Prostitution laws in Grenada
In Grenada, the Criminal Code (Cap. 72A) as amended in 2012 makes it an offence to loiter about or solicit any person 'in any place' for the purposes of prostitution (up to three months or a $1,000 fine, or both) and, with a ten-year maximum on indictment, to keep or manage a brothel, to let or permit premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution, or, as tenant or occupier, to use premises 'for prostitution of himself'. Procuring a person to become a 'common prostitute' and controlling a sex worker's movements for gain also carry up to ten years. No offence aimed at clients or at advertising was found.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Borderline. The Criminal Code does not make an isolated private sale of sex an offence, but since the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 it penalises anyone who 'in any place loiters about or solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution' (s. 137(29)) and a tenant or occupier who 'uses such premises for prostitution of himself' (s. 188B(c), up to ten years). Because offering sex anywhere and selling from premises one occupies are both offences, the file classifies Grenada as prohibition.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | A person who 'in any place loiters about or solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution' is liable to up to three months' imprisonment or a $1,000 fine, or both. A tenant, lessee or occupier who uses premises for their own prostitution commits the brothel offence (up to ten years on indictment).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of paying for sex was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) ('solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution') is not limited to sellers and could reach a client who solicits.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping or managing a brothel, or acting as or assisting the person in charge of one; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution, or using them for their own prostitution; and a lessor or landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used each carry up to ten years on indictment.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring any person to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or Grenada to frequent a brothel, carries up to ten years on indictment. A person who for gain controls a sex worker's movements so as to aid, abet or compel their prostitution ('trading in prostitution') also faces up to ten years.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) applies 'in any place' and to soliciting 'any person', which may be wide enough to cover a sex worker's own advertising; a site that profits from others' ads could face s. 188A.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
A person who 'in any place loiters about or solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution' is liable to up to three months' imprisonment or a $1,000 fine, or both. A tenant, lessee or occupier who uses premises for their own prostitution commits the brothel offence (up to ten years on indictment).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The consolidation on laws.gov.gd lists amendments up to 2007; the 2012 amending Act was read separately. Later amendments other than Act 34 of 2013 (which does not touch these sections) were not found. The 2012 Act substitutes paragraph (29) of s. 137, while the consolidation shows the older soliciting offence as paragraph (30); the penalty in s. 137(1)(a) covers paragraphs (28) to (30).
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of paying for sex was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) ('solicits any person for the purposes of prostitution') is not limited to sellers and could reach a client who solicits.[1]
Confidence: medium. The consolidation on laws.gov.gd lists amendments up to 2007; the 2012 amending Act was read separately. Later amendments other than Act 34 of 2013 (which does not touch these sections) were not found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping or managing a brothel, or acting as or assisting the person in charge of one; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for prostitution, or using them for their own prostitution; and a lessor or landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used each carry up to ten years on indictment.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring any person to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or Grenada to frequent a brothel, carries up to ten years on indictment. A person who for gain controls a sex worker's movements so as to aid, abet or compel their prostitution ('trading in prostitution') also faces up to ten years.[1]
Note. No separate 'living on the earnings' offence was found in the consolidated Code or the 2012 Act.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offence in s. 137(29) applies 'in any place' and to soliciting 'any person', which may be wide enough to cover a sex worker's own advertising; a site that profits from others' ads could face s. 188A.[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. Whether 'solicits' covers published advertisements has not been tested in any case found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Code, Chapter 72A, Laws of Grenada (as amended to Act No. 15 of 2007) Criminal Code, Chapter 72A (consolidated to Act No. 15 of 2007) s. 137 · s. 188 | Petty offences in s. 137, including the soliciting paragraph, and the original procuration offence.[2] | |
| Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2012 (Act No. 29 of 2012) Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 (Act No. 29 of 2012) s. 137(29) · s. 188 · s. 188A · s. 188B · s. 204A | Substitutes s. 137(29) (soliciting in any place) and s. 188 (procuration) and inserts s. 188A (trading in prostitution), s. 188B (keeping brothel) and definitions of prostitution (ss. 204A-204B).[1] |
Timeline
- 2012Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 makes the procuration offence gender-neutral, extends soliciting for prostitution to 'any place' and inserts the brothel and trading-in-prostitution offences with ten-year maxima.[1]
Sources
- Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2012 (Act No. 29 of 2012). Government of Grenada, laws.gov.gd, 2012. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Criminal Code, Chapter 72A, Laws of Grenada (as amended to Act No. 15 of 2007). Government of Grenada, laws.gov.gd. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026