iso2,country,subdivision,model,note,source_ids,source_urls
AR,Argentina,Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires,abolitionism,"The Contravention Code (Law 1472, as amended up to Law 6839 of 2025) punishes ostensibly offering or seeking sexual services in public spaces that are not authorised, or outside authorised conditions, with one to five days' community work or a fine (art. 97); until zones are authorised, this is barred in front of or within 200 metres of homes, schools and places of worship. It also punishes distributing or posting leaflets and posters promoting the sexual offer in establishments with 5 to 30 days' arrest (art. 96). Appearance, clothing or manner can never ground the contravention.",ar-caba-1472,https://boletinoficialpdf.buenosaires.gob.ar/util/imagen.php?idn=62598&idf=3
AU,Australia,New South Wales,decriminalisation,"Selling, buying and running a brothel are not criminal offences. A 1995 amendment to the Restricted Premises Act 1943 abolished the common-law offence of keeping a brothel, and brothels have since been regulated as a land use under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979; the Brothels Legislation Amendment Act 2007 (in force 1 October 2007) added council brothel closure orders and court-ordered utility cut-offs for unlawful brothels, which do not apply to lawful brothels or single sex workers. Part 3 of the Summary Offences Act 1988 keeps offences of causing prostitution by coercion or undue influence (s 15A), prostitution in premises held out as massage, sauna or photographic studios (ss 16-17), advertising that premises or a person are available for prostitution (s 18), advertising for sex workers (s 18A), street soliciting near dwellings, schools, churches and hospitals by sex workers (s 19) and clients (s 19A), and public acts of prostitution (s 20).",nsw-soa-1988 | nsw-ps-07-017,https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1988-025 | https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/planning-circular-ps-07-017-commencement-of-brothels-act-2007.pdf
AU,Australia,Victoria,decriminalisation,"The Sex Work Decriminalisation Act 2022 (No. 7 of 2022) worked in two stages. Stage 1 (10 May 2022) repealed the street sex work offences, the mandatory STI testing and safer-sex offences, and added 'profession, trade or occupation' as a protected attribute in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. Stage 2 (1 December 2023) repealed the Sex Work Act 1994 and with it the licensing system, moved coercion and child-related offences into the Crimes Act 1958 and left sex work businesses to general business, planning and workplace law. Local laws must not undermine decriminalisation (s 3). Soliciting or loitering for commercial sexual services in a public place near schools, childcare and children's services between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., or near places of worship, remains an offence (s 38B Summary Offences Act 1966); advertisements must comply with regulations made under s 39 (s 38F).",vic-swda-2022-asmade | vic-swda-2022-inforce,https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/as-made/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022 | https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/sex-work-decriminalisation-act-2022
AU,Australia,Queensland,decriminalisation,"The Criminal Code (Decriminalising Sex Work) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (No. 23 of 2024), passed on 2 May 2024 and assented on 9 May 2024, commenced on 2 August 2024. It omitted Chapter 22A (Prostitution) of the Criminal Code, repealed the Prostitution Act 1999 (including its brothel licensing system, the Prostitution Licensing Authority and its advertising offences), barred local governments from making local laws that prohibit or regulate sex work or sex work businesses, and added 'sex work activity' as a protected attribute in the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991. New Criminal Code offences cover obtaining commercial sexual services from a child (s 217A), allowing a child to take part (s 217B), conduct relating to child sex work (s 217C) and procuring commercial sexual services by coercion (s 218). The current Criminal Code still shows Chapter 22A as repealed; no repeal or amendment by the government elected in October 2024 was found.",qld-dsw-act-2024 | qld-dsw-act-2024-lh | qld-criminal-code | qld-prostitution-act-1999 | qld-legal-aid,https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2024-023/lh | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-1899-009 | https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/repealed/current/act-1999-073 | https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Find-legal-information/Relationships-and-children/Relationships/Sex-and-the-law/Sex-work-and-the-law
AU,Australia,Northern Territory,decriminalisation,"The Sex Industry Act 2019 (No. 40 of 2019) was assented on 13 December 2019 and commenced on 12 June 2020, repealing the Prostitution Regulation Act 1992. Its first object is to decriminalise sex work and legalise contracts for it (s 3). Remaining offences cover inducing a person to perform sex work or hand over earnings by intimidation, drugs, fraud or property damage (ss 10-11, up to 5 years), children (ss 12-14), placing sex work advertisements in newspapers, television or radio other than in accordance with the regulations and publishing advertisements likely to induce a person to seek employment as a sex worker (s 15), and misrepresenting medical examinations (s 16). Operators of a business that engages three or more sex workers must hold a suitability certificate; a breach attracts a civil penalty, not an offence (s 18).",nt-sia-2019 | nt-sia-2019-pdf,https://legislation.nt.gov.au/en/Legislation/SEX-INDUSTRY-ACT-2019 | https://legislation.nt.gov.au/api/sitecore/Act/PDF?id=12378
AU,Australia,Australian Capital Territory,regulation,"Under the Sex Work Act 1992 (originally the Prostitution Act 1992, renamed in 2018), sex work is lawful. Operators of commercial brothels and commercial escort agencies (anything other than a business solely owned and operated by one sex worker) must give the Commissioner for Fair Trading a registration notice and police reports at least 7 days before opening and annual notices thereafter (ss 12-14); people with disqualifying convictions may not be interested persons (s 15). Brothels may operate only in prescribed locations, except escort agencies and premises used by a single sex worker (s 18). Accosting, soliciting or loitering in a public place to offer or procure commercial sexual services is an offence for sellers and buyers alike (s 19, 20 penalty units).",act-swa-1992,https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1992-64/
AU,Australia,Western Australia,abolitionism,"Selling and buying sex are not offences in themselves, but s 190 of the Criminal Code makes it a crime to keep or manage premises for the purposes of prostitution, to permit premises to be so used, to let premises knowing of such use, or to live wholly or partly on the earnings of prostitution (up to 3 years). The Prostitution Act 2000 penalises seeking a sex worker or a client in or within view or hearing of a public place (ss 5-6), inducing a person to act as a sex worker (s 7), sex without a prophylactic (s 8), publishing statements likely to induce a person to work as a sex worker or in a prostitution business (s 9, up to $50,000) and sponsorships that promote a sex worker or prostitution business (s 10). Under s 14, acting as a sex worker is itself an offence for a child, a person declared a drug trafficker or a person with certain convictions.",wa-prostitution-act-2000 | wa-criminal-code,https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a2003.html&view=consolidated | https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/statutes.nsf/law_a196.html&view=consolidated
