District of Columbia Age of Consent Laws: Statutes and Reporting

The District of Columbia's child sexual abuse offenses protect a "child," defined as a person under 16 (D.C. Code § 22-3001(3)), and separate offenses protect a "minor," a person under 18, from an adult in a significant relationship with the minor (§ 22-3009.01).

To report a concern: if a child is in immediate danger, call 911. The Child and Family Services Agency page says: "CFSA takes reports of child abuse and neglect 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (202) 671-SAFE or (202) 671-7233." The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453, call or text) can help you figure out where and how to report. Online exploitation can be reported to the NCMEC CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678.

Information last verified on 2026-09-29. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer. It is legal-reference information, not legal advice.

This page covers the District of Columbia's criminal statutes on sexual offenses involving minors. Federal law is summarized on the age of consent laws by state hub. Each cite links to the official D.C. Code on the Council's site.

This page describes the main age-based sexual offense statutes. Other District of Columbia statutes also protect minors, and one of them can apply even where none of the offenses described here does.

How D.C. law protects minors by age

The District's offenses use two defined terms. Under § 22-3001, a "child" is a person who has not yet attained the age of 16 years, and a "minor" is a person who has not yet attained the age of 18 years. The child sexual abuse offenses apply to children, and the sexual abuse of a minor offenses apply to minors in a significant relationship.

Children under 16

Section 22-3008 applies to "whoever, being at least 4 years older than a child, engages in a sexual act with that child or causes that child to engage in a sexual act." Section 22-3009 uses the same wording for sexual contact. In both sections the age difference of at least 4 years is written into the offense itself as an element, not as a defense.

Section 22-3011(a) states that consent is not a defense to a prosecution under sections 22-3008 to 22-3010.01.

Minors under 18 in a significant relationship

Section 22-3009.01 applies to a person 18 or older who is in a significant relationship with a minor and engages in a sexual act with that minor or causes the minor to engage in one. Section 22-3009.02 covers sexual contact in the same circumstances.

Secondary school students under 20

Section 22-3009.03 applies to "any teacher, counselor, principal, coach, or other person of authority in a secondary level school" who engages in a sexual act with "a student under the age of 20 years enrolled in that school or school system," with imprisonment of not more than 10 years. Section 22-3009.04 covers sexual conduct in the same circumstances, with imprisonment of not more than 5 years.

Enticement, arranging and sexually suggestive conduct

The same chapter contains further offenses. Section 22-3010 applies to a person at least 4 years older than a child, or in a significant relationship with a minor, who takes the child or minor to any place to commit a listed sexual offense or who seduces, entices or persuades the child or minor to engage in a sexual act or contact, with imprisonment of not more than 5 years. Section 22-3010.01 (misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor) applies to a person 18 or older and more than 4 years older than a child, or 18 or older and in a significant relationship with a minor, who engages in "sexually suggestive conduct," defined to include touching a child or minor inside the clothing and placing one's tongue in the child's or minor's mouth when done in a way intended to cause, or that reasonably causes, sexual arousal or gratification of any person, with imprisonment of not more than 180 days, or up to 3 years for a person with 3 or more prior convictions for misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor. Section 22-3010.02 makes it unlawful to arrange a sexual act or sexual contact with a child at least 4 years younger than the person, with imprisonment of not more than 5 years.

Separately, § 22-1834 makes it unlawful to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain or maintain a person for a commercial sex act knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that the person is under 18.

Significant relationships

Section 22-3001(10) defines "significant relationship" to include:

• a parent, sibling, aunt, uncle or grandparent;
• a legal or de facto guardian, or a person more than 4 years older who lives in the same dwelling;
• a person, or that person's spouse, domestic partner or paramour, who is charged with any duty or responsibility for the victim's health, welfare or supervision; and
• any employee, contractor, consultant or volunteer of a school, religious institution, or educational, social, recreational, athletic, musical, charitable or youth facility, organization or program, including roles such as teacher, coach, counselor, clergy, youth leader, chorus director, bus driver, administrator or support staff, and any other person in a position of trust with or authority over a child or a minor.

