New Jersey Age of Consent Laws: Statutes and Reporting

Under New Jersey's Code of Criminal Justice, sexual penetration with a victim under 13 is aggravated sexual assault (N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(1)), persons 13 to 15 are protected by age-difference and relationship provisions (2C:14-2a(2) and 2C:14-2c(4)), persons 16 and 17 are protected in listed relationships (2C:14-2c(3)), and pupils up to 22 are protected against school staff (2C:14-2c(5)); most of the structure is tiered.

To report a concern: if a child is in immediate danger, call 911. The New Jersey Department of Children and Families states on its official page that any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected has a legal responsibility to report it to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, and lists 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) and TTY 1-800-835-5510; calls can be made anonymously. 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 2026-09-30. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer. It is legal-reference information, not legal advice.

This page covers New Jersey's criminal statutes on sexual offenses involving minors, mainly N.J.S.A. 2C:14-1 to 2C:14-6 in Title 2C and the registration statute, 2C:7-2. Federal law is summarized on the age of consent laws by state hub. The text below was read in the official New Jersey General and Permanent Statutes plain-text file, headed "updated through P.L.2026, c.30, and J.R.1." The section pages on the legislature's statute gateway returned an error during the check, so the plain-text file is the source for every citation on this page.

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

How New Jersey law protects minors by age

New Jersey grades its offenses by the victim's age, the type of act, and the actor's age or relationship to the victim.

Under 13

Under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(1), an actor "is guilty of aggravated sexual assault if the actor commits an act of sexual penetration with another person" and "the victim is less than 13 years old." Under 2C:14-2b, an actor "is guilty of sexual assault if the actor commits an act of sexual contact with a victim who is less than 13 years old and the actor is at least four years older than the victim."

Ages 13 to 15

Under 2C:14-2a(2), where the victim is at least 13 but less than 16, penetration is aggravated sexual assault if the actor "is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the third degree," "has supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of the actor's legal, professional, or occupational status," or "is a resource family parent, a guardian, or stands in loco parentis within the household." Under 2C:14-2c(4), penetration with a victim at least 13 but less than 16 is sexual assault where "the actor is at least four years older than the victim."

Ages 16 and 17

Under 2C:14-2c(3), where the victim is at least 16 but less than 18, penetration is sexual assault if the actor is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the third degree, "has supervisory or disciplinary power of any nature or in any capacity over the victim," or is a resource family parent, a guardian, or stands in loco parentis within the household.

Pupils 18 to under 22

Under 2C:14-2c(5), the victim is "a pupil at least 18 but less than 22 years old" who "has not received a high school diploma," and the actor is "a teaching staff member or substitute teacher, school bus driver, other school employee, contracted service provider, or volunteer" who has supervisory or disciplinary power of any nature or in any capacity over the victim.

Sexual contact

Under 2C:14-3a, an actor is guilty of aggravated criminal sexual contact if the actor commits an act of sexual contact with the victim under the circumstances in 2C:14-2a(2) through (7), a crime of the third degree. Under 2C:14-3b, an actor is guilty of criminal sexual contact if the actor commits sexual contact under the circumstances in 2C:14-2c(1) through (5), a crime of the fourth degree.

How the age differences work

The 4-year difference in 2C:14-2b and 2C:14-2c(4) is written into the offense as an element: the offense is defined to require an actor at least 4 years older than the victim. The 2C:14-3 contact offenses incorporate the circumstances of 2C:14-2c(1) through (5), so they carry the same conditions. The relationship and authority conditions in 2C:14-2a(2), 2C:14-2c(3) and 2C:14-2c(5) are separate elements and do not depend on an age difference.

Other New Jersey statutes that protect minors

The luring section and subsection b. of the endangering section define a "child" as a person under 18. The following statutes can apply even where none of the offenses above does.

• Endangering the welfare of children, sexual conduct. Separately from the sexual offenses in Chapter 14, N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a(1) makes sexual conduct with a child under 18 which would impair or debauch the morals of the child a crime of the second degree for a person with a legal duty for, or who has assumed responsibility for, the child's care, and a crime of the third degree for any other person; the offense requires a finding on that morals element and states no age-difference element. The courts' model jury charge for this offense defines a "child" as any person under the age of 18. Because of that additional finding, the age of consent laws by state hub does not count it as an age-of-consent rule.
• Child sexual abuse or exploitation material. 2C:24-4b(3) (causing or permitting a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act, first degree), 2C:24-4b(4) (photographing or filming a child in a prohibited sexual act, second degree), 2C:24-4b(5)(a) (distribution, second degree, or first degree with 1,000 or more items), 2C:24-4b(5)(b) (possession, third degree under 1,000 items, second degree from 1,000 to under 100,000, first degree at 100,000 or more), and 2C:24-4.1 (leader of a network to share this material).
• Luring or enticing. 2C:13-6 makes it a second degree crime to attempt, by electronic or any other means, to lure or entice a child, or one reasonably believed to be a child, into a vehicle, structure or isolated area, or to meet at any other place, with a purpose to commit a criminal offense with or against the child.
• Human trafficking. 2C:13-8a(3) makes it a first degree crime to knowingly hold, recruit, lure, entice, harbor, transport, provide or obtain a child under 18 to engage in sexual activity. Under 2C:13-8d, the term is 20 years without parole eligibility, or 20 years to life with 20 years before parole eligibility.
• Prostitution. 2C:34-1b(3) covers promoting prostitution of a child under 18 and b(4) promoting prostitution of the actor's child, ward or a person in the actor's care (first degree); b(7) covers engaging in prostitution with a person under 18 and soliciting or requesting a child under 18 to engage in sexual activity (second degree).
• Lewdness. 2C:14-4b(1) makes it a fourth degree crime to expose one's intimate parts for sexual arousal or gratification where the actor knows or reasonably expects to be observed by a child under 13 and the actor is at least four years older than the child.
• Sexual extortion. Under 2C:14-9.1c, sexual extortion committed to coerce or cause a child under 18 to engage in sexual contact or penetration, expose intimate parts, or produce sexual images is aggravated sexual extortion, a second degree crime.
• Obscene material. 2C:34-3 makes it a third degree crime to knowingly sell, distribute, rent or exhibit obscene material to a person under 18, and to knowingly show obscene material to a person under 18 with the purpose to arouse or gratify where the person showing it is at least four years older. See also New Jersey sexting laws.

