explanation. Check source material for additional information about extra-territorial legislation (ETL) and details of notes.
Federal	3Q 06	18		16									Y	Wiki USC 18-117 USC 18-109a	Y Federal law makes it illegal for persons to travel to other states or abroad to engage in “illicit sexual conduct” with a minor (under 16).
Alabama	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO AL Code Cornell	Y Marriage at fourteen with parental approval. If older party is over sixteen, the offense punishable only if he is over two years older than the younger party
Alaska	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO AK Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval. Sexual contact with persons under sixteen permissible if the older party is not more than three years older.
Arizona	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO AZ 13-1405 AZ 13-1407 Cornell	Y Sexual consent at fifteen if the older party did not and could not reasonably have known the younger party’s true age, was married to and cohabiting with the younger party, or was under nineteen and less than two years older than the younger party.
Arkansas	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO AR Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval or in case of pregnancy. Sexual contact with persons under twelve permissible if older party not more than three years older Sexual contact with persons between twelve and fourteen permissible if the older party is not more than four years older Sexual contact with persons between fourteen and sixteen permissible if the older party is under eighteen Sexual contact with persons under fourteen punishable for persons between eighteen and twenty Sexual contact with persons under sixteen punishable for persons over twenty
California	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO Cornell	Y No age limit for marriage with both parental and judicial approval.
Colorado	5/06	18		17		14	12					18		MO CO Statues Cornell	Y Sexual contact permissible at any age if the older party is less than four years older Sexual contact with persons between fifteen and seventeen if the older partner is less than ten years older Marriage ages based upon English common law and upheld in a 2006 ruling
Connecticut	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO CT Statues Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental and judicial approval.
D.C.	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO DC Statues Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval or if previously married. To be punishable, the older party must be at least four years older than the younger party.
Delaware	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO DE Code Cornell	Y Sexual consent at twelve if partner is less than four years older Girls can marry at sixteen in case of pregnancy.
Florida	4Q 06	18		18		18						18		MO FL Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations possible with persons aged sixteen and seventeen if the older party is younger than twenty-four Marriage at sixteen with parental consent, if previously married or in case of pregnancy
Georgia	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO GA Code Cornell	Y Fornication and adultery are both punishable offenses Marriage at sixteen with approval or parent and/or judge, or in case of pregnancy or birth of child
Hawaii	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO HI Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged fourteen or fifteen legal if the older party is less than five years older or is married to the younger party Marriage at fifteen with parental or judicial consent
Idaho	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO ID Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations possible with persons aged sixteen and seventeen if the older party is less than five years older than the younger party Marriage at fifteen with parental or judicial consent
Illinois	4Q 06	18		17		18								MO IL Criminal Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval. In case of parental refusal, judicial approval can be sought
Indiana	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO IN Code CN Cornell	Y Sexual relations possible with persons aged fourteen and fifteen if the older party is under eighteen Marriage at seventeen with parental approval or fifteen with judicial approval
Iowa	4Q 06	18		16		18						16		MO IA Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations possible with persons aged fourteen and fifteen if the older party is not more than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental and/or judicial approval
Kansas	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO KS Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged fourteen and fifteen allowable if the older party is less than nineteen and not more than four years older than the younger party Homosexual relations are punishable Marriage at fourteen for boys and twelve for girls with parental and judicial approval
Kentucky	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO KY Code CN	Y Sexual relations possible with persons aged fourteen and fifteen if the older party is less than five years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval
Louisiana	4Q 06	18		17		18								MO CN	Y Sexual relations permissible with persons aged fifteen and sixteen if the older party is less than two years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with judicial approval
Maine	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO ME Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations permissible with persons aged fourteen and fifteen if the older party is less than five years older Sexual relations permissible with persons under fourteen if the older person is less than three years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval
Maryland	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO MD Code CN	Y Sexual relations with persons aged fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Oral sex and sodomy illegal Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with judicial approval or in case of pregnancy
Massachusetts	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO MA Code Cornell	Y Marriage at fourteen for boys and twelve for girls with parental and judicial approval Fornication and adultery illegal In some cases, when the older party initiates the contact and the younger party is ‘chaste’, the age of consent is eighteen
Michigan	4Q 06	18		16		18						16		MO MI Code CN	Y Sexual relations with persons aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than five years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with parental and judicial approval
Minnesota	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO MN Code CN	Y Sexual relations with persons aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older (two years for intercourse) Fornication and adultery illegal Marriage at fifteen with parental or judicial approval, younger than fifteen with judicial approval