The definition of "minor" is in § 22-3001(5A). The section lists further terms that this page does not summarize, so the full text should be read for any specific question.

Penalties

For first degree child sexual abuse, the statute adds that a court may impose a prison sentence of more than 30 years only in accordance with § 22-3020 or § 24-403.01(b-2). Under § 22-3020, if the prosecutor files notice of an aggravating circumstance before trial or plea, including a victim under 13 or a victim under 18 with whom the actor had a significant relationship, the penalty may be up to 1 1/2 times the stated maximum, and for first degree child sexual abuse may exceed 30 years up to life imprisonment without possibility of release. D.C. Law 25-175 (2024) changed the age in that aggravator from 12 to 13. The offense sections do not assign a felony class, except that § 22-3008 is treated as a Class A felony for purposes of imprisonment after revocation of release. Fine amounts are set in § 22-3571.01.

Sex offender registration

D.C. Code § 22-4001(8)(A) defines a "registration offense" to include an offense under Chapter 30 of Title 22, which is the chapter containing the offenses above. The registration period is set by § 22-4002 and is at least 10 years or, for lifetime registration offenses, life. That section also states that, other than a suspension while a registrant is confined, a sex offender "shall not be eligible for relief from the registration requirements." Lifetime registration offenses include first degree child sexual abuse under § 22-3008 committed against a person under 13 (§ 22-4001(6)(B)), and registration also lasts for life for a person with 2 or more dispositions involving a felony registration offense or a registration offense against a minor (§ 22-4002(b)). The 10-year period otherwise runs from release or placement on supervision, or until supervision ends if that is later.

Recent changes

Section 22-3001 was amended by the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-175, § 21(a)), effective June 8, 2024. The act rewrote paragraph (7) (a cross-reference for "serious bodily injury") and paragraph (10)(D), the clause of the significant-relationship definition covering school, religious institution and youth-program personnel. The definitions of "child" (under 16) and "minor" (under 18) did not change. The credit lines of §§ 22-3008, 22-3009, 22-3009.01 and 22-3009.02 show no amendment after 2013. The same 2024 act also amended § 22-3010.01 (a higher penalty for repeat offenders) and § 22-3020 (the victim-age aggravator, from 12 to 13). The D.C. Law Library's list of Council Period 26 (2025-2026) laws showed no act amending these sections as of the verification date.

Where to report

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. The Child and Family Services Agency page says it takes reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (202) 671-SAFE or (202) 671-7233. With limited exceptions, § 22-3020.52 requires any person 18 or older who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, that a child under 16 is a victim of sexual abuse to report it to the police immediately; a call to 911 or a report to the Child and Family Services Agency counts as a report to the police, and a willful failure to report carries a civil fine of $300 under § 22-3020.54. The national Childhelp hotline and the NCMEC CyberTipline are listed in the box near the top of this page.

Disclaimer

This page is general legal information about District of Columbia criminal statutes as verified on 2026-09-29. It is not legal advice. Statutes change, summaries simplify, and the statute text controls. Anyone with a specific situation should consult a lawyer licensed in District of Columbia.

Related articles

• Age of consent laws by state
• Editorial standards and verification levels

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a 'child' and a 'minor' in D.C. Code Title 22, chapter 30?

Section 22-3001 defines a child as a person who has not yet attained the age of 16 and a minor as a person who has not yet attained the age of 18. The child sexual abuse offenses (§§ 22-3008 and 22-3009) apply to children, and the sexual abuse of a minor offenses (§§ 22-3009.01 and 22-3009.02) apply to minors where the other person is 18 or older and in a significant relationship.

Is the 4-year age difference in section 22-3008 a defense?

No. It is written into the offense as an element: the statute applies to a person 'at least 4 years older than a child.' Section 22-3011(a) separately states that consent is not a defense to prosecutions under sections 22-3008 to 22-3010.01.

Where can the statute text be read?

Each section cited on this page links to the D.C. Code on the Council's official site. The statute text controls over any summary.