Penalties

New Jersey sets sentences by degree under 2C:43-6 and fines under 2C:43-3, and adds special terms for some offenses.

The 85 percent parole ineligibility provision in N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2 lists aggravated sexual assault under 2C:14-2a, sexual assault under 2C:14-2b and under paragraph (1) of 2C:14-2c, and the child sexual abuse material offense in 2C:24-4b(3). The list does not name the other paragraphs of 2C:14-2c. Section 2C:43-6.4 requires a special sentence of parole supervision for life on a conviction of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering under 2C:24-4a, 2C:24-4b(3) or (5)(b)(i) or (ii), or luring, and provides for it on the prosecutor's motion for 2C:24-4b(4), (5)(a) and (5)(b)(iii) and 2C:24-4.1 unless the court finds on the record that it is not needed to protect the community or deter the defendant. The mandatory list also includes kidnapping of a child under 16 under 2C:13-1c(2).

Sex offender registration

Under N.J.S.A. 2C:7-2, registration is required for a conviction of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, and criminal sexual contact under 2C:14-3b if the victim is a minor. The list also includes endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct under 2C:24-4a, the child sexual abuse material offenses in 2C:24-4b(3), (4), (5)(a) and (5)(b)(i) and (ii), 2C:24-4.1, and luring or enticing under 2C:13-6 and promoting prostitution of a child under 2C:34-1b(3) or (4).

The registration statute states no close-in-age exclusion for the chapter 14 offenses. It does exclude a juvenile adjudication under 2C:24-4b(4) or (5) where the actor shows the facts are limited to creating, exhibiting or distributing, by an electronic communications device or a computer, a photograph depicting nudity or portraying a child in a sexually suggestive manner, the creator and subject were juveniles, and the subject knowingly consented to its making (2C:7-2b(4)). Registration is not set by tier. A person required to register may apply to the Superior Court to terminate the obligation on proof that the person has not committed an offense within 15 years following conviction or release, whichever is later, and is not likely to pose a threat to the safety of others. A person is not eligible to apply if convicted of more than one sex offense, of aggravated sexual assault under 2C:14-2a, or of sexual assault under 2C:14-2c(1). Community notification has three levels that depend on the assessed risk of re-offense.

Recent changes

The history line of 2C:14-2 and 2C:14-3 ends with P.L.2019, c.474, and no 2024 to 2026 amendment appears there. P.L.2024, c.92 amended the registration statute 2C:7-2, the endangering statute 2C:24-4 and sections 2C:24-4.1 and 2C:43-6.4, which concern child sexual abuse material terminology and related provisions. P.L.2025, c.35, which renamed the Juvenile Justice Commission, also amended 2C:7-2; the current text refers to the Youth Justice Commission.

How to report

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. The New Jersey Department of Children and Families hotlines page states that any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected has a legal responsibility to report it to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, and lists 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) and TTY 1-800-835-5510; calls can be made anonymously. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-422-4453, call or text) and the NCMEC CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678) are also available.

Disclaimer

This page is general legal information about New Jersey criminal statutes as verified on 2026-09-30. 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 New Jersey.

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• Age of consent laws by state
• New Jersey sexting laws
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault in New Jersey?

They are separate offenses in N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2. Aggravated sexual assault (2C:14-2a) is a first degree crime and includes penetration with a victim under 13 and with a victim 13 to 15 where the actor is a listed relative or has supervisory power. Sexual assault (2C:14-2b and 2C:14-2c) is a second degree crime.

Do the position-of-authority provisions end at 16?

No. Under 2C:14-2c(3) the provision reaches victims 16 and 17, and under 2C:14-2c(5) it reaches pupils at least 18 but less than 22 who have not received a high school diploma, where the actor is school staff, a contracted service provider or a volunteer with supervisory or disciplinary power.

Where can the statute text be found?

The New Jersey Legislature publishes the General and Permanent Statutes as a plain-text file at pub.njleg.gov/statutes. Title 2C, chapter 14 contains the sexual offenses, and 2C:7-2 contains the registration requirements.