
Age of Consent Laws by State: Statutes, Protections and Reporting
How each US state, DC and federal law protects minors from sexual abuse by age, with official statute links, recent changes and where to report concerns.
52 articles

How each US state, DC and federal law protects minors from sexual abuse by age, with official statute links, recent changes and where to report concerns.

How Alabama criminal law protects minors by age, with statute tiers, school-employee rules, penalties, October 2026 changes and where to report concerns.

How Alaska criminal law protects minors by age after HB 239 (July 1, 2026): statute tiers, position-of-authority rules, penalties and where to report.

How Arizona criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual conduct with a minor tiers, position-of-trust rules, penalties, registration and where to report.

How Arkansas criminal law protects minors by age, with rape, capital rape and sexual assault tiers, position-of-trust rules, penalties and where to report.

How California criminal law protects minors by age, with Penal Code 261.5 and 288 tiers, age-difference grading, penalties, registration and where to report.

How Colorado criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault tiers, age-difference elements, position-of-trust rules, penalties and where to report.

How Connecticut criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault tiers, age-difference elements, position-of-authority rules, penalties and where to report.

How Delaware criminal law protects minors by age, with rape and position-of-trust tiers, the teenage-defendant defense, penalties, registration and reporting.

How District of Columbia criminal law protects minors by age, with offense tiers, authority and school-student offenses, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Florida criminal law protects minors by age, with tiers for under 16 and ages 16 to 17, custodial authority, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Georgia criminal law protects minors under 16, plus school, position-of-trust, foster parent and clergy offenses, with penalties, registration and reporting.

How Hawaii criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault degrees for under 14, ages 14 to 15 and professional-capacity offenses, penalties and reporting.

How Idaho criminal law protects minors by age, with lewd conduct, rape and sexual battery tiers, the 2025 aggravated offenses, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Illinois criminal law protects minors under 17 and 18, with age-gap offenses, position-of-trust rules, penalties and reporting.

How Indiana criminal law protects minors under 14, 16 and 18: child molesting, sexual misconduct, child seduction, penalties and where to report.

How Iowa criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and under 18: sexual abuse, authority and grooming offenses, penalties and reporting.

How Kansas criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and in school, foster and custodial relationships, with penalties and where to report.

How Kentucky criminal law protects minors under 12, 14, 16 and 18, with actor-age rules, position-of-authority offenses, grooming, penalties and reporting.

How Louisiana criminal law protects minors under 13, ages 13 to 16 by age difference, and students to 21, with penalties, registration and reporting.

How Maine criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and in school, care and parental relationships to age 18, with penalties, registration and reporting.

How Maryland criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and by position of authority to age 18, with penalties, the October 2026 change and reporting.

How Massachusetts criminal law protects children under 14 and 16, and persons under 18 against mandated reporters, with penalties, registration and where to report.

How Michigan criminal law protects minors under 13, at 13 to 15 and in school and care settings to age 18, with penalties, registration tiers and reporting.

How Minnesota criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and in authority and family relationships to 18, with penalties, grooming law and reporting.

How Mississippi criminal law protects minors by age, with statutory rape and sexual battery tiers, position-of-trust rules, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Missouri criminal law protects minors under 14, under 17, under 18 and K-12 students, with statute tiers, 2026 changes, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Montana criminal law protects minors under 16 and 18, with consent rules, 3 and 4 year penalty tiers, grooming law, registration and where to report.

How Nebraska criminal law protects minors under 12, 16 and 19, with actor-age tiers, school worker rules, 2026 changes, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Nevada criminal law protects minors by age, with statute tiers, position-of-authority rules, penalties, registration and where to report concerns.

How New Hampshire criminal law protects minors by age, with RSA 632-A tiers, position-of-authority rules, penalties, registration and where to report.

How New Jersey criminal law protects minors by age, with statute tiers, position-of-authority rules, penalties, registration and where to report concerns.

How New Mexico criminal law protects minors by age, with statute tiers, school-personnel rules, penalties, registration and where to report concerns.

How New York criminal law protects minors by age, with Penal Law article 130 tiers, custodial provisions, penalties, registration and where to report.

How North Carolina criminal law protects minors by age, with Article 7B tiers, school and custodian rules, penalties, registration and where to report.

How North Dakota criminal law protects minors under 15 and ages 15 to 17, with the three-year element, penalties, related offenses, registration and reporting.

How Ohio criminal law protects minors under 13, 13 to 15 and through 17, with sexual battery, grooming, penalties, registration tiers and where to report.

How Oklahoma criminal law protects minors under 18: rape, section 1112, lewd acts under 16, school-system rules, penalties, registration, reporting.

How Oregon criminal law protects minors under 18, with the rape and sexual abuse tiers, the three-year provision, penalties, registration and where to report.

How Pennsylvania criminal law protects minors under 13 and 16, with statutory sexual assault, institutional roles, penalties, registration tiers and reporting.

How Rhode Island criminal law protects minors, with child molestation sexual assault, third degree sexual assault, authority rules, penalties and reporting.

How South Carolina criminal law protects minors by age, with criminal sexual conduct degrees, school-personnel rules, penalties, registration and reporting.

How South Dakota criminal law protects minors by age, with rape and sexual contact tiers, position-of-authority rules, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Tennessee criminal law protects minors by age, with rape of a child, statutory rape tiers, authority-figure offenses, grooming, penalties and reporting.

How Texas criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, school-employee rules, grooming and reporting.

How Utah criminal law protects minors by age, with rape of a child, unlawful sexual activity, special-trust rules, penalties, registration and reporting.

How Vermont criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault of a child, entrusted-care and position-of-power offenses, penalties and reporting.

How Virginia criminal law protects minors by age: rape under 13, carnal knowledge 13 to 14, indecent liberties, penalties, registration tiers, reporting.

How Washington criminal law protects minors by age: child rape and molestation degrees, age-difference elements, 16 to 17 rules, penalties, registration, reporting.

How West Virginia criminal law protects minors: first and third degree offenses, the four-year provisions, position of trust, penalties, registration, reporting.

How Wisconsin criminal law protects minors by age: sexual assault of a child, underage sexual activity, ages 16 and 17, penalties, registration.

How Wyoming criminal law protects minors by age: four degrees of sexual abuse of a minor, age-difference elements, authority rules, penalties, registration tiers.