Editing Prostitution in Nevada (section)

== Legal situation ==
[[File:Chicken ranch.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chicken Ranch (Nevada)|Chicken Ranch]], June 2007]]

Under Nevada state law, any county with a population of up to 700,000, as of the last decennial census<ref name="NRS0">{{Cite web |title=NRS 0.050 "Population" defined |url=http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-000.html#NRS000Sec050 |access-date=July 7, 2008 |website=Nevada Revised Statutes}}</ref> is allowed to license brothels if it so chooses.<ref name="NRS244">{{Cite web |title=NRS 244.345 Dancing halls, escort services, entertainment by referral services and gambling games or devices; limitation on licensing of houses of prostitution |url=http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-244.html#NRS244Sec345 |access-date=July 7, 2008 |website=Nevada Revised Statutes}}</ref> Incorporated towns and cities in counties that allow prostitution may regulate the trade further or prohibit it altogether.

Currently 6 out of [[List of counties in Nevada|Nevada's 17 counties]] have active [[brothels]] (these are all rural counties). As of September 2023, there are [[List of brothels in Nevada|19 active legal brothels]] in the state.<ref name="DSW Nevada" />

State law prohibits prostitution in Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), and under county or municipal law in [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]] (an [[independent city (United States)|independent city]]), and these other counties: [[Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas]], [[Eureka County, Nevada|Eureka]], [[Lincoln County, Nevada|Lincoln]], [[Pershing County, Nevada|Pershing]], and [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe]] (which contains Reno). The other 10 Nevada counties permit licensed brothels in certain specified areas or cities.<ref name="Alexa">{{Cite book |last1=Albert |first1=Alexa |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45283260 |title=Brothel : Mustang Ranch and its women |date=2001 |isbn=0-375-50331-5 |edition=First |location=New York |oclc=45283260}}</ref> All 10 of these rural counties have had at least one legal brothel in operation subsequent to 1971, but many of these brothels were financially unsuccessful or ran afoul of State health regulations. As of 2016, only seven of these counties have active brothels, while the other three ([[Churchill County, Nevada|Churchill County]], [[Esmeralda County]] and [[Humboldt County, Nevada|Humboldt County]]) no longer do.

The precise licensing requirements vary by county. License fees for brothels range from an annual $100,000 in [[Storey County, Nevada|Storey County]] to an annual $200,000 in [[Lander County, Nevada|Lander County]]. Licensed prostitutes must be at least 21 years old, except in [[Storey County, Nevada|Storey County]] and [[Lyon County, Nevada|Lyon County]] (where the minimum age is 18).

[[File:Shady Lady Ranch brothel, Nye County, Nevada.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Shady Lady Ranch]] brothel sign.]]

The brothels and their employees must register with the county sheriff and receive regular medical checkups. Brothels have existed in Nevada since the old mining days of the 1800s and were first licensed in 1971. The legendary [[Mustang Ranch]] operated from 1971 through 1999, when it was forfeited to the federal government following a series of convictions for [[tax fraud]], [[racketeering]], and other crimes.

Nevada law requires that registered brothel prostitutes be tested weekly (by a cervical specimen) for [[gonorrhea]] and [[Chlamydia infection|Chlamydia]] trachomatis, and monthly for [[HIV]] and [[syphilis]];<ref name="nrs441A">{{Cite web |title=Testing of prostitutes; prohibition of certain persons from employment as prostitute (NAC 441A.800(3)(b)) |url=http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-441A.html#NAC441ASec800 |access-date=June 18, 2011 |website=Leg.state.nv.us}}</ref> furthermore, [[condom]]s are mandatory for all [[oral sex]] and [[sexual intercourse]]. Brothel owners may be held liable if customers become infected with [[HIV]] after a prostitute has tested positive for the virus.<ref name="NRS041">{{Cite web |title=NRS 41.1397 Liability of owner or operator of house of prostitution for employment of prostitute tested positive for exposure to human immunodeficiency virus |url=http://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-041.html#NRS041Sec1397 |access-date=July 7, 2008 |website=Nevada Revised Statutes}}</ref>  Women work a legally mandated minimum of nine days for each work period.<ref name="rj2008-07-07">{{Cite news |last1=Levitan |first1=Corey |date=July 7, 2008 |title=Stark Raving Madam |work=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |url=http://www.lvrj.com/living/24004354.html |access-date=July 7, 2008}}</ref>

Nevada has laws against engaging in prostitution outside of licensed brothels, against encouraging others to become prostitutes, and against [[pimping|living off the proceeds of a prostitute]].

In June 2009, then-Nevada Governor [[Jim Gibbons (U.S. politician)|Jim Gibbons]] signed the most stringent punishments nationwide for child prostitution and pandering. Assembly Bill 380, which allows for fines of $500,000 for those convicted of trafficking prostitutes younger than 14 and $100,000 for trafficking prostitutes ages 14 to 17. Both the House and the Senate unanimously approved the bill, which went into effect October 1, 2009.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pope |first1=Jeff |date=June 22, 2009 |title=New law levies harsher child prostitution punishment |work=Las Vegas Sun |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jun/22/new-law-levies-harsh-punishments-child-prostitutio/ |access-date=July 4, 2009}}</ref>

===Overview===
====State legislation====
* Prostitution is only legal in licensed brothels.<ref name="nts201">{{Cite web |title=NRS: CHAPTER 201 - CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC DECENCY AND GOOD MORALS |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-201.html |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.leg.state.nv.us}}</ref>
* Brothels are prohibited in counties with more than 700,000 inhabitants.<ref name="nrs 244" />
* The use of condoms by prostitutes is mandatory.<ref name="nac441">{{Cite web |title=NAC: CHAPTER 441A - INFECTIOUS DISEASES; TOXIC AGENTS |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-441A.html#NAC441ASec805 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.leg.state.nv.us}}</ref>
* Prostitutes must be tested for STIs weekly/monthly.<ref name="nrs441A" />

