163.325 Ignorance or mistake as a defense. (1) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the criminality of conduct depends on a child’s being under the age of 16, it is no defense that the defendant did not know the child’s age or that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be older than the age of 16.
(2) When criminality depends on the child’s being under a specified age other than 16, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be above the specified age at the time of the alleged offense.
(3) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the victim’s lack of consent is based solely upon the incapacity of the victim to consent because the victim is mentally incapacitated, physically helpless or incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that at the time of the alleged offense the defendant did not know of the facts or conditions responsible for the victim’s incapacity to consent.
(4) In any prosecution under ORS 163.415 or 163.425 in which the victim’s lack of consent is not based on the incapacity of the victim to consent because of the victim’s age, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that, at the time of the alleged offense, the defendant reasonably believed that the victim consented to the sexual contact, sexual intercourse or oral or anal intercourse. [1971 c.743 §106; 2021 c.82 §3; 2021 c.410 §1]
Stored review status: 2025_edition_later_amendments_unresolved. A text match is a research starting point; applicability is not established.
Official chapter context and edition notices
Chapter 163 — Offenses Against Persons
2025 EDITION
OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
HOMICIDE
ASSAULT AND RELATED OFFENSES
KIDNAPPING AND RELATED OFFENSES
COERCION
SEXUAL OFFENSES
OFFENSES AGAINST FAMILY
VISUAL RECORDING OF SEXUAL CONDUCT OF CHILDREN
INVASION OF PRIVACY
MISCELLANEOUS
STALKING
SEXUAL ABUSE RESTRAINING ORDERS
HOMICIDE
File SHA-256: 81109a43a5631ebec4ebfde641092a6c60ecd13ec77452c9939b53ff86a4d40c. The original may include catalog metadata, neighboring provisions, or embedded records outside this collection's scope. This page displays the selected Oregon section record with its printed versions and adjoining notes. Historical editions and unverified snapshots are not a statement of current law.
Authority boundary: official snapshot extraction not current law verified.
Stable record: oregon_criminal_law:legal_authorities:163.325 Source file: ors163.html Pages: Not recorded – Not recorded Passage SHA-256: e486fef723629f7444c0277dd0d10eb291c1ad589e5fa786622b932b45b5c582 Retained source evidence SHA-256: 81109a43a5631ebec4ebfde641092a6c60ecd13ec77452c9939b53ff86a4d40c
Source location: ORS 163.325 (all printed versions and notes)
Stored source content
163.325 Ignorance or mistake as a defense. (1) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the criminality of conduct depends on a child’s being under the age of 16, it is no defense that the defendant did not know the child’s age or that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be older than the age of 16.
(2) When criminality depends on the child’s being under a specified age other than 16, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be above the specified age at the time of the alleged offense.
(3) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the victim’s lack of consent is based solely upon the incapacity of the victim to consent because the victim is mentally incapacitated, physically helpless or incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that at the time of the alleged offense the defendant did not know of the facts or conditions responsible for the victim’s incapacity to consent.
(4) In any prosecution under ORS 163.415 or 163.425 in which the victim’s lack of consent is not based on the incapacity of the victim to consent because of the victim’s age, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that, at the time of the alleged offense, the defendant reasonably believed that the victim consented to the sexual contact, sexual intercourse or oral or anal intercourse. [1971 c.743 §106; 2021 c.82 §3; 2021 c.410 §1]
Cross-references
Connections may be documented source relationships, shared citations or nearby passages. Each explains its basis; a connection alone does not establish applicability to your situation.
Oregon criminal law — ORS Title 16 (2025 snapshot) · legal_authorities
163.355 Rape in the third degree. (1) A person commits the crime of rape in the third degree if the person has sexual intercourse with another person under 16 years of age.
(2) Rape in the third degree is a Class C felony. [1971 c.743 §109; 1991 c.628 §1]
163.415 Sexual abuse in the third degree. (1) A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in the third degree if:
(a) The person subjects another person to sexual contact and:
(A) The victim does not consent to the sexual contact; or
(B) The victim is incapable of consent by reason of being under 18 years of age; or
(b) For the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the person or another person, the person intentionally propels any dangerous substance at a victim without the consent of the victim.
(2) Sexual abuse in the third degree is a Class A misdemeanor.
(3) As used in this section, “dangerous substance” means blood, urine, semen or feces. [1971 c.743 §115; 1979 c.489 §1; 1991 c.830 §1; 1995 c.657 §11; 1995 c.671 §9; 2009 c.616 §1]
163.413 Purchasing sex with a minor. (1) A person commits the crime of purchasing sex with a minor if the person pays, or offers or agrees to pay, a fee to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a minor, a police officer posing as a minor or an agent of a police officer posing as a minor.
(2)(a) If the person does not have a prior conviction under this section at the time of the offense, purchasing sex with a minor is a Class C felony and the person may use a defense described in ORS 163.325 only if the minor or, in the case of a police officer or agent of a police officer posing as a minor, the age of the purported minor as reported to the defendant was at least 16 years of age.
(b) If the person has one or more prior convictions under this section at the time of the offense, purchasing sex with a minor is a Class B felony, the state need not prove that the person knew the minor or, in the case of a police officer or agent of a police officer posing as a minor, the purported minor was under 18 years of age and the person may not use a defense described in ORS 163.325.
(3)(a) When a person is convicted under this section, in addition to any other sentence that may be imposed, the court shall impose and may not suspend the sentence described in paragraph (b) of this subsection.
(b) The mandatory minimum sentences that apply to paragraph (a) of this subsection are as follows:
(A) For a person’s first conviction, a fine in the amount of $10,000, a term of incarceration of at least 30 days and completion of a john school program.
(B) For a person’s second or subsequent conviction, a fine in the amount of $20,000 and the court shall designate the offense as a sex crime under ORS 163A.005.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, if t
163.760 Definitions for ORS 163.760 to 163.777. As used in ORS 163.760 to 163.777:
(1) “Declaration under penalty of perjury,” “family or household members,” “interfere,” “intimidate,” “menace” and “molest” have the meanings given those terms in ORS 107.705.
(2) “Sexual abuse” means sexual contact with:
(a) A person who does not consent to the sexual contact; or
(b) A person who is considered incapable of consenting to a sexual act under ORS 163.315, unless the sexual contact would be lawful under ORS 163.325 or 163.345.
(3) “Sexual contact” has the meaning given that term in ORS 163.305. [2013 c.687 §1; 2015 c.121 §21]
Note: 163.760 to 163.777 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 163 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.