Penal Law § 230.02

Patronizing a person for prostitution; definitions · as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 230.02 Patronizing a person for prostitution; definitions.

1. A person patronizes a person for prostitution when:

(a) Pursuant to a prior understanding, he or she pays a fee to another person as compensation for such person or a third person having engaged in sexual conduct with him or her; or

(b) He or she pays or agrees to pay a fee to another person pursuant to an understanding that in return therefor such person or a third person will engage in sexual conduct with him or her; or

2. As used in this article, "person who is patronized" means the person with whom the defendant engaged in sexual conduct or was to have engaged in sexual conduct pursuant to the understanding, or the person who was solicited or requested by the defendant to engage in sexual conduct.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/230.02

In plain English

(1)(a) A person patronizes another for prostitution by, under a prior understanding, paying a fee to someone as compensation for that person or a third person having engaged in sexual conduct with the payer.
(1)(b) It also includes paying or agreeing to pay a fee under an understanding that the other person or a third person will engage in sexual conduct with the payer.
(1)(c) It also includes soliciting or requesting another person to engage in sexual conduct with the actor in return for a fee. ★
(2) The "person who is patronized" is the person who engaged or was to engage in sexual conduct with the defendant under the understanding, or the person the defendant solicited or requested.

Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.

In print

This provision appears in Volume 4 — The Court Clerk: Penal Law; Volume 1 — The Court Officer in Plain English; Volume 3 — The Court Officer: Penal Law; Volume 3 — Your Career: Penal Law in Plain English.