AU,Australia,South Australia,abolitionism,"The Summary Offences Act 1953 does not penalise selling or buying sex as such, but makes it an offence to accost or solicit for prostitution in or within view or hearing of a public place, or to loiter in a public place for the purpose of prostitution (s 25, fine up to $750), to procure a person to become a sex worker or advertise to employ one (s 25A), to knowingly live on the earnings of another person's prostitution (s 26), to keep or manage a brothel or receive money paid in a brothel for prostitution (s 28), and to let or permit premises to be used as a brothel (s 29). A 'brothel' is any premises to which people resort, or which are used, for prostitution (s 27). Brothel prosecutions need the written consent of the Police Commissioner or a senior officer (s 30).",sa-soa-1953,https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz?path=%2Fc%2Fa%2Fsummary%20offences%20act%201953
AU,Australia,Tasmania,abolitionism,"Under the Sex Industry Offences Act 2005, a 'self-employed sex worker' may work alone or with no more than one other sex worker when neither employs or manages the other (s 3). Being a commercial operator of a sexual services business is an offence (s 4, up to 8 years), and so is knowingly receiving sexual services from such a commercial business (s 5, up to 1 year), which makes Tasmania the only Australian jurisdiction with a client offence tied to how the business is organised. Coercion of sex workers (s 7, up to 15 years), soliciting, accosting or loitering in a public place (s 8) and failing to use prophylactics (s 12) are also offences. The Act contains no advertising rules.",tas-sioa-2005,https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2005-042
AT,Austria,Vienna (Wien),regulation,"Wiener Prostitutionsgesetz 2011 (WPG 2011): sex workers register in person with the police (§ 5); prostitution is allowed only in notified and acknowledged premises (§§ 4, 7) and, for street-based work, outside residential areas, cemeteries, public transport stops and restricted zones (§ 9). Clients who make contact in a banned place face a fine of up to EUR 500 (§§ 16, 17(3)); contact by phone or e-mail is excluded. Advertising unsafe sex is banned since 1 June 2023 (§ 10(2)).",at-wpg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrW&Gesetzesnummer=20000170 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf
AT,Austria,Vorarlberg,regulation,"Under the Sittenpolizeigesetz, offering and practising prostitution are banned except in a brothel holding a permit (§§ 4, 5); a permit may only be granted if the brothel appears suitable to reduce disturbances caused by prostitution. No brothel has ever been approved, so there were no registered sex workers in the Land (BKA 2024). Signs and advertising installations for brothels are banned (§ 11(1)). Since LGBl. Nr. 18/2024, sexual assistance for people with severe disabilities in their own homes is exempt (§ 4(5)).",at-vbg-spg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrVbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000263 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf
AT,Austria,Upper Austria (Oberösterreich),regulation,"Oö. Sexualdienstleistungsgesetz: soliciting and providing sexual services are allowed only in approved brothels and, for the service itself, during house visits (§ 3(3) Z 1-2, § 13). Advertising unsafe-sex practices, in particular in brothels, print and electronic media, and advertising services by people under 18 are banned (§ 3(3) Z 4-5).",at-ooe-sdlg | at-bka-2024,https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=LrOO&Gesetzesnummer=20000696&Paragraf=3 | https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf
AT,Austria,Tyrol (Tirol),regulation,"The Tiroler Landes-Polizeigesetz (§ 14) also penalises clients who know that they are at an illegal place, according to the federal working group. In 2010 the Constitutional Court held the Land's general ban on advertising brothels to be incompatible with freedom of expression under Article 10 ECHR (VfSlg. 19159/2010). The Land has only around eight to ten approved brothels.",at-bka-2024,https://www.bmfwf.gv.at/dam/jcr:d554b57f-dc5d-418a-88fb-32b1320961f9/bericht_der_ag_sexuelle_dienstleistungen_jaen_2024.pdf
BE,Belgium,Antwerp (city),,"Window prostitution is allowed only in the Schipperskwartier concentration zone (just over 300 windows, including the purpose-built Villa Tinto complex, which has a police post on its ground floor). Window operators need a suitability declaration (geschiktheidsverklaring) per building and must register every window rental in the police app HookUp. Window workers must be at least 18 and hold valid residence or identity papers. Sex businesses (brothels, clubs, massage parlours, escort agencies and others) need no licence but must comply with a city regulation, amended on 15 December 2025, and pay a local tax. Street prostitution is banned and punished with municipal administrative fines (GAS) or a street ban. Prostitution from a person's own home is tolerated if it causes no nuisance. The rules are in the police code (politiecodex), title 6, chapter 2.",be-antwerp-rules | be-antwerp-forms | be-at5-2023,https://www.antwerpen.be/info/wetgeving-reglementen-sekswerk | https://www.antwerpen.be/info/toegelaten-verboden-vormen-sekswerk | https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/219867/een-erotisch-centrum-hoe-doen-ze-dat-in-antwerpen-op-bezoek-bij-villa-tinto
BE,Belgium,Brussels-Capital Region: Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode,,"The window district around Brussels-North station (rue d'Aerschot / Aarschotstraat) is regulated by the two municipalities. Under a security plan for the Brabant quarter, both councils voted on 25 March 2026 to require every publicly accessible establishment in a set zone, brothels included, to close from 01:00 to 06:00 from 1 April 2026. The closure was extended to the end of September 2026, with different relaxations in each municipality. On 15 September 2026 Schaerbeek said it would propose not to extend it. UTSOPI objected that sex workers lost income while their window rents stayed the same. We could not confirm whether Saint-Josse also ended the closure.",be-bruzz-2026-03 | be-vrt-2026-04 | be-bruzz-2026-09,https://www.bruzz.be/actua/veiligheid/bars-winkels-en-bordelen-de-brabantwijk-moeten-vanaf-1-april-s-nachts-sluiten-2026-03-26 | https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2026/04/30/vervroegd-sluitingsuur-in-brabantwijk-treft-sekswerkers-minder/ | https://www.bruzz.be/actua/veiligheid/schaarbeek-zet-punt-achter-nachtsluiting-brabantwijk-criminaliteit-niet-verminderd-2026-09-15
BE,Belgium,Liège (city),,"Liège closed the prostitution salons in its Cathédrale-Nord district in 2009 and planned a supervised Eros Center on rue Varin, but the project never opened. In November 2020 the mayor told the council it had been set aside for lack of political consensus and that the city would instead pursue a delimited 'zone P' where prostitution would be tolerated. A planned Eros Center in neighbouring Seraing was also abandoned. We found no evidence that a zone P had been put in place by October 2026.",be-rtbf-2020-liege,https://www.rtbf.be/article/liege-se-dirige-vers-la-creation-d-une-zone-de-tolerance-pour-la-prostitution-plutot-qu-un-eros-center-10638512
