What Is the Legal Age of Consent in Missouri? The Statutes, Age Gaps and Penalties

Last reviewed: October 4, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Missouri's criminal code was amended in 2026 and some changes take effect in stages; check the current Revised Statutes and speak to a licensed Missouri attorney about any specific situation.

There is a lot of wrong information online about Missouri's age of consent, with figures of 16, 18 and even 21 going round. This page sets out, neutrally and for Missouri only, what the Revised Statutes of Missouri actually say. For North Carolina and South Carolina, see our guide to age of consent laws.

Short answer: The legal age of consent in Missouri is 17. Sexual intercourse with someone under 14 is first-degree statutory rape whatever the other person's age. For a 14-, 15- or 16-year-old, a person 21 or older commits second-degree statutory rape, and anyone more than four years older who has sexual contact with them commits fourth-degree child molestation. Parental permission is not an exception, and school staff face separate rules for students of any age.

Why the age of consent in Missouri is 17

Missouri has no single "age of consent" section. The age comes from Chapter 566, where the protected age in the key offences is "less than seventeen years of age." Once a person turns 17, these age-based offences no longer apply, although the laws on force, incapacity, students and images still do.

The offences, by the younger person's age

Children under 14

• Statutory rape in the first degree (§ 566.032): sexual intercourse with a person under 14. The authorized prison term is life or not less than 10 years, rising to life or not less than 15 years where the victim is under 12 or the offence is an aggravated sexual offence.
• Statutory sodomy in the first degree (§ 566.062): the same age rule for deviate sexual intercourse, with a term of life or not less than 5 years, or not less than 10 years where the victim is under 12 or the offence is aggravated.

The other person's age does not matter for these offences, and under § 566.020 consent is not a defence when the child is under 14.

Young people aged 14, 15 and 16

• Statutory rape and statutory sodomy in the second degree (§§ 566.034, 566.064): a person 21 or older with someone under 17. Each is a class D felony, which under § 558.011 carries a prison term of up to seven years.
• Child molestation in the fourth degree (§ 566.071): a person more than four years older than a child under 17 who subjects the child to sexual contact. It is a class E felony, with a prison term of up to four years.

Where the "21" myth comes from

The second-degree offences only apply to people aged 21 or over, and that is often misread as the age of consent. It is not. The 21 describes who can be charged with those two offences. A 19- or 20-year-old with a 15-year-old falls outside § 566.034, but may still face charges under other sections, such as fourth-degree child molestation. Claims you may see online that parental permission changes the rule, or that cities set their own age of consent, have no basis in these statutes.

Is there a close-in-age exception in Missouri?

No statute is called a Romeo and Juliet law, and Missouri has no general exception for teenagers close in age. What exists is a set of age thresholds:

• under 14: first-degree offences apply regardless of the other person's age;
• 14 to 16: second-degree offences apply to people 21 and over, and fourth-degree child molestation applies to anyone more than four years older.

Where both people are minors, a case may go to juvenile court rather than adult court, but that is a decision for prosecutors and courts on the facts, not a defence.

Mistake of age

Missouri writes a limited mistake-of-age rule into its statute. Under § 566.020:

• where an offence depends on the child being under 14, it is no defence that the defendant believed the child was older;
• where it depends on the child being under 17, it is an affirmative defence that the defendant reasonably believed the child was 17 or older.

An affirmative defence has to be raised and supported by the defence, so anyone in this position needs a Missouri criminal defense attorney.

Teachers, coaches and school staff

Sexual contact with a student (§ 566.086) is a class E felony when committed by a teacher, student teacher, school employee, school volunteer (who is not a student), elected or appointed school district official, an employee of a school contractor, or a coach, director or other adult with a school-aged team, club or ensemble, whether or not it is connected to a school. "School" means a public or private K-12 school in Missouri, or a school bus. The statute says "It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of this section that the student consented to the sexual contact." Because it turns on the student relationship, it can apply even when the student is 17 or older.

Sex-offender registration in Missouri

Under § 589.400, Missouri's registration law applies to anyone adjudicated for an offence that classifies them as a tier I, tier II or tier III offender, and to some juveniles aged 14 or over adjudicated for the most serious offences. Under § 589.414, tier I offenders verify their registration in person once a year, tier II twice a year and tier III every 90 days. These sections were amended in 2026, and the tier depends on the specific offence, so confirm the current classification with a Missouri attorney.

Images are a separate crime

Sexual images of anyone under 18 are covered by separate state and federal offences, for example 18 U.S.C. § 2252A, even though the age of consent is 17.

What to do if a minor is being exploited

• A child in immediate danger: call 911.
• Online exploitation (images, grooming, sextortion): report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline, or call 1-800-843-5678.
• Abuse or neglect: call Missouri's 24-hour Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-3738.
• Survivors can call RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
• Facing an allegation: speak to a criminal defense attorney or public defender before discussing the case with anyone.

Sources

• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.020, Mistake as to age; consent not a defense (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.032, Statutory rape, first degree (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.034, Statutory rape, second degree (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.062, Statutory sodomy, first degree (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.064, Statutory sodomy, second degree (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.071, Child molestation, fourth degree (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 566.086, Sexual contact with a student (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 558.011, Sentences of imprisonment (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 589.400, Sex offender registration (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 589.414, Registration reporting (Missouri Revisor of Statutes)
• Missouri Department of Social Services, Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline
• 18 U.S.C. § 2252A (Cornell LII)
• NCMEC CyberTipline
• RAINN, National Sexual Assault Hotline