//**PROOF OF CONCEPT** — age of consent by jurisdiction, verified against primary/public statutory text. This is factual //context// (it defines who can be criminalized), not a registry burden. Most states carry a close-in-age ("Romeo & Juliet") exception — see each row. NOT legal advice.//

====== Age of Consent — All States & Territories ======

**56 of 56 jurisdictions statute-verified.** Grouped by base age of consent; ✓ links the statute read.

===== Age 18 — 10 jurisdictions =====

^ State ^ Detail ^ Statute ^
| [[arizona|Arizona]] | sexual conduct with anyone under 18 is criminalized (no close-in-age exception in the statute) | A.R.S. § 13-1405 (sexual conduct with a minor) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/az/title-13-criminal-code/az-rev-st-sect-13-1405/|✓]] |
| [[california|California]] | close-in-age: intercourse within 3 years of age is a misdemeanor rather than a felony | Penal Code § 261.5 (unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/penal-code/pen-sect-261-5/|✓]] |
| [[florida|Florida]] | activity with 16–17 unlawful (actor 24+); under-16 § 800.04 | § 794.05 [[https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/794.05|✓]] |
| [[idaho|Idaho]] | but a 16-17 year old may consent to a partner within 3 years (close-in-age) | Idaho Code § 18-6101 [[https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch61/sect18-6101/|✓]] |
| [[north_dakota|North Dakota]] | but a sexual act with a 15–17 y/o is a lesser offense (class A misdemeanor unless actor is 22+, then class C felony) | 12.1-20-05 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/nd/title-12-1-criminal-code/nd-cent-code-sect-12-1-20-05/|✓]] |
| [[oregon|Oregon]] | with close-in-age defense (actor less than 3 years older, both 15+, per ORS 163.345) | ORS 163.435 (close-in-age defense ORS 163.345) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/or/title-16-crimes-and-punishments/or-rev-st-sect-163-435/|✓]] |
| [[tennessee|Tennessee]] | with tiered close-in-age provisions (mitigated statutory rape where victim is 15-17 and actor is 4-5 years older) | Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-506 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-39-criminal-offenses/tn-code-sect-39-13-506/|✓]] |
| [[utah|Utah]] | with close-in-age exception (a 16- or 17-year-old may consent to a partner less than 7 years older) | 76-5-401.2 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ut/title-76-utah-criminal-code/ut-code-sect-76-5-401-2/|✓]] |
| [[virginia|Virginia]] | an adult (18+) having consensual sex with a 15-17 year old is a Class 1 misdemeanor (§ 18.2-371); carnal knowledge of a child 13-14 is a felony (§ 18.2-63); minors get a close-in-age reduction | § 18.2-63; § 18.2-371 [[https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/statutory-rape-prevention/virginia-law/|✓]] |
| [[wisconsin|Wisconsin]] | sex with a 16/17-year-old is a Class A misdemeanor if the actor is 19+ (§ 948.09); sex with a child under 16 is a felony (§ 948.02) | 948.09 [[https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/2015/chapter-948/section-948.09|✓]] |

===== Age 17 — 8 jurisdictions =====

^ State ^ Detail ^ Statute ^
| [[colorado|Colorado]] | close-in-age: 15-16 if partner less than 10 years older; under 15 if partner less than 4 years older | C.R.S. § 18-3-402 (sexual assault) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-18-criminal-code/co-rev-st-sect-18-3-402/|✓]] |
| [[illinois|Illinois]] | with close-in-age exception (13-16 with a partner less than 5 years older) | 720 ILCS 5/11-1.50 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/il/chapter-720-criminal-offenses/il-st-sect-720-5-11-1-50/|✓]] |
| [[louisiana|Louisiana]] | with close-in-age exception (felony carnal knowledge requires a 4+ year age gap) | La. R.S. 14:80 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/la/revised-statutes/la-rev-stat-tit-14-sect-80/|✓]] |
| [[missouri|Missouri]] | 17 | § 566.034 [[https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=566.034|✓]] |
| [[new_mexico|New Mexico]] | with close-in-age exception (13–16 y/o victim is 4th-degree CSP only where actor is 18+ and 4+ years older) | 30-9-11 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/nm/chapter-30-criminal-offenses/nm-st-sect-30-9-11/|✓]] |
| [[new_york|New York]] | person less than 17 is deemed incapable of consent | Penal Law § 130.05(3) [[https://newyork.public.law/laws/n.y._penal_law_section_130.05|✓]] |
| [[texas|Texas]] | with close-in-age affirmative defense (actor not more than 3 years older and victim at least 14) | Tex. Penal Code § 22.011 (child = under 17); § 21.11 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-22-011/|✓]] |
| [[wyoming|Wyoming]] | with close-in-age exception (a 16/17-year-old is protected only from a partner 4+ years older or, at 16-17, one in a position of authority per § 6-2-316) | Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-316 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/wy/title-6-crimes-and-offenses/wy-st-sect-6-2-316/|✓]] |

