Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Utah's age of consent is 18. Utah does not have a close-in-age exemption in its main statute. Utah Code Section 76-5-402.1 covers unlawful sexual activity with a minor. The combination of an 18-year consent age and no close-in-age provision puts Utah among the most restrictive states for conduct involving minors under 18.
Utah has no statewide sex education mandate. When districts offer sex ed, it is abstinence-focused. The state's LDS-influenced political culture has produced one of the most consistently abstinence-only educational environments in the country. In 2012, Utah passed legislation explicitly permitting school districts to refuse to offer sex education at all and prohibiting instruction on contraception in districts that do offer it.
Utah's adult entertainment environment is among the most restrictive in the country. Salt Lake City has adult businesses but they operate under significant regulatory burden. Utah declared pornography a "public health crisis" through a 2016 legislative resolution, the first state to do so, and has since pursued legislation requiring age verification for adult content websites. Strip clubs face strict licensing requirements, and the state has used liquor licensing as a tool to limit adult entertainment venues.
Age 18. No mandate but heavily abstinence-focused. Mormon influence. Very conservative social laws.
Similar States
Discussions
- r/news - Utah rejects bill that aimed to teach consent in sex ...
- Thoughts on Utahs Sexual Education Curriculum
- sex ed in the US : r/education
- Heads up! There are some huge changes being proposed ...
- In 2020, Utah was ranked as the 11th most dangerous ...
- HB 566: Making sure Utah's kids stay ignorant about sex.
- Is it legal for a 16 year old to date an 18 year old in Utah?
- What should be the age of consent? (< - you're at that age ...
- r/massachusetts - Can a 16-year-old consent to sex with ...
- Utah lawmakers nix idea requiring 'consent' as part of sex ...
In the News
- Republicans want schools to get parental consent for students’ gender identity changes - deseret.comMay 20
- The Debate Over Sex Education and Its Consequences - Gonzaga UniversityJul 17
- Utah House passes bill to ban Planned Parenthood educators from schools - Utah News DispatchFeb 21
- Parents Who Oppose Sex Education in Schools Often Don’t Discuss it at Home - The 74Aug 8
- State Policy Trends at Mid-Year 2019: States Race to Ban or Protect Abortion - Guttmacher InstituteJan 1
Full Utah 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.