Washington statute
RCW 9A.44.100 — Indecent liberties
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.44: Sex Offenses, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.44.100
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) A person is guilty of indecent liberties when he or she knowingly causes another person to have sexual contact with him or her or another:
(a) By forcible compulsion;
(b) When the other person is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally defective, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless;
(c) When the victim is a person with a developmental disability and the perpetrator is a person who:
(i) Has supervisory authority over the victim; or
(ii) Was providing transportation, within the course of his or her employment, to the victim at the time of the offense;
(d) When the perpetrator is a health care provider, the victim is a client or patient, and the sexual contact occurs during a treatment session, consultation, interview, or examination. It is an affirmative defense that the defendant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the client or patient consented to the sexual contact with the knowledge that the sexual contact was not for the purpose of treatment;
(e) When the victim is a resident of a facility for persons with a mental disorder or substance use disorder and the perpetrator is a person who has supervisory authority over the victim; or
(f) When the victim is a frail elder or vulnerable adult and the perpetrator is a person who:
(i) Has a significant relationship with the victim; or
(ii) Was providing transportation, within the course of his or her employment, to the victim at the time of the offense.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, indecent liberties is a class B felony.
(b) Indecent liberties by forcible compulsion is a class A felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is indecent liberties a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
It depends on the circumstances: indecent liberties ranges from a Class B Felony to a Class A Felony in Washington under RCW 9A.44.100.
Indecent liberties (general): Class B Felony (RCW 9A.44.100(2)(a)) · Indecent liberties by forcible compulsion: Class A Felony (RCW 9A.44.100(2)(b))
Which Washington statute covers indecent liberties?
Indecent liberties is governed by RCW 9A.44.100 (Indecent liberties).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.