Texas Codes

Tex. Penal Code § 43.02 (2026)

Prostitution

✓ current as of May 2026

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Sec. 43.02. PROSTITUTION.

(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly offers or agrees to receive a fee from another to engage in sexual conduct.

(b-1) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 44(2), eff. September 1, 2017.

(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously been convicted one or two times of an offense under Subsection (a); or

(2) a state jail felony if the actor has previously been convicted three or more times of an offense under Subsection (a).

(d) It is a defense to prosecution for an offense under Subsection (a) that the actor engaged in the conduct that constitutes the offense because the actor was the victim of conduct that constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02 or 43.05.

(e) A conviction may be used for purposes of enhancement under this section or enhancement under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, but not under both this section and Subchapter D, Chapter 12. For purposes of enhancement of penalties under this section or Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a defendant is previously convicted of an offense under this section if the defendant was adjudged guilty of the offense or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere in return for a grant of deferred adjudication, regardless of whether the sentence for the offense was ever imposed or whether the sentence was probated and the defendant was subsequently discharged from community supervision.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 757, ch. 286, Sec. 1, eff. May 27, 1977; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 987, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1002 (H.B. 4009), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 515 (H.B. 2014), Sec. 4.02, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1252 (H.B. 8), Sec. 15, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 332 (H.B. 10), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1273 (S.B. 825), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 36, eff. September 1, 2017.

Reenacted and amended by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 37, eff. September 1, 2017.

Amended by:

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 44(2), eff. September 1, 2017.

Reenacted and amended by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2017.

Amended by:

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 413 (S.B. 20), Sec. 2.05, eff. September 1, 2019.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 1540), Sec. 29, eff. September 1, 2021.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 1540), Sec. 61, eff. September 1, 2021.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1049 (S.B. 1831), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2021.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 1527), Sec. 2.04, eff. September 1, 2023.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 768 (H.B. 4595), Sec. 17.003, eff. September 1, 2023.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 131 cases (26 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: Austin v. State, 794 S.W.2d 408 (Tex. App. 1990).

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Austin v. State, 794 S.W.2d 408 (Tex. App. 1990). · cites it 6× “The officer's opinion that "Swedish Deep Muscle Rub" meant "prostitution" entailed necessarily a conclusion by him regarding the elements of "prostitution" set out in Tex.Pen.Code Ann. § 43.02 (1989). Hence, his opinion was inadmissible, especially when the opinion referred to…”

My Thi Tieu v. State, 299 S.W.3d 216 (Tex. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(1), (c) (Vernon 2003).”

United States v. Nazario Gonzalez-Medina, 757 F.3d 425 (5th Cir. 2014). · cites it 2× “§ 2251 (a) (child pornography); Tex. Penal Code §§ 43.02, 22.011 (statutory rape and child 9 Case: 13-40927 Document: 00512685688 Page: 10 Date Filed: 07/02/2014 No.”

State v. Denise Deane Nelson, 530 S.W.3d 186 (Tex. App. 2016). · cites it 4× “Laws 3681 (current version at Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(2), (b) (West Supp.”

In re B.W., 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010). · cites it 4× “” Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1). “A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”

Francisco J. Castrejon v. State, 428 S.W.3d 179 (Tex. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(1) (Vernon Supp.”

Dinkins v. United States, 374 A.2d 292 (D.C. 1977). · cites it 2× “[2] See Wechsler, Jones and Korn, Treatment of Inchoate Crimes in the Model Penal Code of the American Law Institute: Attempt, Solicitation and Conspiracy, 61 Colum.”

Dornbusch v. State, 156 S.W.3d 859 (Tex. App. 2005). “See Tex. Pen.Code Ann. § 43.02 (Vernon 2003).”

Steinbach v. State, 979 S.W.2d 836 (Tex. App. 1998). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(1) (West 1994).”

McLean v. State, 312 S.W.3d 912 (Tex. App. 2010). “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (Vernon 2009).”

Frieling v. State, 67 S.W.3d 462 (Tex. App. 2002). “Tex Pen.Code Ann. § 43.02 (West 1994). 4 The culpable mental state of “knowingly” was retained.”

Young Sun Lee v. State, 681 S.W.2d 656 (Tex. App. 1984). · cites it 2× “Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 43.01(4) (Vernon 1974).”

Show all 131 citing cases →

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a) — 18 cases

In Re Bdsd, 289 S.W.3d 889 (Tex. App. 2009).

Jane Doe AS v. Salesforce Inc (N.D. Tex. 2024).

In Re Bw, 274 S.W.3d 179 (Tex. App. 2008).

Hui Zhu Lu v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).

Yan Qiu Zhao v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2021).

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1) — 24 cases

Austin v. State, 794 S.W.2d 408 (Tex. App. 1990). “The officer's opinion that "Swedish Deep Muscle Rub" meant "prostitution" entailed necessarily a conclusion by him regarding the elements of "prostitution" set out in Tex.Pen.Code Ann. § 43.02 (1989). Hence, his opinion was inadmissible, especially when the opinion referred to…”

Francisco J. Castrejon v. State, 428 S.W.3d 179 (Tex. App. 2014). “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(1) (Vernon Supp.”

Cisneros v. State, 697 S.W.2d 718 (Tex. App. 1985).

Anguiano v. State, 774 S.W.2d 344 (Tex. App. 1989).

In re B.W., 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010). “” Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1). “A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(2) — 7 cases

State v. Denise Deane Nelson, 530 S.W.3d 186 (Tex. App. 2016). “Laws 3681 (current version at Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 43.02 (a)(2), (b) (West Supp.”

Jackson v. State, 880 S.W.2d 432 (Tex. App. 1994).

In re B.W., 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010). “” Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1). “A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”

Lozano v. State, 650 S.W.2d 137 (Tex. App. 1983).

In Re Bw, 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010).

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(b) — 7 cases

Rodolfo Nino Aleman v. State, 497 S.W.3d 518 (Tex. App. 2016).

Israel Cardoso-Reyna v. State (Tex. App. 2021).

Rhoades, Dustin Ryan (Tex. 2015).

Rhoades, Dustin Ryan (Tex. App. 2015).

TURLEY, ANDREW JAMES v. the State of Texas (Tex. Crim. App. 2024).

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(c) — 6 cases

In re B.W., 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010). “” Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1). “A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”

Smith v. State, 176 S.W.3d 438 (Tex. App. 2004).

Brady v. Fry, 517 S.W.2d 304 (Tex. App. 1974).

In Re Bw, 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010).

Mary Kuol v. State (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(c)(2) — 2 cases

in Re Sylvia Martinez (Tex. App. 2015).

— Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(d) — 4 cases

In re B.W., 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010). “” Tex. Penal Code § 43.02(a)(1). “A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”

In Re Bw, 313 S.W.3d 818 (Tex. 2010).

Rhoades, Dustin Ryan (Tex. 2015).

Rhoades, Dustin Ryan (Tex. App. 2015).

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