Prostitution Prostitution laws in Bhutanའབྲུག་ཡུལ་
Chapter 26 of the Penal Code of Bhutan 2004 criminalises every party. A person who "offers, agrees to engage, or engages in sexual conduct with another person for money or property" commits prostitution (section 373). A person who "gives money, property, or other gratification to engage in sexual act" commits patronizing a prostitute (section 377). Owning or managing a brothel, procuring, encouraging someone to become or remain a sex worker, soliciting clients and taking a sex worker's earnings are promotion of prostitution (section 375). All three are misdemeanours, punishable by one year to under three years' imprisonment, rising to fourth- or third-degree felonies where the person is a child. Trafficking a person into or out of Bhutan for prostitution is a separate offence (section 379).
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
The Penal Code of Bhutan 2004 makes selling sex (offering, agreeing to or engaging in sexual conduct for money or property), buying sex ("patronizing a prostitute") and promoting prostitution (brothels, procuring, soliciting clients, taking earnings) separate offences. Each is a misdemeanour for adults, carrying one to under three years' imprisonment.[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Offering, agreeing to or engaging in sexual conduct for money or property is the offence of prostitution, a misdemeanour carrying a minimum of one year and a maximum of under three years' imprisonment.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Giving money, property or other gratification to engage in a sexual act is the offence of patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanour for an adult, and a fourth-degree felony (three to under five years) or third-degree felony (five to under nine years) where the person is a child.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Owning, leasing, controlling, managing or supervising a brothel, or otherwise keeping a prostitution business, is promotion of prostitution, a misdemeanour (felony where a child is involved).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring a person for a house of prostitution, encouraging or causing someone to become or remain a sex worker, procuring a sex worker for a client, or requiring a sex worker to hand over any of her earnings is promotion of prostitution. Transporting, selling or buying a person into or out of Bhutan for prostitution is trafficking under section 379.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | A sex worker who offers sexual conduct for money commits prostitution, since "offers" is part of the offence. A third party who solicits a person to patronize a sex worker commits promotion of prostitution. No provision specific to online platforms was found.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Offering, agreeing to or engaging in sexual conduct for money or property is the offence of prostitution, a misdemeanour carrying a minimum of one year and a maximum of under three years' imprisonment.[1]
Confidence: medium. Read in the English text of the 2004 Code as reproduced by the Warnath Group; no official consolidated text including the 2011 and 2021 amendments was found. No report was found of either amendment changing Chapter 26.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Giving money, property or other gratification to engage in a sexual act is the offence of patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanour for an adult, and a fourth-degree felony (three to under five years) or third-degree felony (five to under nine years) where the person is a child.[1]
As a misdemeanour, patronizing an adult prostitute carries a minimum of one year and a maximum of under three years' imprisonment, the same as selling.
Confidence: medium. As for selling: the 2004 text, read in an unofficial reproduction.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Owning, leasing, controlling, managing or supervising a brothel, or otherwise keeping a prostitution business, is promotion of prostitution, a misdemeanour (felony where a child is involved).[1]
Confidence: medium.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring a person for a house of prostitution, encouraging or causing someone to become or remain a sex worker, procuring a sex worker for a client, or requiring a sex worker to hand over any of her earnings is promotion of prostitution. Transporting, selling or buying a person into or out of Bhutan for prostitution is trafficking under section 379.[1]
Confidence: medium.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
A sex worker who offers sexual conduct for money commits prostitution, since "offers" is part of the offence. A third party who solicits a person to patronize a sex worker commits promotion of prostitution. No provision specific to online platforms was found.[1]
Confidence: medium. Applying the offer and soliciting offences to advertisements is a reading of the text; no case applying them to online ads was found. The Information, Communications and Media Act was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Penal Code of Bhutan (2004) Penal Code of Bhutan 2004 (amended 2011 and 2021) s. 373 · s. 375 · s. 377 · s. 379 | Chapter 26 criminalises prostitution, promotion of prostitution, patronizing a sex worker and trafficking for prostitution; Chapter 3 sets the sentence ranges for each grade.[1] |
Sources
- Penal Code of Bhutan (2004). The Warnath Group (reproduction of the English text), 2004. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026