====County legislation====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! County !! Prostitution legality !! Legislation !! Number of brothels (as of February 2018) !! Notes
|-
| [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]] || {{na}} || County Code, Title 8, Chapter 8.04.110<ref name="proconleg">{{Cite web |title=US Federal and State Prostitution Laws and Related Punishments |url=https://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000119#3 |website=ProCon.org}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Churchill County, Nevada|Churchill County]] || {{ya}} || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5.20<ref name="churchillcc">{{Cite web |title=Churchill County Title 5 |url=https://prostitution.procon.org/sourcefiles/ChurchillCountyTitle5Chap520.pdf |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=ProCon}}</ref>|| 0 || The last brothel license was surrendered in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 8, 2004 |title=Only Brothel License In Churchill County Surrendered |url=http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/761572.html |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Kolo8 |language=en}}</ref> No licenses have been issued since.
|-
| [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark County]] || {{na}} || Nevada Statue NRS 244.345<ref name="nrs 244">{{Cite web |title=NRS: CHAPTER 244 - COUNTIES: GOVERNMENT |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-244.html#NRS244Sec345 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.leg.state.nv.us}}</ref><br />County Code, Title 12, Chapter 12.08<ref name="proconleg" />|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas County]] || {{na}} || County Code, Title 9, Chapter 9.20<ref name="douglascc">{{Cite web |title=County Codes |url=http://dcnvda.org/CountyCodes.aspx |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=dcnvda.org}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Elko County, Nevada|Elko County]] || {{partial|Prostitution only legal in the incorporated communities of [[Elko, Nevada|Elko]], [[Carlin, Nevada|Carlin]], [[West Wendover, Nevada|Wendover]] and [[Wells, Nevada|Wells]]}} || County Code, Title 7, Chapter 1.6<ref name="elkocc">{{Cite web |title=Elko County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=569 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Sterling Codifiers, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>|| Carlin: 2<ref name="Nevada Brothel List">{{Cite web |title=Nevada Brothel List |url=https://nevadabrothellist.wixsite.com/list |access-date=March 7, 2019}}</ref><br />Elko: 4<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /><br />Wells: 2<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || 
|-
| [[Esmeralda County, Nevada|Esmeralda County]] || {{ya}} || Ordinance 154<ref name="proconleg" /> || 0 || 
|-
| [[Eureka County, Nevada|Eureka County]] || {{na}} || County Code, Title 6, Chapter 60<ref name="eurekacc">{{Cite web |title=Eureka County Title 6 County Code |url=http://www.co.eureka.nv.us/county%20code/Title%206%20(Health%20and%20Welfare).pdf |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Eureka County Nevada}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Humboldt County, Nevada|Humboldt County]] || {{partial|Prostitution only legal in the incorporated community of [[Winnemucca, Nevada|Winnemucca]], Last brothel closed in 2017 and demolished 2021, due to state law no new brothels may open due to the proximity of a church to the only area zoned for brothels.}} || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5.08<ref name="humboldtcc">{{Cite web |title=Humboldt County Code |url=http://www.codepublishing.com/NV/HumboldtCounty/#!/HumboldtCounty05/HumboldtCounty0508.html#5.08.020 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.codepublishing.com |language=en}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Lander County, Nevada|Lander County]] || {{ya}} || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5.16<ref name="proconleg" /> || [[Battle Mountain, Nevada|Battle Mountain]]: 1<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || 
|-
| [[Lincoln County, Nevada|Lincoln County]] || {{na}} || County Code, Title 7, Chapter 2<ref name="lincolncc">{{Cite web |title=Lincoln County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=612 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.sterlingcodifiers.com |language=en}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Lyon County, Nevada|Lyon County]] || {{partial|Prostitution only legal in [[Mound House, Nevada|Mound House]]}}<ref name="yerington">{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2016 |title=Yerington Monday: Prostitution |url=http://yeringtonmondays.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/yerington-monday-prostitution.html |access-date=May 2, 2018 |website=Yerington Mondays |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hidalgo |first1=Jason |date=April 5, 2018 |title=Petition filed to ban Bunny Ranch, all brothels in Lyon County |url=https://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/05/petition-filed-ban-bunny-ranch-all-brothels-lyon-county/491575002/ |access-date=May 6, 2018 |website=Reno Gazette Journal |language=en}}</ref> || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 3<ref name="lyoncc">{{Cite web |title=Lyon County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=536 |website=www.sterlingcodifiers.com |language=en}}</ref>|| Mound House: 4<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || No more than 4 brothel licenses may be issued.<ref name="lyoncc" />
|-
| [[Mineral County, Nevada|Mineral County]] || {{ya}} || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5<ref name="mineralcc">{{Cite web |title=Mineral County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=625 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Sterling Codifiers, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>||[[Mina, Nevada|Mina]]: 1<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || For the purposes of licensing, Mineral County is divided into 2 geographical areas: Mina district and Hawthorne district. Licenses are limited to no more than 2 in each area<ref name="mineralcc" />
|-
| [[Nye County, Nevada|Nye County]]|| {{ya}} || County Code, Title 9, Chapter 9.20<ref name="nyecc">{{Cite web |title=Nye County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=648 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Sterling Codifiers, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>|| Amargosa Valley: 1<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /><br />[[Crystal, Nye County, Nevada|Crystal]]: 1<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /><br />[[Pahrump, Nevada|Pahrump]]: 2<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || No more than one brothel license can be issued for [[Amargosa Valley, Nevada|Amargosa Valley]].<ref name="nyecc" />
|-
| [[Pershing County, Nevada|Pershing County]] || {{na}} || County Code, Title 9, Chapter 9.08<ref name="pershingcc">{{Cite web |title=Offenses Against Public Decency |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/getBookData.php?chapter_id=44964 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Sterling Codifiers, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>|| 0 || 
|-
| [[Storey County, Nevada|Storey County]] || {{ya}} || County Code, Title 5, Chapter 5.16<ref name="storeycc">{{Cite web |title=Storey County Code |url=http://www.codepublishing.com/NV/StoreyCounty/#!/StoreyCounty05/StoreyCounty0516.html#5.16 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=www.codepublishing.com |language=en}}</ref>|| near Sparks: 1<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || 
|-
| [[Washoe County, Nevada|Washoe County]] || {{na}} || County Code, Chapter 50.238, 53.170.25<ref name="proconleg" /> || 0 || 
|-
| [[White Pine County, Nevada|White Pine County]] || {{partial|Prostitution only legal in the incorporated city of [[Ely, Nevada|Ely]]<ref name="whitepinecc" />}} || County Code, Title 10, Chapter 10.36; Title 17, Chapter 17.60<ref name="whitepinecc">{{Cite web |title=White Pine County Code |url=http://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/codebook/index.php?book_id=1043 |access-date=May 5, 2018 |website=Sterling Codifiers, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>|| Ely: 2<ref name="Nevada Brothel List" /> || 
|}