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,prohibition,"Public order is cantonal law, so sanctions differ between the ten cantons; only Sarajevo Canton was checked, where selling and buying are both fined 200–600 KM (Art. 8(2)(c)) and inducing or providing premises 500–1,500 KM (Art. 8(5)(c)). The Federation Criminal Code (Art. 210) punishes procuring and organising prostitution with six months to five years.",ba-ks-ppjrm | ba-kz-fbih,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/kantona-sarajevo/zakon-o-prekrsajima-protiv-javnog-reda-i-mira.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/fbih/krivicni-zakon-federacije-bosne-i-hercegovine.html
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Republika Srpska,,"Has its own Law on Public Order and Peace (Službeni glasnik RS 11/15, amended 58/19); its prostitution provisions could not be checked for this overview. The Criminal Code of Republika Srpska (Art. 169) punishes procuring and organising prostitution with six months to five years and a fine, or one to eight years where several people are involved.",ba-rs-zjrm | ba-rs-zjrm-2019 | ba-kz-rs,https://www.narodnaskupstinars.net/ci/akti/usvojeni-zakoni/zakon-o-javnom-redu-i-miru-0 | https://www.narodnaskupstinars.net/ci/akti/usvojeni-zakoni/zakon-o-izmjenama-i-dopunama-zakona-o-javnom-redu-i-miru | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/republika-srpska/krivicni-zakon-republike-srpske.html
BA,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Brčko District,prohibition,"Engaging in prostitution is fined 100–1,000 KM (Art. 16 of the Law on Public Order and Peace); that article does not mention buyers. The Brčko Criminal Code (Art. 207) punishes procuring and organising prostitution with six months to five years.",ba-bd-zjrm | ba-kz-bd,https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/zakon-o-javnom-redu-i-miru-brcko-distrikta-bih.html | https://www.paragraf.ba/propisi/brcko/krivicni-zakon-brcko-distrikta-bosne-i-hercegovine.html
CY,Cyprus,Area not under the effective control of the Republic (north),,"The Criminal Code and anti-trafficking law of the Republic are not applied in the north. The US State Department reports that nightclubs there are licensed by Turkish Cypriot authorities, that women working in them enter on 'hostess' visas, and that observers describe the clubs as functioning as brothels. The 2025 report counted 27 nightclubs employing 98 women as of March 2025. Low confidence: the report page could not be opened (HTTP 403); content and URL were confirmed through search results only, and no Turkish Cypriot legal text was reviewed.",us-tip-2025-cyprus,https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/cyprus/
CZ,Czechia,Prague (Hlavní město Praha),,"Ordinance No. 20/2007 Coll. of the City of Prague, in force since 1 January 2008 and still listed in the city's register of public-order regulations, bans offering and providing sexual services in public spaces across the whole city; it replaced a 1993 ordinance. A citywide ban is possible because Pl. ÚS 69/04 held that a municipality may ban offering prostitution in all its public spaces. Ordinance No. 11/2005 Coll. of the City of Prague, also still listed, bans offering erotic performances or erotic services. Other municipalities have similar ordinances; their number was not verified for this profile.",cz-praha-1993 | cz-praha-poradek | cz-us-pl-69-04 | cz-mv-ozv,https://praha.eu/w/vyhlaska_cislo_2_ze_dne_28_01_1993_191216 | https://praha.eu/w/verejny_poradek_2566251 | https://nalus.usoud.cz/Search/GetText.aspx?sz=Pl-69-04 | https://archiv.mv.gov.cz/mvcren/docDetail.aspx?docType=ART&docid=10110
DE,Germany,Länder and municipalities (restricted zones),,"Under Art. 297 EGStGB each Land government may ban prostitution by ordinance in whole municipalities of up to 50,000 inhabitants, in parts of municipalities of over 20,000 inhabitants, and on public streets and places (and places visible from them) regardless of size, optionally by time of day. The result is a patchwork of 'Sperrbezirke'. Munich, for example, has 27 restricted zones and bans street soliciting outside a few designated zones and hours. Länder may also limit the territorial validity of the registration certificate (§ 5(3) ProstSchG).",egstgb-297 | muenchen-sperrbezirk | prostschg,https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgbeg/art_297.html | https://stadt.muenchen.de/rathaus/stadtrecht/vorschrift/A15/version1/0.html | https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/prostschg/BJNR237210016.html
GR,Greece,Municipalities (licensing of premises),regulation,"Under art. 3 of Law 2734/1999 the mayor or community president issues the premises licence after a favourable opinion of a committee chaired by the first-instance public prosecutor. Each municipality sets the number of licences according to local conditions, may designate areas where none are allowed, and its council may widen the statutory 200 m exclusion zone around churches, schools, hospitals, squares, playgrounds and similar sites. In practice very few licences exist, so availability of legal premises differs sharply from place to place.",gr-law-2734-1999-art3 | ep-2021-study,https://www.lawspot.gr/nomikes-plirofories/nomothesia/n-2734-1999/arthro-3-nomos-2734-1999-egkatastasi-prosopon-ekdidomenon | https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/695394/IPOL_STU(2021)695394_EN.pdf
ID,Indonesia,Aceh,prohibition,"Qanun Aceh No. 6 of 2014 on Jinayat law, in force since October 2015, punishes zina with 100 lashes (Article 33(1)) and providing facilities for or promoting zina, including by businesses, with up to 100 lashes, 1,000 grams of gold or 100 months' imprisonment (Article 33(3)). It applies to Muslims, to non-Muslims who submit to it, and to non-Muslims for acts not covered by national criminal law (Article 5).",id-qanun-aceh,https://dsi.acehprov.go.id/media/2023.07/qanun_aceh_nomor_6_tahun_2014_tentang_hukum_jinayat1.pdf
ID,Indonesia,DKI Jakarta,prohibition,"Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 8 of 2007 on public order prohibits being a commercial sex worker, procuring or facilitating others to become one, and using the services of one (Article 42(2)), with penalties in its penal chapter. Other regions have comparable bylaws, which were not reviewed individually.",id-perda-jkt,https://pasal.id/peraturan/perda/perda-provinsi-dki-jakarta-no-8-tahun-2007
IQ,Iraq,Kurdistan Region,prohibition,The Kurdish parliament's legal adviser stated in May 2024 that the amendments do not apply in the Kurdistan Region until the Kurdistan Parliament votes to activate them; no such vote was found. How the original 1988 law is applied in the Region was not checked.,iq-rudaw-krg,https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/07052024
IT,Italy,Municipalities (mayoral ordinances),,"Mayors may issue reasoned, contingent and urgent ordinances to protect 'urban security' under art. 54(4) TUEL; art. 54(4-bis) lists the 'exploitation of prostitution' among the phenomena such ordinances can address. Many towns use them, often seasonally, to ban offering or negotiating paid sex on specified streets, with administrative fines. Example: Rimini's 2025 ordinance (26 May 2025 to 31 January 2026) allowed fines of up to EUR 500 for offering paid sex on listed roads and also barred people from seeking or agreeing such services there.",it-tuel | it-rimini-2025,https://www.normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:2000-08-18;267~art54 | https://www.rimininotizie.net/2025/05/16/rimini-da-lunedi-26-maggio-torna-lordinanza-contro-la-prostituzione-su-strada-pene-fino-a-500-euro-alle-prostitute/74020/
