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 Utah, prostitution is illegal and defined as performing, offering, or agreeing to perform any sexual activity with another person for a fee, or the equivalent, as per Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1302. This includes sexual contact or intercourse. Solicitation of prostitution is also a criminal offense in Utah, which involves asking someone to engage in sexual activity for pay, as outlined in Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1303. The law further criminalizes the promotion of prostitution, which can include activities such as pimping, pandering, or operating a brothel, under Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1304. Penalties for these offenses can range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the circumstances of the crime, such as the involvement of minors, prior convictions, or if the act was performed near a church or school. The state takes these offenses seriously and imposes legal consequences to deter such activities.