Is prostitution legal in Hawaii?
Prostitution is not legal in Hawaii. Hawaii prostitution laws make sex work illegal, but recent legislative efforts have tried to legalize indoor prostitution.
State Guide: U.S. prostitution laws for all 50 states
Prostitution Laws of Hawaii
- §712-1200: Prostitution
- §712-1201: Promoting prostitution; definition of terms
- §712-1202: Promoting prostitution in the first degree
- §712-1203: Promoting prostitution in the second degree
- §712-1204: Promoting prostitution in the third degree
- §712-1206: Loitering for the purpose of engaging in or advancing prostitution
- §712-1207: Street solicitation of prostitution; designated areas
- §712-1208: Promoting travel for prostitution
- §712-1200: Prostitution
§712-1200: Prostitution
(1) A person commits the offense of prostitution if the person engages in, or agrees or offers to engage in, sexual conduct with another person for a fee.
(2) As used in subsection (1), "sexual conduct" means "sexual penetration," "deviate sexual intercourse," or "sexual contact," as those terms are defined in section 707-700.
(3) Prostitution is a petty misdemeanor.
(4) A person convicted of committing the offense of prostitution shall be sentenced as follows:
(a) Forthe first offense, when the court has not deferred further proceedings pursuant to chapter 853, a mandatory fine of $500 and the person may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than thirty days or probation; provided that in the event the convicted person defaults in payment of the $500 fine, and the default was not contumacious, the court may sentence the person to perform services for the community as authorized by section 706-605(1).
(b) For any subsequent offense, a mandatory fine of $500 and a term of imprisonment of thirty days or probation, without possibility of deferral of further proceedings pursuant to chapter 853 and without possibility of suspension of sentence.
(c) For the purpose of this subsection, if the court has deferred further proceedings pursuant to chapter 853, and notwithstanding any provision of chapter 853 to the contrary, the defendant shall not be eligible to apply for expungement pursuant to section 831-3.2 until four years following discharge. A plea previously entered by a defendant under section 853-1 for a violation of this section shall be considered a prior offense. When the court has ordered a sentence of probation, the court may impose as a condition of probation that the defendant complete a course of prostitution intervention classes; provided that the court may only impose such condition for one term of probation.
(5) This section shall not apply to any member of a police department, a sheriff, or a law enforcement officer acting in the course and scope of duties.
§712-1201: Promoting prostitution; definition of terms In sections 712-1202, 712-1203 and 712-1204:
(1) A person "advances prostitution" if, acting other than as a prostitute or a patron of a prostitute, he knowingly causes or aids a person to commit or engage in prostitution, procures or solicits patrons for prostitution, provides persons for prostitution purposes, permits premises to be regularly used for prostitution purposes, operates or assists in the operation of a house of prostitution or a prostitution enterprise, or engages in any other conduct designed to institute, aid, or facilitate an act or enterprise of prostitution.
(2) A person "profits from prostitution" if, acting other than as a prostitute receiving compensation