===== Age 16 — 38 jurisdictions =====

^ State ^ Detail ^ Statute ^
| [[alabama|Alabama]] | a person under 16 cannot consent; close-in-age: actor must be 16+ and at least 2 years older (§ 13A-6-62) | § 13A-6-62 (rape 2nd degree); § 13A-6-70(c)(1) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/al/title-13a-criminal-code/al-code-sect-13a-6-62/|✓]] |
| [[alaska|Alaska]] | with close-in-age exception (13-15 may consent if partner less than 4 years older) | AS 11.41.436 (sexual abuse of a minor 2nd degree); AS 11.41.438 (3rd degree) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ak/title-11-criminal-law/ak-st-sect-11-41-436/|✓]] |
| [[american_samoa|American Samoa]] | no close-in-age exception (statute § 46.3604 criminalizes intercourse with a person '16 years of age or less') | A.S.C.A. § 46.3604 (Rape) [[https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/american-samoa|✓]] |
| [[arkansas|Arkansas]] | an actor 20+ who has intercourse with a person under 16 commits 4th-degree sexual assault | A.C.A. § 5-14-127 (sexual assault 4th degree) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-5-criminal-offenses/ar-code-sect-5-14-127/|✓]] |
| [[connecticut|Connecticut]] | close-in-age: 13-15 may consent if the actor is not more than 3 years older | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-71(a)(1) (sexual assault 2nd degree) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ct/title-53a-penal-code/ct-gen-st-sect-53a-71/|✓]] |
| [[delaware|Delaware]] | but a 16-17 year old cannot consent to a partner 30 or older; close-in-age defense where victim is 12-15 and partner is no more than 4 years older | 11 Del. C. § 770 (rape 4th degree); § 762 (close-in-age defense) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-770/|✓]] |
| [[dc|District of Columbia]] | 'child' is defined as under 16; sexual contact with a child is child sexual abuse (18 threshold applies only to persons in a position of trust) | D.C. Code § 22-3001 (definitions); § 22-3008/§ 22-3009 (child sexual abuse) [[https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/22-3001|✓]] |
| [[georgia|Georgia]] | with close-in-age exception | § 16-6-3 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-16-crimes-and-offenses/ga-code-sect-16-6-3.html|✓]] |
| [[guam|Guam]] | 3rd-degree CSC covers penetration with a person 14-15; under 14 fully protected | 9 GCA § 25.25 [[https://statecodesfiles.justia.com/guam/2022/title-9/chapter-25/chapter-25.pdf|✓]] |
| [[hawaii|Hawaii]] | with close-in-age exception (14-15 with a partner less than 5 years older) | HRS § 707-732 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/hi/division-5-crimes-and-criminal-proceedings/hi-rev-st-sect-707-732/|✓]] |
| [[indiana|Indiana]] | with close-in-age defense (partner not more than 4 years older in a dating relationship) | IC 35-42-4-9 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/in/title-35-criminal-law-and-procedure/in-code-sect-35-42-4-9/|✓]] |
| [[iowa|Iowa]] | with close-in-age exception (14-15 with a partner less than 4 years older) | Iowa Code § 709.4 [[https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/709.4.pdf|✓]] |
| [[kansas|Kansas]] | indecent liberties statute covers a child 14-15; no general close-in-age exception | K.S.A. 21-5506 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ks/chapter-21-crimes-and-punishments/ks-st-sect-21-5506/|✓]] |
| [[kentucky|Kentucky]] | incapable of consent if under 16; 16-17 also incapable if actor is 10+ years older | KRS § 510.020 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ky/title-l-kentucky-penal-code/ky-rev-st-sect-510-020/|✓]] |
| [[maine|Maine]] | with close-in-age exception (14-15 lawful if actor is less than 5 years older) | 17-A §254 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/me/title-17-a-maine-criminal-code/me-rev-st-tit-17-a-sect-254.html|✓]] |
| [[maryland|Maryland]] | with close-in-age exception (14-15 lawful if partner is less than 4 years older) | Md. Crim. Law § 3-308 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/md/criminal-law/md-code-crim-law-sect-3-308.html|✓]] |
| [[massachusetts|Massachusetts]] | 16 | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 265 § 23 [[https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter265/Section23|✓]] |
| [[michigan|Michigan]] | 16 (rises to 18 when an authority figure is involved) | MCL 750.520d [[https://codes.findlaw.com/mi/chapter-750-michigan-penal-code/mi-comp-laws-750-520d.html|✓]] |
| [[minnesota|Minnesota]] | with close-in-age exceptions; 16-17 unlawful only where partner is in a position of authority or significant relationship | 609.344 [[https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.344|✓]] |
| [[mississippi|Mississippi]] | with close-in-age exception (14-15 lawful if partner is less than 36 months older) | Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-65 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ms/title-97-crimes/ms-code-sect-97-3-65.html|✓]] |
