Prostitution laws in Tanzania
On mainland Tanzania, the Penal Code (Cap. 16, R.E. 2023) does not prohibit selling sex itself but criminalises almost everything around it. A common prostitute loitering or soliciting in a public place for prostitution, or behaving there in a disorderly or indecent way, is an idle and disorderly person liable to a fine of up to TZS 100,000 and/or three months (s. 176(a)). Living on the earnings of prostitution and persistent soliciting by a man (s. 145), a woman living on such earnings or controlling a sex worker for gain (s. 146), and keeping any place for prostitution (s. 148) are offences; procuring any person, with or without consent, to become a prostitute carries 10 to 20 years and/or a fine (s. 139). Online content related to prostitution is prohibited under the 2020 Online Content Regulations. Zanzibar's own penal law was not reviewed.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
On the mainland the Penal Code does not make selling or buying sex an offence as such, but criminalises loitering or soliciting in public by a "common prostitute" (s. 176(a)), living on the earnings of prostitution (ss. 145–146), keeping a brothel (s. 148) and procuring any person, even consenting, to become a prostitute (s. 139). Online content related to prostitution is prohibited by regulation. Zanzibar has its own penal legislation, which was not reviewed here.[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex is not itself an offence on the mainland, but a common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place, or loitering or soliciting in a public place for prostitution, is an idle and disorderly person, liable to a fine of up to TZS 100,000, up to three months' imprisonment, or both (s. 176(a)). Anyone soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes is covered by s. 176(g).[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | The Penal Code has no offence aimed at clients. Soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes (s. 176(g)) applies to any person, and persistent soliciting in public by a male person is an offence under s. 145(1)(b), so a client who solicits in public can be charged.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for the purposes of prostitution is an offence (s. 148), and a magistrate may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution (s. 147). A keeper of a bar, hotel, shop or other place of public resort who knowingly lets common prostitutes assemble there for prostitution is liable to a fine of up to TZS 50,000, or TZS 500,000 on repeat (s. 176A).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring or attempting to procure any person, with or without consent, to become a prostitute in or outside Tanzania carries 10 to 20 years and/or a fine of TZS 100,000 to 300,000 (s. 139). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, and a woman who does so or controls a sex worker's movements for gain, commit offences (ss. 145–146); a man living with a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings, and a repeat s. 145 conviction may add corporal punishment.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | The Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations 2020 include content related to prostitution (and adultery) in their list of prohibited online content, and empower the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority to order its removal; breaches carry a fine of at least TZS 5 million and/or at least 12 months. Public soliciting is also an offence (s. 176).[1][2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex is not itself an offence on the mainland, but a common prostitute behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place, or loitering or soliciting in a public place for prostitution, is an idle and disorderly person, liable to a fine of up to TZS 100,000, up to three months' imprisonment, or both (s. 176(a)). Anyone soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes is covered by s. 176(g).[1]
Note. Mainland law only; Zanzibar has separate penal legislation, which could not be checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
The Penal Code has no offence aimed at clients. Soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes (s. 176(g)) applies to any person, and persistent soliciting in public by a male person is an offence under s. 145(1)(b), so a client who solicits in public can be charged.[1]
Confidence: medium. Mainland law only. Enforcement against clients was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping a house, room, set of rooms or place of any kind for the purposes of prostitution is an offence (s. 148), and a magistrate may issue a warrant to search a house suspected of being used for prostitution (s. 147). A keeper of a bar, hotel, shop or other place of public resort who knowingly lets common prostitutes assemble there for prostitution is liable to a fine of up to TZS 50,000, or TZS 500,000 on repeat (s. 176A).[1]
Note. Section 148 states no specific penalty; the applicable general penalty was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring or attempting to procure any person, with or without consent, to become a prostitute in or outside Tanzania carries 10 to 20 years and/or a fine of TZS 100,000 to 300,000 (s. 139). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, and a woman who does so or controls a sex worker's movements for gain, commit offences (ss. 145–146); a man living with a sex worker is presumed to live on the earnings, and a repeat s. 145 conviction may add corporal punishment.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
The Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations 2020 include content related to prostitution (and adultery) in their list of prohibited online content, and empower the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority to order its removal; breaches carry a fine of at least TZS 5 million and/or at least 12 months. Public soliciting is also an offence (s. 176).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The regulations' gazetted text was not opened; their content and penalties are taken from ARTICLE 19's 2020 analysis, which does not quote the exact wording on prostitution. Later amendments to the regulations were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| The Penal Code Act [Cap. 16 R.E. 2023] Penal Code (Cap. 16, Revised Edition 2023) s. 139 · ss. 145–148 · ss. 176–176A | Procuration, living on earnings, brothels, harbouring sex workers in bars and the idle-and-disorderly soliciting offence (mainland Tanzania).[1] | |
| Tanzania: New Content Regulations Criminalise Free Speech Online Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, 2020 list of prohibited content | List content related to prostitution among prohibited online content, removable on order of the regulator.[2] |
Timeline
- 2020The Online Content Regulations 2020 list content related to prostitution among prohibited online content.[2]
Sources
- The Penal Code Act [Cap. 16 R.E. 2023]. Office of the Attorney General, Tanzania (PDF hosted by the National Prosecutions Service). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Tanzania: New Content Regulations Criminalise Free Speech Online. ARTICLE 19, 31 August 2020. ngo · accessed 30 October 2026