A person generally commits the crime of prostitution by engaging in sexual contact or offering to engage in sexual contact in exchange for money or other consideration.

It is also a criminal offense to solicit (on a person's own behalf, or on behalf of another person), promote, or compel prostitution. For example, most states have laws that make it illegal to buy, sell, or profit from prostitution—which is generally the business of pimps and other human traffickers—known as pimping, pandering, procuring, soliciting, promoting, or compelling prostitution.

Prostitution laws vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Pennsylvania, prostitution is illegal under state law. The crime of prostitution is defined as engaging in sexual activity as a business or being an inmate in a house of prostitution or otherwise engaging in sexual activity as a business. This includes performing sexual acts in exchange for money or other consideration. Solicitation of prostitution is also illegal, which means that it is a crime to request, encourage, or demand someone to engage in prostitution. The law further criminalizes the promotion of prostitution, which encompasses activities such as pimping, pandering, procuring, or operating a brothel. These offenses are outlined in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), specifically in sections dealing with obscenity and related offenses. Penalties for prostitution and related crimes can range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the specific circumstances and whether it involves trafficking or minors.