Alaska Age of Consent Laws 2024

What is the Alaska Age of Consent?

The Alaska Age of Consent is 16 years old. In the United States, the age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is considered legally old enough to consent to participation in sexual activity. Individuals aged 15 or younger in Alaska are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape.

Alaska statutory rape law is violated when an individual over age 16 has sexual intercourse with a person under 16 who is at least three years younger than the offender. The age of consent does not apply if the perpetrator is in a position of authority.

View list of sexual assault laws & punishments in Alaska

Alaska has a close-in-age exemption. A close in age exemption, also known as "Romeo and Juliet law", is designed to prevent the prosecution of underage couples who engage in consensual sex when both participants are significantly close in age to each other, and one or both are below the age of consent.

Depending on the situation, the Alaska close-in-age exemption may completely exempt qualifying close-in-age couples from the age of consent law, or merely provide a legal defence that can be used in the event of prosecution.

Age of Consent across the United States

The Age of Consent ranges state-by-state from 16 to 18 years old across the United States. Click the map to view any state's age of consent laws.

Age Of Consent:

16 years old

17 years old

18 years old

The age of consent in Alaska is based on the following statutes from the Alaska criminal code:

Alaska Age Of Consent Law:
(a) An offender commits the crime of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree if
(1) being 17 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual penetration with a person who is 13, 14, or 15 years of age and at least four years younger than the offender, or aids, induces, causes or encourages a person who is 13, 14, or 15 years of age and at least four years younger than the offender to engage in sexual penetration with another person;
(2) being 16 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual intercourse with a person who is under 13 years of age or aids, induces, causes, or encourages a person under 13 years of age to engage in sexual intercourse with another person;
(3) being 18 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual intercourse with a person who is under 18 years of age, and the offender is the victim's natural parent, stepparent, adopted parent, or legal guardian;
(4) being 16 years of age or older, the offender aids, induces, causes, or encourages a person who is under 16 years of age to engage in conduct described in AS 11.41.455 (a)(2) - (6);
(5) being 18 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual intercourse with a person who is under 16 years of age, and
(A) the victim at the time of the offense is residing in the same household as the offender and the offender has authority over the victim; or
(B) the offender occupies a position of authority in relation to the victim.
(6) being 18 years of age or older, the offender engages in sexual penetration with a person who is 16 or 17 years of age and at least three years younger than the offender, and the offender occupies a position of authority in relation to the victim; or
(7) being under 16 years of age, the offender engages in sexual penetration with a person who is under 13 years of age and at least three years younger than the offender.
(b) Sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree is a class B felony.

Punishments for Violating the Age Of Consent in Alaska

Alaska has six statutory sexual abuse charges on the books which are used to prosecute age of consent and child abuse related crimes within the state. One or more of these charges may be used to prosecute violations of the Alaska Age of Consent, as statutory rape or the Alaska equivalent of that charge.

The severity of the criminal charge (felony, misdemeanor, etc) depends on the specifics of the acts committed and the relative ages of the perpetrator and victim. Click any charge for more detailed information.

Criminal Charge	Severity	Punishment
Online enticement of a minor	Class B felony; Class C felony	Not more than 10 years; presumptive term of 4 years for 2nd felony, 6 years for 3rd; Not more than 5 years; presumptive term of 2 years for 2nd, felony, 3 years for 3rd
Sexual abuse of a minor- first degree	Unclassified felony	Up to 30 years in Prison
Sexual abuse of a minor- fourth degree	Class A misdemeanor	Up to one year in prison
Sexual abuse of a minor- second degree	Class B felony	Not more than 10 years; presumptive term of 4 years for 2nd felony, 6 years for 3rd
Sexual abuse of a minor- third degree	Class C felony	Not more than 5 years; presumptive term of 2 years for 2nd, felony, 3 years for 3rd
Unlawful exploitation of a minor	Class A felony; Class B felony	Up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000; Not more than 10 years; presumptive term of 4 years for 2nd felony, 6 years for 3rd

Back to list of state ages of consent View international ages of consent