Is prostitution legal in the United Arab Emirates?
Illegal
Prostitution is illegal in UAE but attracts foreign businessmen and sex tourists despite being criminalized.
The United Arab Emirates is one of 105 countries classified “Illegal” for sex work — 48% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Prostitution in Asia
- Last checked
- 7 July 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Qatar
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Qatar with severe prison sentences and deportation of sex workers.
- Bahrain
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Bahrain but has become a major sex tourism destination with reported high numbers of prostitutes.
- Oman
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Oman, with women penalized for sex outside marriage and living off prostitution punishable by fines and imprisonment.
- Kuwait
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Kuwait but common, with law enforcement typically deporting or issuing conduct pledges to sex workers.
- Iran
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Iran with punishments ranging from fines to execution, and visible street prostitution in major cities.
- Saudi Arabia
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Saudi Arabia with punishments including prison, flogging, and deportation, with death penalty possible for adultery.
Other laws in United Arab Emirates
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized
- Same-Sex Activity
- Death penalty possible
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Not permitted
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+
Every law in the United Arab Emirates → · Where is sex work legal? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.