Statutes governing North Carolinas age of consent, associated criminal charges, available defenses, and penalties for conviction. In North Carolina, it is illegal for an adult (someone 18 or older) to have sex with a minor (someone younger than 16 years of age), even if the sex is consensual.

Does NC have Romeo and Juliet law?

In North Carolina, there is a Romeo and Juliet exemption for consensual sex between a minor of any age and someone who is at least 12 years old and no more than four years older than the minor. For example, a 17-year-old who has consensual sex with a 15-year-old cannot be criminally prosecuted in North Carolina.