What is the Legal Dating Age? – The legal dating age varies from jurisdiction to the next. The legal age to date is 16 in most US states. Other states have a legal dating age, typically between 17 and 18.
In this context, “legal dating age” refers to the minimum age at which a person can date. If you are under the age of consent in your state, you are not allowed to date.
Dates involving Minors
While it’s not against the law to date someone who is 15, 16, 17, or 18 years old, it is against the law to engage in sexual activity with someone under 18.
Therefore, the wisest course of action is to postpone all sexual activity until the minimum age of consent has been reached in each state.
What is the Lowest Age of Consent in the US?
In the United States, the age of legal consent is 16. In certain US states, permission can be given at 17, whereas in others, it’s 18.
Legal Dating Age across the United States
Since a lack of knowledge of the law is no defense in a child sexual assault case, you should look into your local state’s legal dating age or the age of consent legislation to ensure you comply.
In the United States, the legal dating age varies from 16 to 18 years old. A “close-in-age exemption” exists in some jurisdictions to allow for legalizing consenting sex between minors.
Below is the comprehensive and updated list of states in the United States with their respective legal dating age:
State
Legal Dating Age
Has Close-In-Age Exemption
Alabama 16 Yes Alaska 16 Yes Arizona 18 Yes Arkansas 16 Yes California 18 No Colorado 17 Yes Connecticut 16 Yes Delaware 18 Yes District of Columbia 16 Yes Florida 18 Yes Georgia 16 No Hawaii 16 Yes Idaho 18 No Illinois 17 No Indiana 16 Yes Iowa 16 Yes Kansas 16 No Kentucky 16 No Louisiana 17 No Maine 16 Yes Maryland 16 No Massachusetts 16 No Michigan 16 No Minnesota 16 No Mississippi 16 Yes Missouri 17 No Montana 16 No Nebraska 16 No Nevada 16 No New Hampshire 16 Yes New Jersey 16 Yes New Mexico 17 Yes New York 17 No North Carolina 16 Yes North Dakota 18 No Ohio 16 Yes Oklahoma 16 Yes Oregon 18 No Pennsylvania 16 Yes Rhode Island 16 Yes South Carolina 16 No South Dakota 16 No Tennessee 18 Yes Texas 17 No Utah 18 Yes Vermont 16 Yes Virginia 18 Yes Washington 16 No West Virginia 16 No Wisconsin 18 No Wyoming 17 No
Is it possible for a 21-year-old to date a 16-year-old?
A 16-year-old may be legally allowed to consent to a 21-year-old; however, this varies by jurisdiction. This would be the case in states where the age of consent is 16 or where it is higher, but there is a “Romeo and Juliet” exception.
Is it possible for a 38-year-old to date a 17-year-old?
A minor of 17 years of age can give informed consent to sexual activity with an adult of 38 years if that is the legal age of consent in the state.
Also, the 38-year-old man would be guilty of statutory rape if the age of consent was set at 18 or older. Age equality in a non-sexual partnership is not against the law.
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