Sex Work Service Providers
Sex work is the provision of sexual services, by one person to or for someone else, in return for payment or reward.
A sex work service provider is someone carrying on a brothel (any premises used for providing sex work services) or escort agency business.
Licensing
To operate a brothel or escort agency in Victoria, you must be either:
- licensed as a sex work service provider; or
- registered as being exempt from requiring a licence.
You must have your own licence – they are not transferable from another person to you and cannot be lent.
Small owner-operators
If only one or two people wish to work as sex workers in their own small owner-operated escort agency or brothel business and don’t employ other sex workers, they can claim an exemption from the licensing requirement.
You must still register with the BLA before commencing business, even if you are exempt from requiring a licence. There is no fee to register as an exempt sex work service provider.
Brothel managers
You must get our approval to manage a brothel. All brothels must be supervised by the licensee or a currently approved manager employed by the licensee, at all times when open for business.
Related information
For more information about operating a licensed sex work service provider business, download Consumer Affairs Victoria’s free guide.