MY,Malaysia,"Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya (Muslims)",prohibition,"The Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 applies to Muslims. Section 21(1) punishes any woman who prostitutes herself; s. 22 acting as a muncikari; s. 23 sexual intercourse out of wedlock by a man or a woman, which covers buyers. Each carries a fine of up to RM5,000, up to three years' imprisonment, up to six strokes of whipping, or a combination. Each state has its own Syariah criminal offences enactment; these were not reviewed individually.",my-act559,https://lom.agc.gov.my/ilims/upload/portal/akta/LOM/EN/Act%20559%20-%20Syariah%20Criminal%20Offences%20(Federal%20Territories)%20Act%201997.pdf
MX,Mexico,Mexico City (Ciudad de México),abolitionism,"In a ruling reported on 11 February 2014 (amparo 112/2013), the First District Judge in Administrative Matters, Paula María García Villegas, ordered the city's labour department to issue the claimants the credential of non-salaried workers (trabajadores no asalariados) it had refused on 4 March 2013, reasoning that the federal Constitution does not prohibit prostitution. The refusal had relied on art. 24(VII) of the then Ley de Cultura Cívica, which made prostitution an infraction where neighbours complained. The Ley de Cultura Cívica enacted on 7 June 2019 (last amended 1 March 2023) no longer contains any prostitution infraction: the head of government had returned the bill, arguing that sex work is not prohibited by the federal or local constitution, and Congress removed the clause. Profiting from another's prostitution and running brothels remain offences (art. 189 Código Penal para el Distrito Federal, 2 to 10 years).",jornada-2014 | debate-feminista-2014 | cdmx-lcc | lasillarota-2019 | cdmx-cp,https://www.jornada.com.mx/2014/02/11/politica/015n1pol | https://www.elsevier.es/pt-revista-debate-feminista-378-articulo-trabajadoras-sexuales-conquistan-derechos-laborales-S0188947816301347 | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-2d138a1bf3bd98b883c46c3572754fad44a97a75.pdf | https://lasillarota.com/metropoli/2019/5/29/articulo-que-prohibia-ejercer-la-prostitucion-sera-eliminado-154072.html | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-deae456e36ecb11eac420f0f1839cc70e9ea4685.pdf
MX,Mexico,Tijuana (Baja California),regulation,"The municipal Reglamento para el Control de Enfermedades de Transmisión Sexual (2005, last amended 2017 in the copy checked) requires anyone who has sex for payment, habitually or occasionally, to register with the Dirección Municipal de Salud, hold an electronic health card (Tarjeta Electrónica de Control Sanitario) and undergo monthly medical and laboratory checks they pay for (arts. 8, 10–19, 26–27); working without the card is fined 30 to 60 UMA or punished with up to 36 hours' arrest (art. 41). Establishments where the activity takes place must admit only card-holders and no one under 18, and keep a guest register (art. 34). The regulation designates no zone; news reports describe the Zona Norte as the city's tolerance zone, where inspections are concentrated. The Baja California penal code still punishes lenocinio, including running brothels (art. 267, 2 to 10 years).",tijuana-rcets | periodismonegro-2022 | zeta-2015 | bc-cp,https://www.tijuana.gob.mx/normatividad/documentos/Reglamentos/40_20211229154718384_wp.pdf | https://www.periodismonegro.mx/2022/08/22/ayuntamiento-de-tijuana-detecta-27-trabajadoras-sexuales-sin-tarjeta-sanitaria/ | https://zetatijuana.com/2015/12/ayuntamiento-explota-a-trabajadoras-sexuales/ | https://www.congresobc.gob.mx/Documentos/ProcesoParlamentario/Leyes/TOMO_V/20260828_CODPENAL.PDF
MX,Mexico,"Cancún (Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo)",,"News reports in 2015 and 2016 cited art. 534(VII) of Benito Juárez's Bando de Gobierno y Policía, which makes it an infraction to invite to, practise or solicit prostitution in the street or other public places, so it covers both sex workers and clients: municipal figures reported 418 sellers and 90 buyers detained between 2013 and mid-2015. The same report said the municipality tolerated only km 21 of the Cancún–Mérida highway. The current text of the Bando could not be retrieved, so it is not confirmed that this article is still in force. Under the state penal code, lenocinio requires habitually or repeatedly profiting from another adult's sex work where this is not trafficking (art. 193, 4 to 10 years).",union-cancun-2015 | qroo-cp,http://www.unioncancun.mx/articulo/2015/07/10/gobierno/caceria-contra-prostitutas-y-clientes-en-cancun | https://documentos.congresoqroo.gob.mx/codigos/C6-XVIII-14102026-20261016T150309-C1820261014261-C%C3%B3digo-Penal.pdf
MX,Mexico,Other states and municipalities,,"Article 115 of the Constitution lets each ayuntamiento issue its own bandos de policía y gobierno and regulations, so whether street sex work is an infraction, and whether a health card is required, is decided municipality by municipality. Every state penal code checked for this profile (Mexico City, Baja California, Quintana Roo) keeps a lenocinio offence. COPRED's 2021 survey report, discussing why many respondents live in the State of Mexico but work in Mexico City, suggests they feel safer where the police bylaws prohibiting sex work in their home municipalities do not apply. No municipality-by-municipality survey was carried out for this profile.",cpeum | cdmx-cp | bc-cp | qroo-cp | copred-2021,https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf | https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/archivo-deae456e36ecb11eac420f0f1839cc70e9ea4685.pdf | https://www.congresobc.gob.mx/Documentos/ProcesoParlamentario/Leyes/TOMO_V/20260828_CODPENAL.PDF | https://documentos.congresoqroo.gob.mx/codigos/C6-XVIII-14102026-20261016T150309-C1820261014261-C%C3%B3digo-Penal.pdf | https://copred.cdmx.gob.mx/storage/app/media/ENCUESTA-Trabajo-Sexual-2021.pdf
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),Chuuk,prohibition,"Prostitution, defined to include the customer, and taking part or aiding in it are misdemeanours (§9025 Chuuk State Code).",fm-chuuk,https://www.fsmlaw.org/chuuk/code/title12/T12_CH28.htm
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),Pohnpei,prohibition,Engaging in prostitution and hiring a person for sex (61 PC §8-112) and pandering (61 PC §8-111) are offences.,fm-pohnpei,https://www.fsmlaw.org/pohnpei/code/pdf/pohnpei%20state%202012%20code.pdf
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),Kosrae,,No prostitution offence was found in the criminal chapters of Title 13 of the Kosrae State Code as published; this is not confirmation that none exists.,fm-kosrae,https://www.fsmlaw.org/kosrae/code/title13/t13p01c05.htm
FM,Micronesia (Federated States of),Yap,,No prostitution offence was found in the Yap Penal Code (Title 11) chapters as published; this is not confirmation that none exists.,fm-yap,https://www.fsmlaw.org/yap/code/index.htm
NL,Netherlands,Amsterdam,regulation,"APV 2008: licences required for prostitution businesses (incl. window brothels) and escort agencies; licensed operators may only let sex workers aged 21 or over work for them (art. 3.30(1)(e)); prostitution hotels are banned (art. 3.27(2)); street soliciting and buying in the street are offences (arts. 2.12, 2.13). Ads for licensed businesses must carry the business name and licence number (arts. 3.38, 3.45). A weekend 03:00 closing time for windows in the Wallen core (April 2023) was reversed in February 2024. The plan for a large 'erotic centre' to relocate part of the Wallen windows was dropped in the June 2026 coalition agreement; the new city executive is to examine several smaller sites instead.",amsterdam-apv | at5-2024-02-20 | nh-2026-06-03,https://lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl/CVDR72510 | https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/225170/komend-weekend-mogen-prostitutieramen-wallen-weer-langer-open | https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/360373/wat-staat-in-coalitieakkoord-amsterdam
