The legal age of consent in Massachusetts is 16 years old.

Quick Scoop

  • In Massachusetts, a person must be at least 16 to legally consent to sexual activity.
  • Sexual activity with anyone under 16 is treated as a criminal offense (often called statutory rape), even if the younger person says they agree.
  • Massachusetts does not have a “Romeo and Juliet” close‑in‑age exception, so two people under 16 can both be considered victims and offenders under the law.
  • Separate laws also cover things like online enticement of anyone under 16 and can lead to serious felony charges.

Important note

Laws are complex and can change, and penalties can depend on ages, circumstances, and prior history. For any real situation or concern, it’s important to speak with a qualified Massachusetts criminal defense or family law attorney rather than relying only on general internet information.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.