Laws regarding incest in the United States vary widely between jurisdictions regarding both the definition of the offense and penalties for its commission In all but two states (and the special case of Ohio, which "targets only parental figures"),[1] incest is criminalized between consenting adults.
Ohio allows incest between consenting adults only when one party is not a parental figure (see table below) to the other.
Cases of parent-adult child incest exposed to law enforcement are usually uncovered by the other parent.
[2] Registration as a sex offender (for life until January 1, 2021;[21] at least 20 years from date of conviction [if only serving probation] or date of release as of January 1, 2021[22]) "a person is guilty of sexual assault in the third degree when such person engages in sexual intercourse with another person whom the actor knows to be related to him or her within any of the degrees of kindred specified in the statute that specifies which relatives are prohibited from marrying one another.
[51] Consensual incest between people 18 years old or more is not a criminal offense.