NL,Netherlands,Arnhem and Nijmegen,,"According to the government business portal, street prostitution is allowed only in Arnhem and Nijmegen (designated zones); Arnhem requires a special pass and issues no new ones. Elsewhere street soliciting is generally banned in the APV.",ondernemersplein-zzp | kst-34193-13,https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/bedrijf-starten/starten-als-zzper/werken-als-zelfstandig-sekswerker/ | https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html
NL,Netherlands,Other municipalities,,"Policy is set locally. In the 2022 WODC baseline study, 93% of municipalities had prostitution rules in their APV and over 85% had adopted the VNG model APV provisions largely unchanged; 73% of those with a policy capped the number of businesses and 18% ran a de facto zero policy. Window prostitution is banned in many municipalities; rules on home-based work vary widely. The VNG is revising the model APV (expected 2027).",kst-34193-13 | ccv-background,https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/kst-34193-13.html | https://hetccv.nl/themas/integraal-veiligheidsbeleid/sekswerkbeleid/achtergrond-sekswerkbeleid/
NG,Nigeria,"Sharia states (Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, Gombe)",prohibition,"Between 2000 and 2003 these states enacted Sharia penal codes (Niger only amended its Penal Code) applied to Muslims in Sharia courts; non-Muslims are presumed to be tried under the Penal Code unless they opt in. Zina (sex with a person over whom one has no sexual rights) is punished by 100 lashes if unmarried and stoning if married, and covers both the sex worker and the client, though proof needs confession or four witnesses. The codes repeat the Penal Code's soliciting, male pimping and brothel offences with added lashes (brothel: up to one year and up to 70 lashes in the harmonised code; Kano and Katsina omit that section). Kano (2000), Yobe (2000) and Borno (2000) also passed laws banning prostitution, soliciting and brothels, with up to one year for a first offence in Kano. State hisbah boards, created to enforce Sharia compliance, arrest women accused of prostitution; Kano's board announced 15 such arrests in February 2024 and 10 among 22 arrests in September 2026, to be followed by prosecution.",ng-ostien-codes | ng-ostien-vices | ng-ostien-intro | ng-dailytrust-2024 | ng-pmnews-2026,http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_4_4_chapter_4_part_III.pdf | http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_3_3_chapter_3_part_II.pdf | http://www.sharia-in-africa.net/media/publications/sharia-implementation-in-northern-nigeria/vol_4_2_chapter_4_part_I.pdf | https://dailytrust.com/kano-hisbah-confiscates-beer-truck-arrests-15-suspected-prostitutes/ | https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2026/09/05/22-arrested-as-kano-hisbah-foils-alleged-illegal-event/
SK,Slovakia,Bratislava-Staré Mesto,,Ordinance VZN 3/1997 (in force from 1 December 1997) makes offering and providing services aimed directly at satisfying sexual needs in the district's public spaces an offence against public order under § 48 of the Offences Act (fine up to EUR 100).,sk-ba-sm-vzn-3-1997 | sk-priestupky,https://www.staremesto.sk/zverejnovanie/detail/364596/vzn-31997-ktorym-sa-ustanovuje-ze-ponukanie-a-poskytovanie-sluzieb-smerujucich-bezprostredne-k-uspokojovaniu-sexualnych-potrieb-na-verejnych-priestranstvach-mestskej-casti-bratislava-stare-mesto-j | https://www.slov-lex.sk/ezbierky/pravne-predpisy/SK/ZZ/1990/372/
SO,Somalia,Somaliland,prohibition,"Applies the 1962 Penal Code; under Article 130 of the Somaliland Constitution, provisions contrary to fundamental rights or to Islamic Sharia are disapplied, and fines are applied in revised Somaliland shilling scales. In August 2020 the House of Representatives passed a Rape, Fornication and Other Related Offences Bill; whether it was enacted and how it treats prostitution was not verified.",so-pc1962 | so-euaa2025,https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/som209614.pdf | https://euaa.europa.eu/coi/somalia/2025/country-focus/12-women-and-girls/121-gender-based-violence-gbv-types-prevalence-and-situation-women-somali-society-including-forced-and-child-marriage
SO,Somalia,Areas under Islamic courts or Al-Shabaab control,prohibition,"A 2018 UN assessment reports that some areas of southern Somalia with Islamic courts impose Sharia law, including stoning or flogging for zina (extra-marital sex). Practice in these areas was not documented further.",so-undp2018,https://www.unescwa.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/somalia-adjusted.pdf
ES,Spain,Barcelona (municipal ordinance),,"Barcelona's 2005 civic-coexistence ordinance (Ordenança de mesures per fomentar i garantir la convivència ciutadana a l'espai públic) has a chapter on offering and demanding sexual services in public space. The city's 2019 schedule of fines lists art. 40.2 (favouring or promoting the consumption of sexual services in public space, including by advertising, EUR 1,000 to 1,200) and art. 40.3 (the client having paid sex in public space, EUR 1,500.01 to 3,000), alongside the national art. 36.11 LO 4/2015 fine for clients. A new Ordenança de convivència entered into force on 15 February 2026; its provisions on sexual services could not be read for this entry.",es-bcn-nomenclator-2019 | es-bcn-ordinance-2026,https://ajuntament.barcelona.cat/seguretatiprevencio/sites/default/files/2023-09/Nomenclator%20CONV-LOPSC%20per%20naturalesa%202019_cat_0.pdf | https://www.barcelona.cat/endrecembarcelona/sites/default/files/2026-02/BAN_Alcalde.pdf
CH,Switzerland,Geneva (Genève),regulation,"Loi sur la prostitution (LProst, I 2 49) of 17 December 2009: sex workers must be adults, attend an awareness course and register in person (Art. 4); salons (Art. 9-14) and escort agencies (Art. 15-21) must be declared in advance by a responsible person meeting personal conditions; street-based prostitution may be banned at places and times where it disturbs public order (Art. 7). Administrative fines of CHF 100 to 60,000 (Art. 25). The law contains no advertising rule.",ch-ge-lprost,https://silgeneve.ch/legis/data/rsg_i2_49.htm
CH,Switzerland,Ticino,regulation,"Legge sull'esercizio della prostituzione (LProst, 550.500) of 22 January 2018: everyone who sells or intends to sell sex must report to the cantonal police (Art. 4); an erotic venue may open only with prior authorisation (Art. 6); apartments are covered by Art. 14. Any public communication about a venue must state that it is authorised under the LProst, and roadside billboards advertising prostitution are banned within municipal perimeters (Art. 24). Fines of CHF 200 to 40,000 (Art. 27).",ch-ti-lprost,https://m3.ti.ch/CAN/RLeggi/public/index.php/raccolta-leggi/pdfatto/atto/9304
