Alabama
Sex Laws 2026

The age of consent in Alabama is 16 as of May 2026, the same as in 29 other states. Alabama requires schools to teach sex education, one of 28 states that do, and the mandated approach is abstinence-only, with no medical-accuracy requirement and no LGBTQ+ inclusion requirement. Adult entertainment regulation is restrictive, and the state scores 20/100 on this page's sex-ed progressiveness scale.

Alabama's age of consent is 16. There is no close-in-age exemption codified in state law, though prosecutorial discretion applies in practice. Statutory rape falls under Alabama Code Section 13A-6-62.

Sex education is required in Alabama schools but must emphasize abstinence as the expected standard for unmarried people. HIV education is mandated but must stress abstinence as the primary prevention method. Contraception can be mentioned in limited contexts, but instruction promoting its use is not permitted. LGBTQ+ topics are excluded from the curriculum, and the state has a history of explicitly prohibiting positive portrayals of homosexuality in educational settings.

Adult entertainment in Alabama is among the most restricted in the country. The state has used zoning and licensing laws aggressively to limit adult businesses. Obscenity laws are broadly written and actively enforced. Sex toy sales were illegal in Alabama until a federal court struck down the law in 2009, following extended litigation in Williams v. Attorney General. The overall regulatory posture toward adult content and businesses is restrictive relative to most other states.

Must emphasize abstinence. HIV education required but must stress abstinence. Anti-LGBTQ+ instruction historically.

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Also on Alabama: the full Alabama profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the Alabama nudism guide and the Alabama gambling laws guide.