Indiana
Sex Laws 2026

The age of consent in Indiana is 16 as of May 2026, the same as in 29 other states. Indiana does not require schools to teach sex education; 28 states do. Districts that offer it follow abstinence-only guidelines. Adult entertainment regulation is moderate, and the state scores 5/100 on this page's sex-ed progressiveness scale.

Indiana's age of consent is 16. State law includes a close-in-age exemption: sexual activity with a 14- or 15-year-old is a misdemeanor, not a felony, if the defendant is less than four years older. Indiana Code Section 35-42-4-9 covers sexual misconduct with a minor.

Indiana has no statewide sex education mandate. When districts choose to offer it, they must stress abstinence as the preferred choice and cannot advocate for contraception use. Contraception may be mentioned in limited factual contexts. There is no requirement for medical accuracy, no LGBTQ+ inclusion requirement, and no consent education mandate. In practice, many Indiana districts offer minimal or no formal sex education.

Indiana's adult entertainment environment is moderate. Indianapolis and other urban areas have adult entertainment businesses operating under local licensing and zoning rules. The state has not pursued aggressive restriction campaigns at the state level, though individual counties and municipalities vary. Adult businesses operate with moderate regulatory burden in most jurisdictions.

No mandate. When offered, must stress abstinence. Cannot advocate for contraception.

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