Texas
Sex Laws 2026
The age of consent in Texas is 17 as of May 2026, the same as in 8 other states. Texas 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.
Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Texas' age of consent is 17. There is a close-in-age exemption under Texas Penal Code Section 22.011: sexual activity with a person aged 14, 15, or 16 is not a felony if the defendant is within three years of age of the minor and the conduct was not by force. This is sometimes called the "Romeo and Juliet" law.
Texas has no statewide sex education mandate. Districts may choose whether to offer sex ed, and when they do, most use an abstinence-only or abstinence-heavy approach reflecting the state's conservative political composition. Several major urban districts including Austin ISD have adopted more comprehensive frameworks as a matter of local policy. Lawrence v. Texas (2003) originated in Houston, where two men were arrested under the state's sodomy law. The Supreme Court struck down that law, and all sodomy laws nationally, in its ruling.
Texas' adult entertainment environment is moderate overall but with significant variation. Dallas, Houston, and Austin have large adult entertainment industries. Texas regulates adult businesses through a combination of state licensing fees, local zoning, and county-level option laws. The state imposes a six-dollar-per-customer tax on strip clubs, upheld by the Texas Supreme Court in 2010. Adult businesses outside major urban centers face considerable restriction through local ordinances.
No statewide mandate. Very conservative approach in most districts. Sodomy law struck down (Lawrence v. Texas 2003, TX origin). Age 17.
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More on Texas
Also on Texas: the full Texas 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 Texas nudism guide and the Texas gambling laws guide.
Full Texas profile
Taxes, gun laws, gambling, nudism, nightlife and more.
Sources: NCSL, Guttmacher Institute, SIECUS State Profiles, Wikipedia "Ages of consent in the United States". Laws change — verify current status with official sources.