State Guide
Age of Consent in Wyoming
A plain-English guide to the age of consent in Wyoming, cited to W.S. § 6-2-315. Wyoming spreads age-based offenses across four separate degrees, each with its own age and gap conditions.
Close-in-age allowance under 4 years, ages 13–15Wyoming at a glance
The core figures from this guide, in one place.
| Age of consent | 17 |
|---|---|
| Governing statute | W.S. § 6-2-315 (Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Second Degree) |
| Close-in-age mechanism | Not covered if gap is under 4 years, victim 13–15 |
| Minor-on-minor tier | Offender under 16, victim under 13, gap 3+ years — § 6-2-316/317 |
| 16–17 tier | Only covered with a position of authority — § 6-2-317(a)(ii) |
Overview
Wyoming spreads age-based sexual offenses across four degrees of “sexual abuse of a minor,” enacted together in 2007. W.S. Section 6-2-315, second degree, makes it a felony for someone 17 or older to sexually penetrate a victim 13 through 15, but only where the offender is at least four years older. Below that gap, this specific provision does not apply.
Wyoming also has distinct tiers for minor-on-minor conduct and for a 16-or-17-year-old victim, described below, each with different conditions from the general rule.
Age of consent in Wyoming
Section 6-2-315(a)(i) requires the offender to be 17 or older, the victim 13 through 15, and the offender at least four years older, for sexual intrusion. A related subsection covers sexual contact with an 18-or-older offender and a victim under 16. Section 6-2-314, first degree, addresses more serious circumstances, including one subsection specifically addressing a 16-or-17-year-old victim under aggravating conditions this guide did not retrieve in full detail.
Close-in-age rules in Wyoming
Wyoming’s allowance varies by tier:
- Victim 13–15, sexual intrusion: not covered by second-degree abuse unless the offender is 17 or older and at least four years older.
- Victim under 13, offender under 16 (minor-on-minor): third- and fourth-degree abuse apply only where the offender is at least three years older, confirmed directly in W.S. § 6-2-316(a)(iii) and § 6-2-317(a)(i).
- Victim 16 or 17: not covered by any of these four degrees at all, unless the offender is 20 or older, at least four years older, and occupies a position of authority over the victim.
Exceptions and defenses
Wyoming also has a separate statute, Section 6-2-318, soliciting to engage in illicit sexual relations, which addresses adults who solicit or encourage a victim under 14 into sexual intrusion, operating independently of the age-and-gap conditions in the four degrees of sexual abuse of a minor.
Applicable statutes
The codified Wyoming law this guide is drawn from.
Practical examples
Example 1. A 15-year-old and an 18-year-old, sexual intrusion, a three-year gap. Because the gap is under four years, second-degree abuse does not reach this conduct.
Example 2. A 12-year-old and a 15-year-old, sexual intrusion, a three-year gap. Because the offender is under 16 and the victim under 13, this fits the minor-on-minor threshold under Section 6-2-316(a)(iii), which requires the same three-year gap.
Example 3. A 17-year-old and a 25-year-old teacher, no other relationship. Without a position of authority, this specific age combination is not reached by any of the four degrees described in this guide.
Frequently asked questions about Wyoming
What is the age of consent in Wyoming?
Effectively 17. W.S. Section 6-2-315 addresses sexual intrusion with a 13-to-15-year-old victim, with a four-year gap condition.
Does Wyoming have a Romeo and Juliet law?
Yes, a genuine one for the 13-15 tier: second-degree abuse does not apply if the gap is under four years. Separate, different conditions apply for younger and older age bands.
Is there a rule for two minors close in age?
Yes. For an offender under 16 and a victim under 13, third- and fourth-degree abuse require the offender to be at least three years older, confirmed directly in the statute.
What about a 16 or 17 year old?
None of the four degrees of sexual abuse of a minor reach this age band unless the offender is 20 or older, at least four years older, and holds a position of authority over the victim.
Is there a separate solicitation offense?
Yes. Section 6-2-318 addresses adults who solicit or encourage a victim under 14 into sexual intrusion, independent of the four degrees described above.
Official sources
Primary and official sources this guide is built from.
Four degrees, four different rules
Wyoming’s framework changes shape depending on both ages involved.
| Circumstance | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Victim 13–15, offender 17+ | 4-year gap |
| Victim under 13, offender under 16 | 3-year gap |
| Victim 16–17 | Authority required, 4-year gap, offender 20+ |
About this guide
Who wrote it, who reviewed it, and when it was last checked.
RomeoAndJulietLaw.com Editorial Team
Drafted directly from the Wyoming Statutes and Wyoming Legislative Service Office records via the official Wyoming Legislature website.
Pending attorney review
This guide has not yet been checked by a licensed Wyoming attorney. It is sourced and cited, but should not be treated as attorney-reviewed until this line is updated with a named reviewer.
Primary source for this guide
Editorial notes
This guide reflects W.S. u00a7u00a7 6-2-314 through 6-2-318 as of 27 July 2026, drawn from official Wyoming Legislature sources including a Legislative Service Office classification memorandum quoting the statute directly. It has not yet been reviewed by a licensed Wyoming attorney. This guide deliberately does not describe the full aggravating conditions of the first degree statuteu2019s 16-to-17 subsection, since it did not retrieve that specific text in full detail.