# Is it illegal to rent sex toys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275 "2004-06-20T05:21:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Logitech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19b73/32.png) [@Logitech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logitech)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/1 "2004-06-20T05:21:01Z")
If so what would the charge be? Prostitution? Suppose you bought a realdoll or something and wanted to rent it to people what legal hurdles would you have to overcome to do this? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/2 "2004-06-20T05:24:57Z")
“Rent”? :eek: Ewww… ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/3 "2004-06-20T05:26:03Z")
Am I alone in thinking this is too gross for words? Do you really want anything to do with a realdoll someone else has “used”? Or a dildo, vibrator, etc…? Eeek. (even worse, how would you like to be the cleaning guy at the rental joint?) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/4 "2004-06-20T05:29:14Z")
Why would it be illegal? I can’t see that it would violate any laws. It would be rather gross, though. I hope you’d have some method for cleaning out the doll. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/5 "2004-06-20T05:35:25Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Why would it be illegal? I can’t see that it would violate any laws. > > It would be rather gross, though. I hope you’d have some method for cleaning out the doll. [Well…](http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/product.asp?PN=PWHOT-2400) ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/6 "2004-06-20T05:39:41Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It would be rather gross, though. I hope you’d have some method for cleaning out the doll. RealDouche? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/7 "2004-06-20T06:00:15Z")
> [@Berkut](#): > > RealDouche? AKA [Armor All](http://www.armorall.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Logitech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19b73/32.png) [@Logitech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logitech)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/8 "2004-06-20T06:16:02Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Am I alone in thinking this is too gross for words? > > Do you really want anything to do with a realdoll someone else has “used”? > > Or a dildo, vibrator, etc…? Eeek. > > (even worse, how would you like to be the cleaning guy at the rental joint?) Well, people do use prostitutes, and god knows how many other people have used them before you. But I’m glad to see that there is nothing legally wrong with renting sex toys. I can see it now, a national chain. The store/rental shop would be like a car wash. Insert a loonie for five minutes. Once your time has expired, all the orfaces on the doll will automatically close. Valuables still inside the doll when the time expires will be lost. Managment not responsible for lost property. ---
**Author:** ![AZCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/9 "2004-06-20T15:39:38Z")
Uh, not so fast. Take a lookat the Code of Alabama [13A-12-200.2(a)(1)](http://www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeofAlabama/1975/coatoc.htm): > [@](#): > > It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly distribute, possess with intent to distribute, or offer or agree to distribute any obscene material or any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs for any thing of pecuniary value. I believe you might find similar language in at least Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas, and perhaps elsewhere. IANAL, and the above should not be taken as legal advice. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/10 "2004-06-20T15:46:23Z")
> [@Logitech](#): > > Well, people do use prostitutes, and god knows how many other people have used them before you. First of all, prostitutes are actual real human beings, capable of taking care of their own hygiene needs. Second, the orificies of actual human beings have some “self-cleaning” properties. A woman’s vagina is not just a hole. Third, condoms are usually required, reducing the “clean-up” needs. Therefore, if you were to hire a prostitute, you could expect to be where many men had been before. But you’d also be confident that you wouldn’t encounter clots of dried-up semen. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/11 "2004-06-20T15:50:57Z")
> [@AZCowboy](#): > > I believe you might find similar language in at least Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas, and perhaps elsewhere. IANAL, and the above should not be taken as legal advice. In Texas, all sex toys are sold as “novelty items” to get around this law. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/12 "2004-06-20T15:57:29Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Why would it be illegal? I can’t see that it would violate any laws. I could see there being laws against it for hygeine purposes. And I think I’d support those laws! So disgusting… ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/13 "2004-06-20T16:03:12Z")
I read about an adult website that produces movies/photos. They have a steady stream of models but a limited supply of toys, so yes they do resuse 'em. They put condoms on the toys, and things are given a pretty thorough cleaning afterwards (washed in hot soapy water, then soaked in bleach/water solution, then dried). I don’t see that the hygiene aspects are much more challenging than for any other business that rents stuff people wear (costumes, shoes, wetsuits, etc). Higher “ick” factor of course. ---
**Author:** ![WILLASS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/54ee81/32.png) [@WILLASS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WILLASS)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/14 "2004-06-20T16:03:21Z")
I once saw a huge (10" or so) dildo for sale in a flea market in Amsterdam. Very open-minded, the Dutch… ---
