Prostitution laws in Tuvalu
In Tuvalu, selling and buying sex in private are not offences, but the Penal Code (Cap. 10.20, 2022 Revised Edition), inherited from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, penalises the activities around them. Procuring or attempting to procure a woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home to frequent a brothel, carries two years. A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution or persistently solicits in public for immoral purposes, a woman who controls a sex worker for gain, and anyone who keeps, manages, permits or lets premises for a brothel commits a misdemeanour (two years and a fine where no penalty is specified). Soliciting for immoral purposes in public carries two months or a $20 fine. 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 Penal Code (Cap. 10.20, 2022 Revised Edition) criminalises procuring a woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute' (s. 136), a man living on the earnings of prostitution or persistently soliciting (s. 145), a woman controlling a sex worker for gain (s. 146), brothel-keeping (s. 148) and public soliciting by 'idle and disorderly persons' (s. 167).[1]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex in private is not an offence. Any person who solicits for immoral purposes in a public place, and any 'common prostitute' behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, is an idle and disorderly person liable to two months or a $20 fine.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offences apply to 'any person' and could reach clients; a man persistently soliciting in public for immoral purposes commits a misdemeanour under s. 145(1)(b).[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are misdemeanours, punishable by up to two years and a fine under the general misdemeanour penalty.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring or attempting to procure any woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, carries two years (corroboration required). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, presumed if he lives with or controls a sex worker, and a woman who controls a sex worker for gain, commit misdemeanours.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings or control offences.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex in private is not an offence. Any person who solicits for immoral purposes in a public place, and any 'common prostitute' behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public, is an idle and disorderly person liable to two months or a $20 fine.[1]
Note. Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of paying an adult for sex was found. The public soliciting offences apply to 'any person' and could reach clients; a man persistently soliciting in public for immoral purposes commits a misdemeanour under s. 145(1)(b).[1]
Confidence: medium. Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping or managing, or assisting in the management of, a brothel; a tenant or occupier knowingly permitting premises to be used as a brothel or for habitual prostitution; and a landlord letting premises knowing they will be so used are misdemeanours, punishable by up to two years and a fine under the general misdemeanour penalty.[1]
Note. Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring or attempting to procure any woman or girl to become a 'common prostitute', or to leave home or the country to frequent a brothel, carries two years (corroboration required). A man who knowingly lives on the earnings of prostitution, presumed if he lives with or controls a sex worker, and a woman who controls a sex worker for gain, commit misdemeanours.[1]
Note. Read from the 2022 Revised Edition on the official Tuvalu legislation portal.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence aimed specifically at advertising sexual services was found. The soliciting offences are limited to public places; a third party who profits from advertising others could face the living-on-earnings or control offences.[1]
Confidence: low. Inference from the absence of a specific provision in the code 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Penal Code, Cap. 10.20, 2022 Revised Edition Penal Code (Cap. 10.20, 2022 Revised Edition) s. 136 · s. 145 · s. 146 · s. 148 · s. 167 | Procuration (s. 136), male living on earnings or persistent soliciting (s. 145), female control of a sex worker (s. 146), brothels (s. 148) and idle and disorderly persons (s. 167).[1] |
Sources
- Penal Code, Cap. 10.20, 2022 Revised Edition. Office of the Attorney-General, Tuvalu Legislation Online. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026