GB,United Kingdom,Scotland,abolitionism,"Paying for or receiving payment for sex is not in itself an offence. A person in prostitution who loiters, solicits or importunes in a public place commits an offence under s.46 Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (fine up to level 2, no persistence requirement); soliciting or loitering to buy sex in a public place is an offence under s.1 Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007. Section 11 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 penalises brothel-keeping, landlords and occupiers who permit it, a male person living on the earnings of prostitution (control of a sex worker's movements is presumed to be living on the earnings) and a female who controls a sex worker's movements for gain (up to 7 years); s.7 of the same Act penalises procuring. Ash Regan MSP's member's bill to criminalise paying for sex, repeal s.46 and quash past convictions was introduced on 20 May 2025 as the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill and fell at Stage 1 on 3 February 2026 (54 for, 64 against). None of the Scottish prostitution offences is listed as a priority offence in Schedule 7 of the Online Safety Act 2023 (Scottish human trafficking is).",cgsa-1982-s46 | clcsa-1995-s11 | ppsa-2007-s1 | sp-bill-regan | spice-sb-25-33 | osa-2023-sch7,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1982/45/section/46 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/39/section/11 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2007/11/section/1 | https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/s6/prostitution-offences-and-support-scotland-bill | https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/research-prepared-for-parliament/research-briefings/2025/8/20/sb-2533 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/7
GB,United Kingdom,Northern Ireland,neo-abolitionism,"Since 1 June 2015 Article 64A of the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008, substituted by s.15 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, makes it an offence to obtain sexual services in exchange for payment (up to 1 year on indictment). The offence requires physical presence and sexual touching; remote services are outside it. The same section repealed the seller's offence of loitering or soliciting (Article 59), and the seller cannot be liable as an accessory. Brothel-keeping (Article 64) and causing, inciting or controlling prostitution for gain (Articles 62-63, both Online Safety Act priority offences) remain offences. The statutory three-year review (Department of Justice, 17 September 2019, research by Queen's University Belfast) recorded 15 arrests and two convictions for buying from June 2015 to December 2018 and found no evidence that the offence had reduced demand or supply.",ni-2015-s15 | ni-order-2008-a64a | ni-order-2008-a64 | doj-ni-2019-page | doj-ni-2019-assessment | doj-ni-2019-report | osa-2023-sch7,https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2015/2/section/15 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2008/1769/article/64A | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2008/1769/article/64 | https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/assessment-impact-criminalisation-purchasing-sexual-services | https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/justice/assessment-of-impact-criminalisation-of-purchasing-sexual-services.pdf | https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/justice/report-criminalisation-paying-for-sex.pdf | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/schedule/7
US,United States,Alabama,prohibition,"Selling and buying sex, and promoting prostitution, are prohibited by Ala. Code § 13A-12-121; each violation is a Class A misdemeanour (§ 13A-12-122).",al-13a-12-121 | al-13a-12-122,https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=13A-12-121 | https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=13A-12-122
US,United States,Alaska,prohibition,Selling sex is a class B misdemeanour under AS 11.66.100; promoting prostitution is graded in three degrees (AS 11.66.110-130). The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date.,dsw-ak,https://decriminalizesex.work/alaska-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Arizona,prohibition,A.R.S. § 13-3214 makes both receiving and paying a fee for sexual conduct an offence; it is a class 1 misdemeanour with a mandatory minimum of 15 consecutive days in jail for a first conviction. Cities and towns may also enact prostitution ordinances.,az-13-3214,https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03214.htm
US,United States,Arkansas,prohibition,"Selling sex is prohibited by Ark. Code § 5-70-102 (class B misdemeanour for a first offence, class A thereafter); patronising is a separate offence (§ 5-70-103). The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date.",dsw-ar,https://decriminalizesex.work/arkansas-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,California,prohibition,"Penal Code § 647(b) makes soliciting, agreeing to or engaging in prostitution a form of disorderly conduct (a misdemeanour), both for the person paid (§ 647(b)(1)) and the person paying (§ 647(b)(2)). SB 357, approved on 1 July 2022, repealed the offence of loitering with intent to commit prostitution (former Penal Code § 653.22).",ca-pen-647 | ca-sb-357,https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&sectionNum=647. | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB357
US,United States,Colorado,prohibition,"Prostitution remains an offence under C.R.S. § 18-7-201 but has been a petty offence (the lowest grade) since 1 March 2022 (SB 21-271). SB26-097, which would have repealed the prostitution, soliciting, patronising and brothel-keeping offences and pre-empted local ordinances, was postponed indefinitely by the Senate Judiciary Committee on 11 March 2026.",co-18-7-201 | co-sb26-097,https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-18/article-7/part-2/section-18-7-201/ | https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-097
US,United States,Connecticut,prohibition,"Prostitution by a person aged 18 or over is a class A misdemeanour (C.G.S. § 53a-82); buying is the separate offence of soliciting sexual acts (§ 53a-83, renamed from ""patronizing a prostitute"" by P.A. 21-102). Promoting prostitution is a felony in three degrees (§§ 53a-86 to 53a-88).",ct-chap-952,https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_952.htm
US,United States,Delaware,prohibition,"Prostitution by a person aged 18 or over is a class B misdemeanour (11 Del. C. § 1342), a class A misdemeanour with a $500 minimum fine within 1,000 feet of a school, residence or place of worship. Patronising carries a mandatory $500 minimum fine (§ 1343). Running a prostitution business with two or more workers, including an illicit massage establishment, is a class E felony (§ 1352).",de-11-1342,https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c005/sc07/index.html
US,United States,District of Columbia,prohibition,"D.C. Code § 22-2701 makes it unlawful to engage in or solicit for prostitution (up to 90 days for a first offence). The Community Safety and Health Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-0318), which as introduced would have decriminalised prostitution between adults, had a public hearing on 17 October 2019 and was not enacted.",dc-22-2701 | dc-b23-0318,https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/22-2701 | https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B23-0318
US,United States,Florida,prohibition,"Fla. Stat. § 796.07(2)(e) makes it unlawful for a person aged 18 or over to offer to commit or to commit prostitution: a second-degree misdemeanour for a first violation, rising to a third-degree felony for a third. Soliciting or procuring another to commit prostitution (§ 796.07(2)(f)) is a first-degree misdemeanour for a first violation and a felony thereafter (§ 796.07(5)).",fl-796-07,https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0796/Sections/0796.07.html
