North Dakota
Sex Laws 2026

The age of consent in North Dakota is 18 as of May 2026, the same as in 10 other states. North Dakota does not require schools to teach sex education; 28 states do. Districts that offer it follow abstinence-only guidelines. Adult entertainment regulation is restrictive, and the state scores 0/100 on this page's sex-ed progressiveness scale.

North Dakota's age of consent is 18. North Dakota does not have a close-in-age exemption in its primary sexual assault statutes. North Dakota Century Code Section 12.1-20-03 covers gross sexual imposition. The combination of an age-18 consent threshold and no close-in-age exemption is among the most restrictive frameworks in the country for young couples.

North Dakota has no statewide sex education mandate. When districts offer sex ed, the content tends to be abstinence-only, reflecting the state's strongly conservative political environment. There is no requirement for medical accuracy, no LGBTQ+ inclusion mandate, and no consent education standard.

North Dakota's adult entertainment environment is restrictive. Fargo and Bismarck have adult entertainment businesses regulated through local ordinances, but the regulatory posture is conservative. The state's small population and strong social conservative political culture have kept adult entertainment regulation tight.

Age 18. No mandate. Conservative approach.

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More on North Dakota

Also on North Dakota: the full North Dakota 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 North Dakota nudism guide and the North Dakota gambling laws guide.