If you are in danger, call 911.[1][2] The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 800.656.HOPE (4673).[3] Michigan's VOICES4 hotline takes calls and texts about sexual assault at 1-855-864-2374.[4][5] National and local programs are listed in Where to get help.
This is a reference library on Michigan sexual misconduct law. It is written for anyone who needs to understand that law: a person who has been accused or is under investigation, a person who was harmed, a parent, a student, an employee, or someone on the sex offender registry. Every statement of law in it is footnoted to the statute, court rule, court decision or official publication it comes from, and each page lists its sources at the end so you can read them yourself.
The library has three parts. Part 1 explains what the law says: criminal sexual conduct and the other sex offenses. Part 2 follows a case from investigation through court, sentencing and the registry, and covers the school, workplace, licensing and civil systems that can run at the same time. Part 3 has checklists, decision guides and places to get help.
Michigan sexual misconduct law in brief
- Michigan's statutes do not use "rape" or "sexual assault" as the name of the crime; the offenses are called criminal sexual conduct.[6] Start with Criminal sexual conduct: the four degrees.
- "Sexual harassment" is defined in Michigan's civil rights law as a form of sex discrimination.[7] How the different terms and systems fit together is explained in What "sexual misconduct" means in Michigan.
- A person under 16 is legally incapable of consenting to a sexual act.[8] See Age of consent in Michigan.
- The complainant's testimony does not have to be corroborated by other evidence.[9] See Cases without other witnesses.
- A sexual assault victim cannot be required to take part in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law enforcement in order to have a medical forensic examination.[10] See The sexual assault medical forensic exam.
- The sex offender registry law was reshaped by a Michigan Supreme Court order of September 9, 2026.[11] See The court rulings that reshaped the registry.
What the numbers count
For 2025 the Michigan State Police recorded 5,240 victims in the category it labels "Rape".[12] That label is not a statutory term: it covers sexual penetration reported as first- or third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and sexual-contact offenses are counted separately.[13] The figures and their limits are set out in Michigan sexual assault and registry statistics.
How this library is kept accurate
Each page was written from the text of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Michigan Court Rules and Rules of Evidence, the Model Criminal Jury Instructions, the Michigan Judicial Institute's benchbooks, federal statutes, regulations and decisions, and official state data, as they stood on the review date shown at the top of the page. This area of law is changing quickly, and where the sources do not answer a question the page says so instead of guessing. Recent changes to Michigan sex-offense law and Fifteen myths about Michigan sex-crime cases collect the points older web pages most often get wrong.
Part 1
Understand the Law
What Michigan law actually says: the criminal sexual conduct statutes, the other sex offenses, the definitions that decide cases, and the penalties.
Criminal sexual conduct: the core law
Michigan does not use the words "rape" or "sexual assault" for its main offenses. Start here.
- What "sexual misconduct" means in MichiganMisconduct, harassment, assault and criminal sexual conduct are different things in different systems.
- Criminal sexual conduct (CSC): the four degreesHow the Criminal Sexual Conduct Act is organized: penetration or contact, and the circumstances that set the degree.
- Is "rape" a legal term in Michigan?What people call rape or sexual assault is charged as criminal sexual conduct. How the words map to the statutes.
- CSC first degree (MCL 750.520b)Sexual penetration under the listed aggravating circumstances, punishable by up to life.
- CSC second degree (MCL 750.520c)Sexual contact under the same kinds of aggravating circumstances; a 15-year felony.
- CSC third degree (MCL 750.520d)Sexual penetration with force or coercion, an incapacitated person, or a person aged 13 to 15; a 15-year felony.
- CSC fourth degree (MCL 750.520e)Sexual contact by force, coercion or surprise and other listed circumstances; a two-year misdemeanor.
- Assault with intent to commit CSC (MCL 750.520g)An assault aimed at penetration or sexual contact is its own felony.
- Sexual penetration vs. sexual contactThe two statutory definitions that divide the degrees, and the "sexual purpose" element.
- Force or coercion: what the statute listsPhysical force is one of five listed forms. Threats, medical pretext and surprise are others.
- Consent under Michigan lawWhere consent is a defense, where it is not, and how juries are instructed.
- Age of consent in MichiganSixteen in general, eighteen in listed relationships, and no consent defense below it.
- "Statutory rape" in Michigan: age-based CSC chargesThe age-based provisions of the CSC statutes, by age of each person.
- Intoxication, incapacity and consent"Mentally incapacitated", "mentally incapable" and "physically helpless" under the statute.
- Positions of authority: teachers, coaches, clergy, caregiversRelationships that make sexual activity a crime even at 16 or 17, or regardless of consent.
- Teacher and school-employee offensesThe CSC provisions for students aged 16 and 17, and the licensing consequences.
- CSC involving relatives and household membersHow "same household" and blood or affinity relationships raise the degree.