US,United States,Georgia,prohibition,"O.C.G.A. § 16-6-9 makes it an offence for a person aged 18 or over to perform, offer or consent to perform a sexual act for money or other items of value.",ga-16-6-9,https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-16/chapter-6/section-16-6-9/
US,United States,Hawaii,prohibition,"Prostitution, including agreeing or offering to engage in sexual conduct for a fee, is a petty misdemeanour under HRS § 712-1200 (a violation, not a crime, if committed by a minor).",hi-712-1200,https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol14_Ch0701-0853/HRS0712/HRS_0712-1200.htm
US,United States,Idaho,prohibition,"Since 2024 (2024 Idaho Sess. Laws ch. 147) the offence is called ""providing commercial sexual activity"" (Idaho Code § 18-5613): a misdemeanour, but a felony on a third or subsequent conviction.",id-18-5613,https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch56/sect18-5613/
US,United States,Illinois,prohibition,"Prostitution is a Class A misdemeanour under 720 ILCS 5/11-14, with an affirmative defence for victims of involuntary servitude or trafficking.",il-11-14,https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K11-14
US,United States,Indiana,prohibition,"Prostitution is an offence under Ind. Code § 35-45-4-2 and patronising under § 35-45-4-3. The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date. The reproduced text still refers to a ""Class D felony"", a class Indiana abolished in 2014, which suggests it is out of date.",dsw-in,https://decriminalizesex.work/indiana-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Iowa,prohibition,Iowa Code § 725.1 makes both selling and buying a sex act an aggravated misdemeanour; buying from a person under 18 is a class D felony.,ia-725-1,https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/725.1.pdf
US,United States,Kansas,prohibition,Selling sexual relations is a class B nonperson misdemeanour under K.S.A. 21-6419; buying is a separate offence.,ks-21-6419,https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_064_0019.html
US,United States,Kentucky,prohibition,Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanour under KRS 529.020.,ky-529-020,https://law.justia.com/codes/kentucky/chapter-529/section-529-020/
US,United States,Louisiana,prohibition,"La. R.S. 14:82 punishes prostitution with a fine of up to $500 or up to six months' imprisonment for a first conviction, rising to up to four years with hard labour for a third.",la-14-82,https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78677
US,United States,Maine,neo-abolitionism,"Maine is the only state where selling sex is not an offence. LD 1435, ""An Act to Reduce Commercial Sexual Exploitation"" (Public Law 2023, chapter 316, enacted and signed on 26 June 2023), repealed the offence of engaging in prostitution (17-A M.R.S. § 853-A). Buying remains a crime: engaging a person for prostitution is a Class E crime, and a Class D crime with a prior conviction within two years (§ 853-B). The sex trafficking offences in chapter 35 of Title 17-A remain in force.",me-853-a | me-853-b | me-ld-1435,https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec853-A.html | https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec853-B.html | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1435&snum=131
US,United States,Maryland,prohibition,"Md. Code, Crim. Law § 11-303 prohibits knowingly engaging in prostitution or assignation by any means or occupying a building or vehicle for prostitution: a misdemeanour punishable by up to one year or a $500 fine.",md-11-303,https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/criminal-law/title-11/subtitle-3/section-11-303/
US,United States,Massachusetts,prohibition,M.G.L. c. 272 § 53A(a) punishes engaging in sexual conduct for a fee with up to one year in a house of correction or a $500 fine; paying (§ 53A(b)) carries up to two and a half years.,ma-272-53a,https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section53A
US,United States,Michigan,prohibition,"MCL 750.448 makes it a crime for a person aged 16 or over to accost, solicit or invite another in a public place, or from a building or vehicle, to commit prostitution.",mi-750-448,https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-448
US,United States,Minnesota,prohibition,"Under Minn. Stat. § 609.324 engaging in prostitution with an adult is a misdemeanour (subd. 7), and a gross misdemeanour in a public place (subd. 6); hiring is also an offence.",mn-609-324,https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.324
US,United States,Mississippi,prohibition,"Engaging in prostitution, soliciting and keeping a brothel are prohibited by Miss. Code § 97-29-49. The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date. A 2025 law (HB 1189) reportedly added mandatory fines for solicitation; that was not checked.",dsw-ms,https://decriminalizesex.work/mississippi-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Missouri,prohibition,Prostitution is a class B misdemeanour under RSMo § 567.020 (a class B felony if the person knew they were HIV-positive).,mo-567-020,https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=567.020
US,United States,Montana,prohibition,"MCA § 45-5-601 penalises the person selling only for sexual intercourse (up to $500 or six months), while a buyer can also be convicted for direct sexual contact.",mt-45-5-601,https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0450/chapter_0050/part_0060/section_0010/0450-0050-0060-0010.html
US,United States,Nebraska,prohibition,"Prostitution is a Class II misdemeanour for a first or second conviction under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-801, which also grants immunity from prosecution in some circumstances.",ne-28-801,https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=28-801
US,United States,Nevada,regulation,"Prostitution is legal in Nevada only inside a brothel licensed by a rural county, and it is NOT legal in Las Vegas or Reno. NRS 244.345(8) bars licensing a house of prostitution in any county of 700,000 or more people, which is Clark County (Las Vegas), and Washoe County (Reno), Carson City, Douglas, Eureka, Lincoln and Pershing ban brothels by ordinance. In 2026 the Nevada Brothel Association counted 16 licensed brothels in seven counties (Elko, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Storey, White Pine); Churchill, Esmeralda and Humboldt allow them but have none operating. Outside a licensed brothel, selling (NRS 207.030(1)(b)) and buying (NRS 201.354: a fine of at least $400 plus a civil penalty of at least $200 for a first offence) are misdemeanours, including in Las Vegas hotels. Escort services can be licensed by counties (NRS 244.345), but that does not make paying for sex legal. Advertising a brothel is an offence in any county where prostitution is prohibited (NRS 201.430).",nv-nrs-244 | nv-nrs-201 | nv-nrs-207 | nv-independent-2026,https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-244.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-201.html | https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-207.html | https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sex-workers-at-a-nevada-brothel-are-making-headlines-how-much-do-you-know-about-the-industry
US,United States,New Hampshire,prohibition,"Soliciting, agreeing to perform or engaging in sexual contact or penetration for consideration is a misdemeanour under RSA 645:2.",nh-645-2,https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/645/645-2.htm
US,United States,New Jersey,prohibition,"Offering sexual activity for something of economic value is a disorderly persons offence under N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1(b)(8), a fourth-degree crime on a repeat conviction; buying is also a disorderly persons offence (2C:34-1(b)(1)).",nj-2c-34-1,https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2023/title-2c/section-2c-34-1/