| [[montana|Montana]] | with close-in-age mitigation (offender 18 or younger, victim 14+, consensual) | MCA 45-5-503 [[https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0450/chapter_0050/part_0050/section_0030/0450-0050-0050-0030.html|✓]] |
| [[nebraska|Nebraska]] | with close-in-age exception (first-degree offense requires actor 19+ with victim 12–15) | 28-319 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ne/chapter-28-crimes-and-punishments/ne-rev-st-sect-28-319/|✓]] |
| [[nevada|Nevada]] | with close-in-age exception (statutory sexual seduction applies to 14–15 y/o victim, actor 18+ and 4+ years older) | NRS 200.364 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/nv/title-15-crimes-and-punishments/nv-rev-st-200-364/|✓]] |
| [[new_hampshire|New Hampshire]] | with close-in-age exception (13–15 y/o victim is a felony only where actor is 4+ years older) | 632-A:3, II [[https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/632-A/632-A-3.htm|✓]] |
| [[new_jersey|New Jersey]] | with close-in-age exception (13–15 y/o victim is sexual assault where actor is 4+ years older) | 2C:14-2 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/nj/title-2c-the-new-jersey-code-of-criminal-justice/nj-st-sect-2c-14-2/|✓]] |
| [[north_carolina|North Carolina]] | with close-in-age exception (protects victim 15 or younger; graded by 4+ / 6+ year age gap) | § 14-27.25 [[https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-27.25.html|✓]] |
| [[mariana_islands|Northern Mariana Islands]] | close-in-age exception for 13-15 (partner within 3 years); 16-17 protected only if partner is 18+, 3+ years older, and in a position of authority | 6 CMC §1306-1309 [[https://www.womenslaw.org/laws/nmi/statutes/1308-sexual-abuse-minor-third-degree|✓]] |
| [[ohio|Ohio]] | with close-in-age exception (13–15 y/o victim; offense is a misdemeanor if actor is less than 4 years older) | 2907.04 [[https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2907.04|✓]] |
| [[oklahoma|Oklahoma]] | with close-in-age exception (no rape conviction for consensual sex with someone 16+ unless actor is more than 4 years older; 2025 amendment) | 21 O.S. § 1112 (rape defined at § 1111) [[https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-21/section-21-1112/|✓]] |
| [[pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] | with close-in-age exception (statutory sexual assault only if victim under 16 and actor 4+ years older) | 18 Pa.C.S. § 3122.1 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-18-pacsa-crimes-and-offenses/pa-csa-sect-18-3122-1/|✓]] |
| [[puerto_rico|Puerto Rico]] | sexual penetration with a victim under 16 is sexual assault regardless of consent (reduced penalty if actor is a minor under 18) | P.R. Penal Code Art. 130 (Act No. 146-2012, as amended) [[https://bvirtualogp.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/2-ingles/146-2012.pdf|✓]] |
| [[rhode_island|Rhode Island]] | with close-in-age exception (consensual conduct between persons 16-20 who are no more than 30 months apart) | R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-37-6 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/ri/title-11-criminal-offenses/ri-gen-laws-sect-11-37-6/|✓]] |
| [[south_carolina|South Carolina]] | with close-in-age exception (no conviction if actor is 18 or younger and partner is at least 14, consensual) | S.C. Code § 16-3-655 [[https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c003.php|✓]] |
| [[south_dakota|South Dakota]] | with close-in-age exception (reduced to misdemeanor if victim is at least 13 and actor is less than 5 years older) | SDCL 22-22-7 [[https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-22-7|✓]] |
| [[vermont|Vermont]] | with close-in-age exception (a person under 19 may consent with someone at least 15) | 13 V.S.A. § 3252(c) [[https://codes.findlaw.com/vt/title-13-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/vt-st-tit-13-sect-3252/|✓]] |
| [[virgin_islands|Virgin Islands]] | with a 5-year close-in-age rule (a 16/17-year-old is protected from a partner 18+ who is 5+ years older per § 1702; under 16 cannot consent per § 1703) | 14 V.I.C. §§ 1702, 1703 [[https://legalclarity.org/u-s-virgin-islands-age-of-consent-laws-and-penalties/|✓]] |
| [[washington|Washington]] | with close-in-age exception (for a 14/15-year-old the partner must be 4+ years older to be an offense per § 9A.44.079) | 9A.44.079 [[https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.44.079|✓]] |
| [[west_virginia|West Virginia]] | with close-in-age exception (partner must be 4+ years older than the under-16 person to be an offense per § 61-8B-5) | WVC §61-8B-5 [[https://codes.findlaw.com/wv/chapter-61-crimes-and-their-punishment/wv-code-sect-61-8b-5/|✓]] |

//Verified 2026-07 against FindLaw, state legislature sites, and official code PDFs (LexisNexis/Justia login-walls bypassed via alternates). American Samoa rests on a secondary source (primary statute login-walled) — lower confidence. Confirm against the linked statute before relying on any cell.//