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Florida Romeo & Juliet Law
Florida's “Romeo & Juliet law” — formally § 943.04354, Florida Statutes, “Removal of the requirement to register as a sexual offender or sexual predator in special circumstances” — exists for one situation: a young person convicted of a sexual offense arising from a close-in-age relationship with a willing teenage partner. It does not legalize anything, and it does not erase the conviction. What it can do is profound anyway: remove the lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender.
Chad Seibel handles registry-removal motions throughout Central Florida. If you or your child registers because of a teenage relationship, it costs nothing to find out whether the law applies: call or text 407-846-8008.
Who Qualifies
Every requirement below must be met:
1. A qualifying offense. The registration requirement must arise from a conviction or juvenile adjudication (including withheld adjudications) under § 800.04 (lewd or lascivious offenses), § 827.071 (sexual performance by a child / child sexual abuse material), or § 847.0135(5) (electronic transmission offenses) — or a similar offense from another state.
2. The age window. The victim was at least 13 but under 18 at the time of the offense, and the defendant was no more than 4 years older than the victim.
3. No other sexual offense. The defendant has no other conviction or adjudication for §§ 794.011, 800.04, 827.071, or 847.0135(5) or similar offenses anywhere. This must be the only registrable event.
4. Federal consistency. Removal must not conflict with federal law, which in practice means the underlying sexual conduct must have been consensual in fact, even though the partner's age made it unlawful.
Note what is not on the qualifying list: § 794.05 (statutory rape) — its 24-or-older element makes the 4-year age gap impossible — and § 794.011 sexual battery convictions, which disqualify rather than qualify.
How the Process Works
• The motion is filed in the criminal division of the circuit court where the conviction or adjudication occurred (for out-of-state convictions, where you live now).
• The State Attorney and FDLE get at least 21 days' notice and may oppose the motion.
• The court holds a hearing (or rules at sentencing or disposition in a new case) and decides whether to order removal.
• If granted, FDLE removes you from the public registry; the underlying criminal record remains a public record like any other conviction.
One rule makes preparation everything: if the motion is denied, the statute does not allow you to file it again. You get one shot. The motion must be complete, documented, and persuasive the first time — with the certified records, age proofs, and factual showing of consent assembled before anything is filed.
Timing: At Sentencing or Years Later
The motion can be raised at sentencing in a new case — which should be part of plea negotiations in any close-in-age case — or filed years after the fact by someone who has been registering ever since. Many people on Florida's registry for decade-old teenage relationships have never been told this statute exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Romeo & Juliet law make sex with a minor legal if we're close in age?
No. It is not a defense to prosecution and never has been. It only addresses registration after a qualifying conviction. (Separately, Florida law does allow 16- and 17-year-olds to consent to partners under 24 — see our statutory rape page.)
My conviction was in another state. Can Florida remove me from its registry?
Potentially, if the out-of-state offense is similar to a qualifying Florida statute, the age criteria are met, and you are no longer required to register in the state of conviction. Written confirmation from that jurisdiction is required.
Will the conviction come off my record too?
No. Removal affects registration only. Sealing or expungement is a separate question, and most sexual offense convictions are ineligible — one more reason these cases must be fought correctly the first time.
How long does it take?
Typically a few months from filing to hearing, depending on the circuit's docket and whether the State opposes. Gathering the supporting records before filing is what takes care and time — and what makes the motion persuasive.
One Chance. Do It Right.
A denied motion is gone forever, so eligibility review and preparation matter more here than in almost any other post-conviction filing. Chad Seibel — a former prosecutor who knows what makes the State object and what satisfies a judge — reviews Romeo & Juliet eligibility at no charge. Call or text 407-846-8008. Office visits are by appointment only.