- Health and mental health professionalsMedical pretext, the therapist-client rule, and the Public Health Code.
- Michigan sex-offense penalties: the full chartEvery commonly charged sex offense with its statute, class, maximum term and whether registration follows.
- Mandatory minimum sentences in CSC casesThe 25-year minimum, the 5-year repeat-offender minimum and life without parole.
- Second or subsequent CSC offenses (MCL 750.520f)A prior conviction triggers a 5-year mandatory minimum.
- Statute of limitations for sex crimesNo limit for first-degree CSC; extended periods for the others, especially where the victim was a minor.
- Recent changes to Michigan sex-offense lawStatutes and court rulings since 2018 that older web pages miss.
- Fifteen myths about Michigan sex-crime casesIt is her word against mine, so there is no case; and other beliefs the statutes contradict.
- Glossary of Michigan sex-offense legal termsActor, bindover, listed offense, tier, rape shield and the other terms used in these cases.
- Michigan sexual assault and registry statisticsWhat official state and federal data show, with every number sourced.
Other sex offenses
Offenses outside the four CSC degrees, including online, image-based and federal crimes.
- Accosting or soliciting a child (MCL 750.145a)Encouraging a child under 16 to commit an immoral act is a felony, with no meeting required.
- Child sexually abusive material (MCL 750.145c)Producing, distributing and possessing: the tiers and the definitions.
- Using the internet or a computer to commit a sex offense (MCL 750.145d)A separate felony stacked on the underlying charge, including when the "minor" is an officer.
- Online sting operationsHow undercover investigations work legally, and what entrapment means in Michigan.
- Teen sexting and the lawMichigan has no separate sexting statute; the child sexually abusive material law applies.
- Sharing intimate images without consent (MCL 750.145e)Michigan's "revenge porn" statute: elements and penalties.
- SextortionThreatening to release intimate images to get money, images or acts.
- AI-generated "deepfake" intimate imagesMichigan's 2025 laws on creating and sharing sexually explicit deep fakes.
- Voyeurism, hidden cameras and "upskirting" (MCL 750.539j)Surveilling or photographing a person in a private place.
- Indecent exposure (MCL 750.335a)The misdemeanor, the aggravated version, and the "sexually delinquent person" sentence.
- Gross indecencyAn old statute with a five-year maximum and no statutory definition.
- Michigan's sodomy statute todayThe statute is still on the books. What Lawrence v. Texas means for it.
- Prostitution and solicitationSelling, buying, repeat-offender tiers and offenses involving minors.
- Pandering and related feloniesTwenty-year felonies for inducing or profiting from another person's prostitution.
- Human trafficking for commercial sexMichigan's trafficking chapter: minors need no force, and victims have defenses and record relief.
- Showing sexually explicit material to a minorThe dissemination statute and how it differs from accosting.
- Kidnapping and enticement with sexual intentHow a sexual purpose changes kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and child enticement charges.
- HIV disclosure lawThe 2019 revision of Michigan's HIV statute.
- Is sexual harassment a crime?Usually it is a civil-rights or policy matter. When conduct crosses into stalking, CSC-4 or another offense.
- Federal sex crimes: an overviewWhen a Michigan case is prosecuted in federal court instead.
- Federal child exploitation chargesProduction, receipt and possession under 18 U.S.C. 2251 and 2252A.
- Federal enticement of a minor (18 U.S.C. 2422(b))A ten-year mandatory minimum for using the internet or a phone to persuade a minor.
Part 3
Decide and Act
Checklists, decision guides and places to get help, for people accused or under investigation, for survivors, and for parents.
If you are accused or under investigation
- Accused of a sex offense: first stepsWhat to do, and what not to do, from the moment you learn of an allegation.
- Ten mistakes that make an investigation worseContacting the accuser, deleting messages, talking it through with police, and others.
- Do you need a lawyer before charges are filed?What counsel can and cannot do during an investigation, and when appointed counsel becomes available.
- Questions to ask a defense lawyer about a CSC caseA neutral checklist for interviewing any Michigan attorney, appointed or retained.
- Plea or trial in a CSC case: the factorsEvidence, sentence exposure, registration, monitoring and the rights a plea gives up.
- Students accused under Title IX: a checklistNotice, advisor, evidence, the hearing and the parallel-criminal-case problem.
- Accused of harassment at workWhat an employer investigation is, what it is not, and when criminal exposure exists.
- When a family member is accusedWhat families can do, and the mistakes that create new charges.
- Registry compliance checklistVerification dates, the three-business-day rule and the changes that must be reported.
If you were harmed, or your child was
- Where to get help: hotlines and West Michigan programs24-hour lines, nurse examiner programs and advocacy centers by county.
- Your options for reportingPolice, a forensic exam without a report, Title IX, an employer, or a licensing board.
- Rights of sexual assault survivors in MichiganExam costs, kit information, privacy, compensation and court rights.
