Prostitution laws in the United Arab Emiratesالإمارات العربية المتحدة
Prostitution is illegal in the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi: the federal Crimes and Penalties Law (Decree-Law 31/2021, in force since 2 January 2022) applies to any crime on the State's territory. Habitual prostitution carries temporary imprisonment (three to fifteen years by default). Running or facilitating a brothel carries temporary imprisonment and at least AED 100,000; inciting or assisting prostitution at least two years and a fine since December 2025; exploiting another's prostitution up to five years. Inciting prostitution online carries temporary imprisonment and AED 250,000 to 1,000,000 (Decree-Law 34/2021). The 2020 and 2021 reforms on consensual relations did not legalise paid sex: sex between unmarried adults is still an offence (Art. 409), prosecutable only on a complaint by a spouse or guardian.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling sex is a crime: a 'habitual prostitute or debauchee' faces temporary imprisonment (Art. 422, Crimes and Penalties Law). There is no offence aimed at clients as such, but sex between unmarried adults remains an offence under Art. 409, prosecutable only on a complaint by a spouse or guardian. Brothels, procuring and incitement, including online, are crimes. The same federal code applies in all seven emirates, including Dubai.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Any habitual prostitute or debauchee is punished with temporary imprisonment, which lasts three to fifteen years unless the law states otherwise (Art. 422 with Art. 69). Soliciting passers-by on a public road is a separate offence (Art. 414: up to six months and/or up to AED 100,000), as is inciting prostitution through an information network (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | No provision targets clients as such. Paying an adult for sex is covered by the general offence of consensual intercourse outside marriage (Art. 409(1)): at least six months' imprisonment for both parties. Under Art. 409(5) no prosecution may be brought except on a complaint by the spouse or guardian, and withdrawing the complaint ends the case or suspends the sentence.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Establishing or running a house for debauchery or prostitution, facilitating such practices, or assisting in any way in establishing or running such a house is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 100,000. The court must order the premises closed; they may reopen only for lawful business with the Public Prosecution's approval.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Inciting, enticing or seducing anyone to prostitution, or assisting in it, carries at least two years' imprisonment and a fine (Art. 417, as amended in December 2025; previously at least one year). Using coercion, trickery or threats carries up to ten years' temporary imprisonment (Art. 418), and taking advantage of another person's prostitution by any means up to five years (Art. 420).[1][3] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Inciting or tempting others to prostitution, or assisting them, through an information network is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of AED 250,000 to 1,000,000 (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021). Publicly prompting others to debauchery by any means is a further offence (Art. 415, up to one month and/or up to AED 100,000).[1][2] |
| Online platforms and ad sites | Illegal Criminal offence | Creating, managing or supervising a website that displays obscene material or anything that violates public morals is punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000 (Art. 34, Decree-Law 34/2021). A site operator hosting sex-work ads would also be exposed to the offences of assisting online incitement (Art. 33) and facilitating prostitution (Art. 419 of the Crimes and Penalties Law).[1][2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Any habitual prostitute or debauchee is punished with temporary imprisonment, which lasts three to fifteen years unless the law states otherwise (Art. 422 with Art. 69). Soliciting passers-by on a public road is a separate offence (Art. 414: up to six months and/or up to AED 100,000), as is inciting prostitution through an information network (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021).[1][2]
Article 422 requires habituality. A single paid encounter between adults falls under the general consensual-relations offence of Article 409(1)(a) (at least six months' imprisonment for both parties), which under Article 409(5) can be brought only on a complaint by the spouse or guardian, who may withdraw it at any time. The English text on the official portal states that the Arabic text prevails.
Note. Whether Article 33 of the cybercrime law, which targets inciting 'third parties' to prostitution, is applied to people advertising their own services was not checked against case law.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No provision targets clients as such. Paying an adult for sex is covered by the general offence of consensual intercourse outside marriage (Art. 409(1)): at least six months' imprisonment for both parties. Under Art. 409(5) no prosecution may be brought except on a complaint by the spouse or guardian, and withdrawing the complaint ends the case or suspends the sentence.[1]
Confidence: medium. Status is 'illegal' because the act is an offence, but prosecution depends on a private complaint. Whether a client found in a brothel can be charged with assisting prostitution (Art. 417) or facilitating a brothel (Art. 419) was not checked against case law.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Establishing or running a house for debauchery or prostitution, facilitating such practices, or assisting in any way in establishing or running such a house is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 100,000. The court must order the premises closed; they may reopen only for lawful business with the Public Prosecution's approval.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Inciting, enticing or seducing anyone to prostitution, or assisting in it, carries at least two years' imprisonment and a fine (Art. 417, as amended in December 2025; previously at least one year). Using coercion, trickery or threats carries up to ten years' temporary imprisonment (Art. 418), and taking advantage of another person's prostitution by any means up to five years (Art. 420).[1][3]
Article 421 makes it an aggravating circumstance if the offender is an ascendant, a close relative, a carer, a person in authority over the victim or that person's employee. Penalties rise where the victim is under 18 (Arts. 417 and 418). After a sentence of one year or more for any offence in this Part, the convicted person is placed on probation for a period equal to the sentence (Art. 423).
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Inciting or tempting others to prostitution, or assisting them, through an information network is punishable by temporary imprisonment and a fine of AED 250,000 to 1,000,000 (Art. 33, Decree-Law 34/2021). Publicly prompting others to debauchery by any means is a further offence (Art. 415, up to one month and/or up to AED 100,000).[1][2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Online platforms and ad sites
Creating, managing or supervising a website that displays obscene material or anything that violates public morals is punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 250,000 to 500,000 (Art. 34, Decree-Law 34/2021). A site operator hosting sex-work ads would also be exposed to the offences of assisting online incitement (Art. 33) and facilitating prostitution (Art. 419 of the Crimes and Penalties Law).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. This applies the statutory wording to ad sites; no prosecution of an ad-site operator was checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law Art. 409 · Arts. 414-424 | Replaced the 1987 Penal Code. Part three of Chapter Five (Arts. 414 to 424) covers instigation of debauchery and prostitution; Art. 409 covers consensual intercourse outside marriage.[1] | 2 January 2022 |
| Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes Art. 33 · Art. 34 | Art. 33 criminalises inciting or assisting prostitution through an information network; Art. 34 covers websites carrying obscene material or content violating public morals.[2] | 2 January 2022 |
Timeline
- 2020Federal Decree-Law 15/2020 rewrites Article 356 of the 1987 Penal Code, so that consensual sex between unmarried adults is no longer an offence.[4]
- 20 September 2021Federal Decree-Laws 31/2021 (Crimes and Penalties Law) and 34/2021 (Rumours and Cybercrimes) are issued; both take effect on 2 January 2022. Article 409 again penalises consensual sex outside marriage, but only on a complaint by a spouse or guardian.[1][2]
- 12 December 2025A Federal Decree-Law amending the Crimes and Penalties Law is announced: Article 409 adds at least ten years and AED 100,000 for adults having sex with a person under 18, and Article 417's minimum for inciting prostitution rises to two years.[1][3]
Sources
- Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law. UAE Legislation Platform (uaelegislation.gov.ae), 20 September 2021. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes. UAE Legislation Platform (uaelegislation.gov.ae), 20 September 2021. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- UAE Government issues Federal Decree-Law amending certain provisions of the Crimes and Penalties Law. Aletihad News Center, 12 December 2025. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- UAE: reforms in personal status and criminal law. Solicitors Journal, 11 April 2023. news · accessed 30 October 2026