Careful out there:
Arizona is now the eighth state in the country to treat paying for sex as a felony on a first offense. Beginning in September 2026, anyone who pays, agrees to pay, or offers to pay for sexual conduct under a fee arrangement can be charged with a Class 6 felony that carries mandatory jail.
HB 2720 rewrites how Arizona punishes the “demand” side of prostitution. Previously, both buying and selling sex were charged as misdemeanors under A.R.S. 13-3214. Under the new law, the buyer’s conduct is elevated to a felony:
Paying, agreeing to pay, or offering to pay for sexual conduct is now a Class 6 felony.
Mandatory jail on conviction: 15 consecutive days for a first offense, 30 days for a second, and 60 days for a third.
A $200 assessment that funds anti-human-trafficking programs.
The law takes effect in September 2026.
Buying vs. Selling: Who Faces the Felony?
HB 2720 targets buyers, not sellers. Selling sex (prostitution and solicitation) remains a misdemeanor, and the law also requires courts to seal prostitution records when a conviction is vacated because the person was a victim of sex trafficking. Arizona has shifted the harshest penalties onto those who create the demand, while adding protections for trafficking survivors.