- What to expect as a witness in a CSC caseSubpoenas, the advocate, testifying, and the evidence rules that protect privacy.
- When a child discloses abuse: a guide for parentsWhat to say, who to call, and why not to question the child yourself.
- Mandated reporters in MichiganWho must report suspected child abuse, how fast, and the penalty for not reporting.
- Crime victim compensation and exam costsState programs that pay for exams, counseling and lost income.
- Getting intimate images taken downOfficial removal tools for adults and minors, and the laws behind them.
- Resources for people accused and for registrantsAppointed counsel, lawyer referral, treatment resources and registry information.
- West Michigan courts for sex-offense casesWhich court hears a felony CSC case in each of eleven counties.
Common questions about Michigan sexual misconduct law
Is rape a crime in Michigan?
The conduct is, but not under that name. Michigan's statutes do not use "rape" or "sexual assault" as the name of the crime; sexual assault is prosecuted as criminal sexual conduct under the Criminal Sexual Conduct Act.[6] The Act contains six offenses: criminal sexual conduct in the first, second, third and fourth degree, and two forms of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct.[14]
What is the age of consent in Michigan?
Sixteen. A person under 16 is legally incapable of consenting to a sexual act, so consent is not a defense to a criminal sexual conduct charge based on the complainant being under 16.[8] The Sexual Assault Benchbook states that Michigan does not recognize a reasonable-mistake-of-age defense in cases of statutory rape.[15] Separate provisions cover some 16- and 17-year-olds, which the age-of-consent guide in this library sets out.
Can someone be convicted on one person's word?
Michigan law does not require corroboration. In a criminal sexual conduct prosecution the complainant's testimony does not have to be corroborated by other evidence, and a jury may convict on that testimony alone if it proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.[9]
Is there a deadline to prosecute a sex offense in Michigan?
It depends on the offense and when it happened. There is no time limit for first-degree criminal sexual conduct.[16] Other offenses have limitation periods; a 2024 law lengthened the period for second- and third-degree offenses committed on or after April 2, 2025, and does not apply to earlier offenses.[17] The periods are set out, by offense and offense date, in the statute-of-limitations guide in this library.
Do you have to report to the police to get a sexual assault medical exam?
No. A sexual assault victim cannot be required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law enforcement as a condition of receiving a sexual assault medical forensic examination.[10]
Is everyone convicted of a sex offense on the registry for life?
No. The statute sets registration at 15 years for a Tier I offender, 25 years for Tier II and life for Tier III.[18] By order of September 9, 2026, the Michigan Supreme Court held that the current registry law may not be applied retroactively to registrants whose crimes were committed before the 2011 amendments.[11] The Michigan State Police said that, as of September 11, 2026, it had removed more than 20,000 of the approximately 43,000 people who were registered or required to register, and that the numbers could change.[19] Nothing on this page tells any individual that their own duty to register has ended. A person who is registered should keep complying until the State Police or a court has confirmed, in that person's own case, that the duty no longer applies.
Sources
- State of Michigan, VOICES4, "Reporting to Police" — State of Michigan
- Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV), Hotline page — mcedsv.org
- RAINN, National Sexual Assault Hotline page; RAINN press release, July 27, 2026 — rainn.org
- State of Michigan, VOICES4 — Sexual Assault page — State of Michigan
- MCEDSV, Hotline page — mcedsv.org
- MJI Sexual Assault Benchbook (3d ed) §1.2 and §1.3; MCL 750.520a et seq. — Michigan Courts
- MCL 37.2103(k) — Michigan Legislature
- People v Starks, 473 Mich 227, 235 (2005); People v Cash, 419 Mich 230, 247-248 (1984) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 750.520h; M Crim JI 20.25 — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 18.355a(10) — Michigan Legislature
- People v Smith, ___ Mich ___ (order of September 9, 2026) (Docket No. 168200) — Michigan Courts
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Crime at a Glance tab, table of crimes/victims/offenses/incidents by MICR offense file class (incident year 2025); Index Crime tab, Rape Trends — Michigan State Police
- Michigan State Police, Crime in Michigan dashboard, Index Crime tab ("Rape" definition) — Michigan State Police
- MJI Sexual Assault Benchbook (3d ed) §2.1(B); MCL 750.520b, 750.520c, 750.520d, 750.520e, 750.520g — Michigan Courts
- People v Cash, 419 Mich 230, 240-244 (1984) — Michigan Courts
- MCL 767.24(1)(a) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 767.24(4)(a), (13); 2024 PA 268 — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 28.725(11)–(13) — Michigan Legislature
- Michigan State Police, Official Statement (Sept. 11, 2026); MSP Legal Update No. 172 (09/2026) — Michigan State Police
This page is general legal information about Michigan law, published by the office of Attorney Shawn Haff. It is not legal advice and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts — check the sources linked above and talk to a licensed Michigan attorney about your situation. If you are in danger, call 911. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656-4673.