# Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-513: Prostitution - Defenses > Tennessee · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-513 ## Section - **Citation:** Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-513 - **Heading:** Prostitution - Defenses - **Jurisdiction:** Tennessee - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** TN Code / Title 39 / Chapter 13 / Section 39-13-513 ## Text (a) A person commits an offense under this section who engages in prostitution. (b) (1) Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanor. (2) Prostitution committed within one hundred feet (100') of a church or within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school, such distance being that established by § 49-6-2101 , for state-funded school transportation, is a Class A misdemeanor. (3) A person convicted of prostitution within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school shall, in addition to any other authorized punishment, be sentenced to at least seven (7) days of incarceration and be fined at least one thousand dollars ($1,000). (c) As used in subsection (b), "school" means all public and private schools that conduct classes in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12). (d) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, if it is determined after a reasonable detention for investigative purposes, that a person suspected of or charged with a violation of this section is under eighteen (18) years of age, that person is immune from prosecution for prostitution as a juvenile or adult. A law enforcement officer who takes a person under eighteen (18) years of age into custody for a suspected violation of this section shall, upon determination that the person is a minor, provide the minor with the telephone number for the Tennessee human trafficking resource center hotline, notify the department of children's services, and release the minor to the custody of a parent or legal guardian or transport the minor to a shelter care facility designated by the juvenile court judge to facilitate the release of the minor to the custody of a parent or legal guardian. (e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that a person charged with a violation of this section was so charged for conduct that occurred because the person was a victim of an act committed in violation of § 39-13-307 or § 39-13-309 , or because the person was a victim as defined under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act ( 22 U.S.C. § 7102 ). Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 246, s 1, eff. 7/1/2021. Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 67, s 1, eff. 7/1/2015. Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1995, ch. 118, § 1; 2011 , ch. 377, § 1; 2012 , ch. 891, § 1. (a) A person commits an offense under this section who engages in prostitution. (b) (1) Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanor. (2) Prostitution committed within one hundred feet (100') of a church or within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school, such distance being that established by § 49-6-2101 , for state-funded school transportation, is a Class A misdemeanor. (3) A person convicted of prostitution within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school shall, in addition to any other authorized punishment, be sentenced to at least seven (7) days of incarceration and be fined at least one thousand dollars ($1,000). (1) Prostitution is a Class B misdemeanor. (2) Prostitution committed within one hundred feet (100') of a church or within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school, such distance being that established by § 49-6-2101 , for state-funded school transportation, is a Class A misdemeanor. (3) A person convicted of prostitution within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school shall, in addition to any other authorized punishment, be sentenced to at least seven (7) days of incarceration and be fined at least one thousand dollars ($1,000). (c) As used in subsection (b), "school" means all public and private schools that conduct classes in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12). on convicted of prostitution within one and one-half (11/2) miles of a school shall, in addition to any other authorized punishment, be sentenced to at least seven (7) days of incarceration and be fined at least one thousand dollars ($1,000). (c) As used in subsection (b), "school" means all public and private schools that conduct classes in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12). (d) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, if it is determined after a reasonable detention for investigative purposes, that a person suspected of or charged with a violation of this section is under eighteen (18) years of age, that person is immune from prosecution for prostitution as a juvenile or adult. A law enforcement officer who takes a person under eighteen (18) years of age into custody for a suspected violation of this section shall, upon determination that the person is a minor, provide the minor with the telephone number for the Tennessee human trafficking resource center hotline, notify the department of children's services, and release the minor to the custody of a parent or legal guardian or transport the minor to a shelter care facility designated by the juvenile court judge to facilitate the release of the minor to the custody of a parent or legal guardian. (e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that a person charged with a violation of this section was so charged for conduct that occurred because the person was a victim of an act committed in violation of § 39-13-307 or § 39-13-309 , or because the person was a victim as defined under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act ( 22 U.S.C. § 7102 ). Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 246, s 1, eff. 7/1/2021. Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 67, s 1, eff. 7/1/2015. Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1995, ch. 118, § 1; 2011 , ch. 377, § 1; 2012 , ch. 891, § 1. ## Nearby sections - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-101 Assault](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-101.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-102 Aggravated assault](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-102.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-103 Reckless endangerment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-103.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-104 Effective consent](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-104.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-105 Other offenses - Physical injury to victim](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-105.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-106 Vehicular assault](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-106.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-107 Fetus as victim](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-107.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-108 Rules and regulations regarding transmission of HIV - Quarantine - Violations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-108.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-109 Criminal exposure to HIV, HBV, HCV - Defenses - Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-109.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-110 Female genital mutilation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-110.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-111 Domestic assault](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-111.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-112 HIV testing for assault victims - Reporting - Payment for testing](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-112.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-113 Violation of an order of protection or restraining order - Violation of no contact order](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-113.md) - [Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-114 Communicating a threat concerning a school employee or student](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-114.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_TN_T39_C13_S39-13-513. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.