---
title: "Is prostitution legal in Rhode Island?"
description: "No. Rhode Island criminalized indoor prostitution in November 2009, closing a loophole that had existed for decades in the statutory language. Today, both selling sexual conduct and paying for sexual..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/is-prostitution-legal-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-04-21
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# Is prostitution legal in Rhode Island?

No. Rhode Island criminalized indoor prostitution in November 2009, closing a loophole that had existed for decades in the statutory language. Today, both selling sexual conduct and paying for sexual conduct are misdemeanors under the RIGL § 11-34.1 series, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $500 fine for a first offense. The old "indoor prostitution was legal" articles you may have seen online are referring to pre-2009 law and have no bearing on any current case. Anyone charged today is being prosecuted under the post-2009 framework, which reaches street solicitation, hotel-room transactions, car transactions, online agreements, and sting operations. If you read that indoor prostitution is legal in RI, that information is over 15 years out of date.