Prostitution customers in Nevada face misdemeanor charges for a first-time offense. The penalty is up to six months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines, plus an additional $600 in fines. Any successive offense of hiring a prostitute is a gross misdemeanor, carrying up to 364 days in jail and/or up to $2,000 in fines. A second-time offense carries an additional $1,000 in fines, and a third-time offense carries an additional $1,500 in fines.

What is the legal definition of prostitution in Nevada?

Prostitution (NRS 201.354) is trading sexual favors for something of value, usually money. Soliciting prostitution – which is offering or agreeing to trade sex for money – is punished the same as prostitution. It does not matter if the sex act never takes place or if no money changes hands.¹

See our related article, Are prostitution and solicitation the same thing in Nevada?

What is the penalty for being a “John”?

Johns – which is slang for prostitution customers – face harsher sentences in Nevada for each successive offense:

Prostitution / solicitation offense	Nevada penalties
First offense	Misdemeanor: Fines of up to $1,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail, An additional fine of $400, and A civil penalty of $200 There is a one-year waiting period after the case closes before defendants can petition to seal the conviction.
Second offense	Gross misdemeanor: Fines of up to $2,000 and/or up to 364 days in jail, An additional fine of $800, and A civil penalty of $200 There is a two-year waiting period after the case closes before defendants can petition to seal the conviction.
Third or successive offense	Gross misdemeanor: Fines of up to $2,000 and/or up to 364 days in jail, An additional fine of $1,300, and A civil penalty of $200 There is a two-year waiting period after the case closes before defendants can petition to seal the conviction.

Note that it may be possible to do community service in lieu of paying fines. One hour of service equals $10 of fines.²

What if the customer solicits a minor?

Nevada law makes it a felony to solicit a child under 18 years old for prostitution. The sentence increases with each successive punishment:

Soliciting a child	Nevada penalties
First offense	Category D felony: 1 to 4 years in prison, and Up to $5,000 in fines (at the court’s discretion) Courts may not grant probation or suspended prison sentences.
Second offense	Category C felony: 1 to 5 years in prison, and Up to $10,000 in fines (at the court’s discretion) Courts may not grant probation or suspended prison sentences.
Third or successive offense	Category B felony: 1 to 6 years in prison, and Up to $15,000 in fines (at the court’s discretion) Courts may not grant probation or suspended prison sentences.3

Can the charge be dismissed?

Sometimes Las Vegas prosecutors are willing to dismiss a first-time solicitation charge as long as the defendant pays the fines, completes an AIDS Awareness class (“John School”), and avoids further arrests while the case is open.

The benefit of getting the charge dismissed is that the defendant can petition for a record seal immediately. And once the case is sealed, it will not show up on future background checks.⁴

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