Prostitution Prostitution laws in Antigua and Barbuda
In Antigua and Barbuda, selling and buying sex in private are not offences, but the activities around them are. Under the Sexual Offences Act 1995, procuring another person for prostitution or to frequent a brothel carries fifteen years; keeping or managing a brothel, or letting or permitting premises to be used as one, carries a $10,000 fine and five years on summary conviction; knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution or soliciting 'in any place' for immoral purposes carries five years. The Small Charges Act penalises loitering in public for prostitution 'to the annoyance of the public' (two months) and keeping a brothel (fine up to $1,000). No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
Exchanging sex for money in private is not an offence, but the Sexual Offences Act 1995 criminalises procuring a person for prostitution (s. 16), brothel-keeping (s. 21) and living on the earnings of prostitution or soliciting for immoral purposes 'in any place' (s. 22); the Small Charges Act (Cap. 405) adds public loitering and soliciting offences and a separate brothel offence.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex in private is not an offence. Loitering or being in a public place for the purpose of prostitution or solicitation to the annoyance of the public carries up to two months; a 'common prostitute' behaving riotously or indecently in public carries up to six months; and soliciting 'in any place' for immoral purposes carries five years under the Sexual Offences Act.[1][2][3] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found. A male person who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place for immoral purposes commits an offence (six months), which could reach clients.[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used carry a $10,000 fine and five years on summary conviction. The Small Charges Act separately penalises keeping a brothel (fine up to $1,000) and permitting premises to be used for habitual prostitution (six months).[1][2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, carries fifteen years. Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries five years, with a presumption against anyone living with or controlling a sex worker. A woman who controls a sex worker's movements for gain faces six months under the Small Charges Act.[1][2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 22(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act applies 'in any place', and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex in private is not an offence. Loitering or being in a public place for the purpose of prostitution or solicitation to the annoyance of the public carries up to two months; a 'common prostitute' behaving riotously or indecently in public carries up to six months; and soliciting 'in any place' for immoral purposes carries five years under the Sexual Offences Act.[1][2][3]
Note. The Small Charges (Amendment) Act 2024 added curfew-style loitering offences for children and did not amend s. 41.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No provision making it an offence to pay an adult for sex was found. A male person who persistently solicits or importunes in a public place for immoral purposes commits an offence (six months), which could reach clients.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Absence of an offence in the acts reviewed; the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping or managing, or assisting in managing, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used carry a $10,000 fine and five years on summary conviction. The Small Charges Act separately penalises keeping a brothel (fine up to $1,000) and permitting premises to be used for habitual prostitution (six months).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The section number of the brothel offence was lost in the PDF text and is inferred from its position between ss. 20 and 22 and its marginal note 'Prohibition of brothel'.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring another for prostitution, whether or not that person is already a sex worker, or to become an inmate of or frequent a brothel, carries fifteen years. Knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution carries five years, with a presumption against anyone living with or controlling a sex worker. A woman who controls a sex worker's movements for gain faces six months under the Small Charges Act.[1][2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 22(1)(b) of the Sexual Offences Act applies 'in any place', and a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings offence.[1]
Confidence: low. Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the acts reviewed; electronic-communications, obscenity and trafficking laws were not reviewed for platform liability.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| The Sexual Offences Act, 1995 (No. 9 of 1995) Sexual Offences Act 1995 (No. 9 of 1995) s. 16 · s. 21 · s. 22 | Procuration (s. 16), prohibition of brothels (s. 21) and living on earnings or soliciting (s. 22).[1] | |
| The Small Charges Act, Cap. 405, Laws of Antigua and Barbuda Small Charges Act, Cap. 405 s. 19 · s. 41 | Disorderly houses and brothels (s. 19) and the prostitution offences in s. 41 (premises, control by women, public loitering and soliciting).[2] |
Sources
- The Sexual Offences Act, 1995 (No. 9 of 1995). Government of Antigua and Barbuda, laws.gov.ag. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- The Small Charges Act, Cap. 405, Laws of Antigua and Barbuda. Government of Antigua and Barbuda, laws.gov.ag. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Small Charges (Amendment) Act 2024 (No. 20 of 2024). Government of Antigua and Barbuda, laws.gov.ag, 1 October 2024. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026