Mississippi	4Q 06	18		16		17	15							MO MS Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged fourteen and fifteen permissible if older person is less than three years older Sexual relations with persons under fourteen permissible if older party is less than two years older Marriage earlier with parental and/or judicial approval
Missouri	4Q 06	18		17		18								MO MO Code CN	Y Consent at fourteen if age difference less than three years Marriage at fifteen with parental approval; under fifteen under certain circumstances (must be approved by judge)
Montana	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO MT Code CN	Y Sexual relations permissible with persons under sixteen if the older party is less than three years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval and mandatory counseling sessions
Nebraska	4Q 06	18		16		19								MO NE Code Cornell	Y Marriage at seventeen with parental approval
Nevada	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO NV Code CN	Y It appears that sexual relations between two persons between the ages of fourteen and eighteen is permissible Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with parental and judicial approval
New Hampshire	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO NH Code Cornell CN	Y Age of consent is eighteen for homosexual acts Marriage at fourteen for boys and thirteen for girls with parental and judicial approval. Marriage under eighteen not permissible for non-residents
New Jersey	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO NJ Code CN	Y Sexual relations with persons aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with parental and judicial approval or in case of pregnancy
New Mexico	4Q 06	18		17		18						18		MO NM Code CN	Y Sexual relations with person aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older person is under eighteen or is eighteen but less than four years older than the younger party Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, fifteen with parental and judicial approval
New York	4Q 06	18		17		18								MO NY Code CN Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons under seventeen allowable if the older party is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, at fourteen for boys and thirteen for girls with parental and judicial approval
North Carolina	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO NC Code CN	Y Sexual relations with persons aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Sexual relations between persons under the age of sixteen permissible so long as there is not more than three years difference in age Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, at fourteen with judicial approval
North Dakota	4Q 06	18		18		18						18		MO ND Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons under eighteen but at least fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval
Ohio	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO OH Code CN Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Sexual relations between minors aged thirteen to sixteen does not appear to be illegal Marriage at sixteen with parental approval or in case of pregnancy. Judge may also require counseling
Oklahoma	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO OK Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval or in case of pregnancy
Oregon	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO OR Code Cornell	Y Marriage at seventeen with parental approval. This is not necessary if no parents resident in the state and one party is resident for at least six months
Pennsylvania	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO PA Megan’s Law Cornell	Y Consent at thirteen if partner is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier under special circumstances with judicial approval
Rhode Island	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO RI Code Cornell	Y Marriage for girls at sixteen with parental approval. Earlier than eighteen for boys and sixteen for girls with judicial approval
South Carolina	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO SC Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen for boys and fourteen for girls with parental approval and/or in case of pregnancy The SC constitution states an age of consent for girls of fourteen, but other Code criminalise behaviour with persons unde sixteen Adultery and fornication illegal
South Dakota	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO SD Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen in case of pregnancy
Tennessee	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO TN Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons at least thirteen but under eighteen years old permissible if the older party is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, under sixteen with parental and judicial approval
Texas	4Q 06	18		17		18						See Note		MO TX Code Cornell	Y Sexual contact with persons aged fourteen, fifteen and sixteen permissible if the older party is less than three years older All sexual contact prohibited between an educator and a primary or secondary student enrolled at the same school
Utah	4Q 06	18		18		18						18		MO UT Code CN Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged sixteen and seventeen permissible if the older parter is less than ten years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, at fourteen with parental and judicial approval
Vermont	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO VT Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental and/or judicial approval
Virginia	4Q 06	18		15		18								MO VA Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval or in case of pregnancy Consensual sex with a person aged fourteen or fifteen not punishable if the older party marries the younger and proves cohabitation and support Law criminializing ‘contributing to the delinquency of a minor’ effectively makes age of consent eighteen Oral and anal sex prohibited unless between consenting adults Adultery and fornication illegal
Washington	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO WA Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons aged fourteen and fifteen permissible if older party is less than four years older Age of consent eighteen for teachers and their students and foster parents and their foster children Marriage at seventeen with parental approval, earlier with judicial approval
West Virginia	4Q 06	18		16		18								MO WV Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations permissible with persons under sixteen if the older party is under sixteen or less than four years older than the younger Marriage earlier in case of pregnancy Adultery and fornication illegal
Wisconsin	4Q 06	18		18		18								MO WI Code Cornell	Y Marriage at sixteen with parental approval
Wyoming	4Q 06	18		16		18						18		MO WY Code Cornell	Y Sexual relations with persons younger than sixteen permissible if the older party is less than four years older Marriage at sixteen with parental approval, earlier with court aproval
Military	3Q 06			16										Avert

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