US,United States,New Mexico,prohibition,Prostitution is a petty misdemeanour (a misdemeanour on a repeat conviction) under NMSA § 30-9-2. The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date.,dsw-nm,https://decriminalizesex.work/new-mexico-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,New York,prohibition,"Prostitution is a class B misdemeanour under Penal Law § 230.00. The offence of loitering for prostitution (§ 240.37) was repealed by chapter 23 of 2021, and chapter 686 of 2025 (signed 19 December 2025) added § 230.45, immunity from prosecution for people in prostitution who report or help prosecute a crime. Cecilia's Act (S2513-A / A3251), which would decriminalise sex between consenting adults, was amended and recommitted to the Senate Codes Committee on 12 May 2026.",ny-pen-230-00 | ny-s1351-2021 | ny-s3967b-2025 | ny-s2513-2025,https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/230.00 | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S1351 | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3967/amendment/B | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2513
US,United States,North Carolina,prohibition,"Prostitution is a Class 1 misdemeanour under G.S. § 14-204, with conditional discharge for first offenders.",nc-14-204,https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-204.html
US,United States,North Dakota,prohibition,"Prostitution by an adult is a class B misdemeanour (N.D.C.C. § 12.1-29-03), as is hiring for a first offence (§ 12.1-29-06).",nd-12-1-29,https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c29.pdf
US,United States,Ohio,prohibition,"Engaging in sexual activity for hire is prostitution, a third-degree misdemeanour (R.C. § 2907.25).",oh-2907-25,https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2907.25
US,United States,Oklahoma,prohibition,"21 O.S. § 1029 prohibits engaging in prostitution; violations are misdemeanours carrying 30 days to a year in jail or fines up to $2,500 for a first conviction (§ 1031). The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date.",dsw-ok,https://decriminalizesex.work/oklahoma-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Oregon,prohibition,Prostitution (ORS 167.007) and commercial sexual solicitation (ORS 167.008) are both Class A misdemeanours.,or-ors-167,https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors167.html
US,United States,Pennsylvania,prohibition,"Engaging in sexual activity as a business is a third-degree misdemeanour (18 Pa.C.S. § 5902). Act 41 of 2026 (SB 45, signed 20 July 2026) moved promoting (§ 3027) and patronising (§ 3028) into the human trafficking chapter: patronising becomes a felony on a third offence, with minimum fines of $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000.",pa-5902 | pa-act-41-2026,https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=18&div=0&chapter=59&section=2&subsctn=0 | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2026&sessInd=0&actNum=41
US,United States,Rhode Island,prohibition,"Prostitution is a misdemeanour under R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-34.1-2 (up to six months or a fine of $250 to $1,000). From a 1980 amendment until 2009 the state had no offence covering sex for money in private, only street soliciting and related acts, so indoor prostitution was in practice legal. The loophole was closed by the law Governor Carcieri signed on 3 November 2009 (P.L. 2009, ch. 185 and 186).",ri-11-34-1-2 | projo-2009-05 | projo-2009-11,https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE11/11-34.1/11-34.1-2.htm | https://web.archive.org/web/20090601211914/http://www.projo.com/news/content/PROSTITUTION_LAW31_05-31-09_NVEHGBH_v161.3e90048.html | https://web.archive.org/web/20131113205521/http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2009/11/governor-carcieri-signed-into.html
US,United States,South Carolina,prohibition,"S.C. Code § 16-15-90 makes it unlawful to engage in prostitution, with an affirmative defence for coercion or trafficking and immunity for minors.",sc-16-15-90,https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c015.php
US,United States,South Dakota,prohibition,Engaging or offering to engage in sexual activity for a fee is a Class 1 misdemeanour (SDCL 22-23-1).,sd-22-23-1,https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/22-23-1.html
US,United States,Tennessee,prohibition,Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanour under Tenn. Code § 39-13-513 (Class A near a school or church). The official text could not be opened from here (the state portal is unreachable from this network or behind a bot check); the citation and grade are taken from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO and may be out of date.,dsw-tn,https://decriminalizesex.work/tennessee-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Texas,prohibition,"Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanour under Penal Code § 43.02, rising to a state jail felony after three prior convictions. Since 1 September 2021 buying is a separate and more serious offence, solicitation of prostitution, a state jail felony (§ 43.021). Running a prostitution enterprise with two or more workers is a first-degree felony (§ 43.04).",tx-pe-43,https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm
US,United States,Utah,prohibition,"Engaging in prostitution is a class B misdemeanour under Utah Code § 76-5d-202, with immunity for a person who reports a serious crime they witnessed or suffered. The prostitution offences were renumbered from Title 76, Chapter 10, Part 13 into the new Chapter 76-5d on 7 May 2025.",ut-76-5d-202 | ut-76-10-p13,https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter5D/76-5d-S202.html | https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter10/C76-10-P13_1800010118000101.html
US,United States,Vermont,prohibition,13 V.S.A. § 2632(a)(8) prohibits engaging in prostitution (a fine of up to $100 or up to one year).,vt-13-2632,https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/13/059/02632
US,United States,Virginia,prohibition,Prostitution is a Class 1 misdemeanour under Va. Code § 18.2-346.,va-18-2-346,https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter8/section18.2-346/
US,United States,Washington,prohibition,"Prostitution is a misdemeanour under RCW 9A.88.030; the current text, in force since 1 January 2024 (2020 c 331), applies to a person aged 18 or over.",wa-9a-88-030,https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.88.030
US,United States,West Virginia,prohibition,W. Va. Code § 61-8-5(b) punishes engaging in prostitution with 60 days to six months in jail and a fine for a first offence.,wv-61-8-5,https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-8-5/
US,United States,Wisconsin,prohibition,"Prostitution is a Class A misdemeanour under Wis. Stat. § 944.30; patronising, soliciting, pandering and keeping a place of prostitution are separate offences (§§ 944.31-944.34). The section titles were checked on the legislature's site; the grade comes from a reproduction of the statute by an advocacy NGO.",wi-944 | dsw-wi,https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/944 | https://decriminalizesex.work/wisconsin-prostitution-laws/
US,United States,Wyoming,prohibition,Prostitution is a misdemeanour punishable by up to six months or a $750 fine (W.S. § 6-4-101); paying is the separate offence of soliciting an act of prostitution (§ 6-4-102).,wy-title-6,https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title06.pdf