Is prostitution legal in South Carolina?
South Carolina prostitution laws prohibit the exchange of money or other compensation for sexual acts. Even entering a place or vehicle for the purpose of lewdness is a crime in South Carolina.
Prostitution Laws of South Carolina
- SECTION 16-15-90: Prostitution; lewdness, assignation and prostitution generally
- SECTION 16-15-100: Prostitution; further unlawful acts
- SECTION 16-15-110: Prostitution; violations
SECTION 16-15-90: Prostitution; lewdness, assignation and prostitution generally
It shall be unlawful to:
(1) Engage in prostitution;
(2) Aid or abet prostitution knowingly;
(3) Procure or solicit for the purpose of prostitution;
(4) Expose indecently the private person for the purpose of prostitution or other indecency;
(5) Reside in, enter or remain in any place, structure, building, vehicle, trailer or conveyance for the purpose of lewdness, assignation or prostitution;
(6) Keep or set up a house of ill fame, brothel or bawdyhouse;
(7) Receive any person for purposes of lewdness, assignation or prostitution into any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building;
(8) Permit any person to remain for the purpose of lewdness, assignation or prostitution in any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building;
(9) Direct, take or transport, offer or agree to take or transport or aid or assist in transporting any person to any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building or to any other person with knowledge or having reasonable cause to believe that the purpose of such directing, taking or transporting is prostitution, lewdness or assignation;
(10) Lease or rent or contract to lease or rent any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building or part thereof believing or having reasonable cause to believe that it is intended to be used for any of the purposes herein prohibited; or
(11) Aid, abet, or participate knowingly in the doing of any of the acts herein prohibited.
SECTION 16-15-100: Prostitution; further unlawful acts
It shall further be unlawful to:
(1) Procure a female inmate for a house of prostitution;
(2) Cause, induce, persuade or encourage by promise, threat, violence or by any scheme or device a female to become a prostitute or to remain an inmate of a house of prostitution;
(3) Induce, persuade or encourage a female to come into or leave this State for the purpose of prostitution or to become an inmate in a house of prostitution;
(4) Receive or give or agree to receive or give any money or thing of value for procuring or attempting to procure any female to become a prostitute or an inmate in a house of prostitution;
(5) Accept or receive knowingly any money or other thing of value without consideration from a prostitute; or
(6) Aid, abet or participate knowingly in the doing of any of the acts herein prohibited.
SECTION 16-15-110: Prostitution; violations
Any person violating any provision of Sections 16-15-90 and 16-15-100 must, upon conviction, be punished as follows:
(1) for the first offense, a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or confinement in prison for a period of not more than thirty days;
(2) for the second offense, a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or both;
(3) for the third or any subsequent offense, a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars or imprisonment for not less than one year, or both.