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1. Federal law does not set a universal age for sexual consent

For routine, intrastate consensual sexual activity between adults and minors, the federal government does not establish a single national “age of consent” that preempts state law; instead, each state sets its own age of consent (most commonly 16–18) and those state laws govern most private conduct ^{[1] [5]}. Multiple overviews and legal guides emphasize that the variable across states — with many at 16, some at 17, and a number at 18 — remains the controlling framework except in limited federal circumstances ^{[2] [6]}.

2. Where federal law does matter: specific federal crimes and an 18‑year floor

Federal statutes create nationwide prohibitions in particular situations and generally use 18 as the protective threshold. Examples cited in reporting and legal commentary include federal child‑pornography laws that criminalize creation or possession of sexually explicit images of anyone under 18, and federal statutes criminalizing certain interstate travel or online enticement of minors; in those contexts the federal 18‑year threshold applies even if a state’s age of consent is lower ^{[1] [3] [4]}.

3. Federal jurisdictional overlays: where state law gives way to federal rules

When conduct occurs on federal land (military bases, national parks, federal enclaves) or otherwise falls within federal jurisdiction—such as interstate commerce, crossing state lines, use of federal facilities, or federal criminal statutes—federal standards can apply and may adopt an 18‑year standard for particular offenses; legal commentary describes how assimilative and federal statutes can impose federal elements even when states would allow the conduct ^{[1] [4] [5]}.

4. The common point of confusion: “federal age is 18” — a qualified truth

Many legal blogs and defense firms summarize the practical takeaway as “federal law uses 18 in key areas,” and that statement is accurate but limited: it does not mean the federal government has a blanket age of consent for every sexual interaction nationwide. Reporting and law‑firm explanations caution that although federal statutes frequently use 18, states remain free to set lower ages for intrastate sex; this produces the common shorthand (“federal age 18”) that can be misleading without the context of which federal statute or jurisdiction is involved ^{[3] [7] [8]}.

5. Close‑in‑age exemptions and state variability complicate enforcement

States commonly include “Romeo and Juliet” or close‑in‑age exemptions that decriminalize consensual sex between minors or between a minor and a partner only slightly older; these state exceptions can mean conduct legal in one state would be criminal in another, and federal statutes generally do not mirror those state exceptions — another reason federal involvement can change outcomes ^{[2] [6]}. Sources note that this patchwork is why moving across a state line, using interstate electronic communications, or creating explicit images can turn a state‑law situation into a federal one ^{[1] [4]}.

6. What reporting does not settle or explicitly state

Available sources do not mention any single federal statute that declares “the federal age of consent for all sexual activity is X” in a way that preempts state law for intrastate conduct; rather, they identify discrete federal contexts where 18 is the operative age ^{[1] [4] [5]}. If you are asking about a particular scenario — e.g., travel across state lines, digital communications, or creation of sexual images — sources provide specific federal statutes that apply and should be consulted directly for precise elements and penalties ^{[1] [3]}.

7. Practical next steps and why nuance matters

If you need a definitive answer for a concrete situation, consult the relevant state statute for where the conduct occurred and review federal statutes tied to the facts (possession/production of images, interstate travel/communications, federal land). Law firms and legal summaries can help translate how federal overlays (often with an 18‑year threshold) interact with state laws, but relying on the shorthand “federal age = 18” risks missing critical jurisdictional details ^{[3] [9] [4]}.

Limitations: this analysis synthesizes the provided reporting and legal commentary; it does not cite statutes line‑by‑line and does not substitute for legal advice. Sources used include legal summaries, law‑firm guides, and secondary overviews that repeatedly emphasize the 16–18 state range and the selective application of an 18‑year federal threshold ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.