**Author:** ![AZCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/97f17d/32.png) [@AZCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZCowboy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/15 "2004-06-20T16:19:42Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > In Texas, all sex toys are sold as “novelty items” to get around this law. The success of which might have to be determined by a judge/jury. I know the Alabama law is currently being challenged (it has been overruled and upheld, and appears to be currently under appeal, but I’m not positive of its current status). It appears that Georgia’s law has been upheld, and is not currently challenged. Here is the Georgia Code of Law [16-12-80](http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=16-12-80): > [@](#): > > (a) A person commits the offense of distributing obscene material when he sells, lends, rents, leases, gives, advertises, publishes, exhibits, or otherwise disseminates to any person any obscene material of any description, knowing the obscene nature thereof, or offers to do so, or possesses such material with the intent to do so, provided that the word ‘knowing,’ as used in this Code section, shall be deemed to be either actual or constructive knowledge of the obscene contents of the subject matter; and a person has constructive knowledge of the obscene contents if he has knowledge of facts which would put a reasonable and prudent person on notice as to the suspect nature of the material; provided, however, that the character and reputation of the individual charged with an offense under this law, and, if a commercial dissemination of obscene material is involved, the character and reputation of the business establishment involved may be placed in evidence by the defendant on the question of intent to violate this law. Undeveloped photographs, molds, printing plates, and the like shall be deemed obscene notwithstanding that processing or other acts may be required to make the obscenity patent or to disseminate it. > … > © Any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs is obscene material under this Code section. Even with that context, I can positively report that the law is not actively enforced, at least with any sufficiency as to prevent the citizens of Georgia from acquiring devices designed and marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs. For the Atlanta metro area, such stores are numerous and never more than a half hour drive away (excepting rush hour traffic). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/16 "2004-06-20T17:53:26Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > I read about an adult website that produces movies/photos. They have a steady stream of models but a limited supply of toys, so yes they do resuse 'em. > > They put condoms on the toys, and things are given a pretty thorough cleaning afterwards (washed in hot soapy water, then soaked in bleach/water solution, then dried). > > I don’t see that the hygiene aspects are much more challenging than for any other business that rents stuff people wear (costumes, shoes, wetsuits, etc). Higher “ick” factor of course. I agree that there’s nothing inherently disgusting about more than one person using a sex toy. If you check out a reputable seller of sex toys, like Good Vibrations, you’ll find they provide a ton of information on cleaning and maintentance. I don’t remember the particulars, but I know some materials are promoted as being more santiary than others. But with rentals of all kinds, you know that there’s a chance that the thing in question may not have had the greatest maintenance, either because of the negligence of the renter or unexpectedly hard use by previous rentees. If you rent a wetsuit that some previous wearer has peed in, the consequences are minimal, especially since the wetsuits are washed and “sanitized” between wearings. If you use a RealDoll that someone with gonorrhea has ejaculated in, the consequences are a lot worse. Hopefully the person who offering the RealDoll for rent would do a better job of “sanitizing” than the average renter of wetsuits does, but I sure wouldn’t stake my health on it. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/17 "2004-06-20T19:26:24Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > If you use a RealDoll that someone with gonorrhea has ejaculated in, the consequences are a lot worse. Hopefully the person who offering the RealDoll for rent would do a better job of “sanitizing” than the average renter of wetsuits does, but I sure wouldn’t stake my health on it. Agreed. The rental business would certainly need to be rigorous in their cleaning, but I don’t think there’s anything much more difficult about it than a gym making sure their locker room floors are clean (and most are uniformly nasty), or a restaurant making sure the toilets aren’t disgusting (having worked fast food I’ve got horror stories that would make you want to levitate rather than sit). Heck, the guy before you at the SCUBA place might have pooped in the wetsuit 🙂 Disney finally (last year) started allowing their employees to wear their OWN underwear under the costumes rather than the set “issued” with the costume. I remember reading the article and suffice it to say that the performers didn’t think that the Happiest Place On Earth was automatically the Cleanest Place On Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/20 "2017-10-24T01:18:48Z")
Bumped by a spammer, but I’m wondering if for some people, the fact that others have used it would be part of the turn on. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-rent-sex-toys/251275/21 "2017-10-24T01:22:00Z")
I’d hate to think Macy’s was getting into the business, but they’ve fallen on tough times lately. :eek: