Mississippi
Sex Laws 2026

The age of consent in Mississippi is 16 as of May 2026, the same as in 29 other states. Mississippi 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.

Mississippi's age of consent is 16. There is no close-in-age exemption in Mississippi law. Mississippi Code Section 97-3-65 covers statutory rape. The absence of a close-in-age exemption means that any sexual activity involving a minor under 16 is a felony regardless of the ages involved.

Sex education is required in Mississippi schools but is restricted to abstinence-only instruction. Schools cannot discuss contraception at all, a prohibition stricter than most other states. Condom use and other contraceptive methods are not permitted topics. Mississippi has historically had among the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. There is no LGBTQ+ inclusion requirement and no consent education mandate.

Mississippi's adult entertainment environment is restrictive. Adult businesses operate under heavy regulatory burden in most jurisdictions. Local prosecutors have historically pursued obscenity cases. The state's social conservative political environment has produced sustained support for restricting adult entertainment. The overall posture is among the most restrictive in the South.

Abstinence-only mandate — one of the most restrictive. Cannot discuss contraception at all. Highest teen pregnancy rate historically.

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More on Mississippi

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