California
Sex Laws 2026

The age of consent in California is 18 as of May 2026, the same as in 10 other states. California requires schools to teach sex education, one of 28 states that do, and the mandated approach is comprehensive, with a medical-accuracy requirement and LGBTQ+ inclusive content. Adult entertainment regulation is liberal, and the state scores 100/100 on this page's sex-ed progressiveness scale.

California's age of consent is 18. There is no close-in-age exemption in California law. Sexual intercourse with a person under 18 is a crime regardless of the age of the older party, though penalties are calibrated by the age gap under California Penal Code Section 261.5. The absence of a close-in-age exemption distinguishes California from most other states.

California requires comprehensive sex education under the California Healthy Youth Act, enacted in 2015. Instruction must be medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities. Affirmative consent is a required topic in high school. The FAIR Education Act requires that LGBTQ+ historical figures and contributions be included in social studies curriculum. Schools must present information about contraception, pregnancy, and STI prevention without bias.

California has the most permissive adult entertainment regulatory environment in the country. The pornographic film industry is concentrated primarily in the San Fernando Valley, and California is the only state where commercial adult film production operates openly as a regulated industry. Los Angeles County Measure B (2012) mandated condom use on adult film sets, though enforcement has been inconsistent. Strip clubs, adult bookstores, and other adult businesses are broadly permitted across the state.

Among the most progressive. FAIR Education Act requires LGBTQ+ history in curriculum. Affirmative consent taught in high school. Age 18.

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Also on California: the full California 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 California nudism guide and the California gambling laws guide.