Escorting without a Permit

Los Angeles Prostitution Defense Attorney

Escorting without a permit is a Los Angeles Municipal Code violation that is charged in connection to an arrest for prostitution. Los Angeles Municipal Code section 103.107 states that "[n]o person shall conduct, manage or carry on any escort bureau without a written permit from the Board." No escorting permit will be issued to the individual unless the Board is furnished with satisfactory evidence of the good moral character of such escort. Vice officers frequently arrest females and charge them with escorting without a permit and/or prostitution. The defendant's classified or Internet advertisement is used as circumstantial evidence of her intent to engage in an act of escorting without a permit and/or prostitution.

LOS ANGELES MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION

103.107 ESCORT BUREAUS

(a) Definition. As used in this article:

1. "ESCORT BUREAU" means any business, agency or person who, for a fee, commission, hire, reward or profit, furnishes or offers to furnish names of persons, or who introduces, furnishes or arranges for persons who may accompany other persons to or about social affairs, entertainments or places of amusement, or who may consort with others about any place of public report or within any private quarters. (Amended by Ord. No. 113,701,Eff. 7/11/59.).

(b) Permit Required. No person shall conduct, manage or carry on any escort bureau without a written permit from the Board. No permit under this section shall be issued to, or in the name of, any organization, group, corporation, partnership or any entity other than an individual person. The business may be advertised and carried on by the permittee under a fictitious name in the manner permitted by law if such fictitious name is first approved by the Board.

(c) Information Required. Each application must state the names and addresses of all escorts intended to be employed by the applicant. Permittees shall notify the Board of any change in personnel in writing within 24 hours of such change. All such escorts shall be registered by the Board. No escort shall be registered unless the Board is furnished with satisfactory evidence of the good moral character of such escort. The registration of any escort may be cancelled for cause by the Board and thereafter no escort bureau shall employ, engage, or deal with such escort.

(d) Change of Location. A change of location may be endorsed on a permit by the Board upon written application by the permittee accompanied by the change of location fee prescribed in Section 103.12.

(e) Records. A record shall be kept by each permittee showing every transaction whereby any person or name of a person is furnished or arranged for on behalf of any patron or customer, the date and the approximate hour of the transaction, the name, address and telephone number of the patron or customer, the name of each escort involved and such other information.

(f) Identification Card. Each permittee shall be issued an identification card by the Board and shall carry such card when acting as an escort. Each permittee shall immediately surrender to the Board any identification card issued by the Board upon suspension, revocation or cancellation of the permit, and upon leaving employment.

(g) Change of Location. A change of location may be endorsed on a permit by the Board or its designated representative upon written application by the permittee, accompanied by the change of location fee as prescribed.

(h) Persons Under 18. No permittee shall escort or perform any activity covered by this section or offer to escort or perform any other activity covered by this section to any person under 18 years of age, except at the special instance and request of the parent, guardian or other person in lawful custody of the person upon whose behalf the escort service is engaged.

Contact a Los Angeles prostitution defense attorney from Tyler & Wilson, LLP if you have been charged with escorting without a license in L.A.