No, customers do not have to undergo STI testing before visiting a legal Nevada brothel or having sex with a licensed courtesan. There’s no need to arrive with a recent laboratory report, proof of a negative test, or any other medical paperwork. Under Nevada’s public health regulations, mandatory STI testing applies to the courtesans working in licensed brothels, not the customers who visit them.
However, customers may encounter a different kind of health screening before a sexual encounter. Some Nevada courtesans perform a brief visual inspection known within the industry as a “dick check,” or simply a DC. The practice has been documented by journalists and researchers for at least 25 years, although its exact origins remain unclear. Nevada’s statewide brothel health regulations don’t require DCs, but accounts from several licensed establishments describe them as part of their working routines.
What Is a Dick Check?
Despite the name, a dick check is a fairly straightforward procedure. Before a sexual encounter, a courtesan examines the customer’s genitals for visible sores, rashes, or other obvious abnormalities that might indicate a health concern. The inspection usually takes place privately in the courtesan’s room, although the timing and procedures can vary between establishments. An undated Donna’s Ranch FAQ, for example, describes performing the DC after the customer and courtesan have agreed on a price.
The inspection may involve gloves, adequate lighting, and a closer examination of anything unusual. In a 2026 Esquire article, a Sheri’s Ranch courtesan described conducting her first DC under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, explaining that new courtesans were required to have assistance with their first three clients. A courtesan who notices something concerning may consult another worker or decide against proceeding with the encounter. However, visual inspections have obvious limitations. Many STIs produce no visible symptoms, so even an experienced courtesan cannot determine a customer’s STI status through a DC.
How Did Dick Checks Develop?
The exact origins of the dick check are difficult to establish, but the practice has been documented in Nevada’s legal brothels for at least 25 years. In an April 2001 investigation for The New Yorker, journalist Rebecca Mead described an experienced Moonlite BunnyRanch courtesan named Tia teaching a newcomer, Joy, the fundamentals of working at the brothel. Among the lessons covering negotiations, house rules, and customer interactions was a particularly practical piece of advice: “Make sure you do the dick check before he pays.” If the inspection revealed something concerning, there would be no need to issue a refund.
The procedure was also documented in a 2005 academic study by University of Nevada, Las Vegas researchers Barbara Brents and Kathryn Hausbeck. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 1998 and 2002 and interviews with 40 courtesans, the researchers described DCs as an established part of the brothel operations they studied, with experienced women teaching newer colleagues how to conduct inspections and recognize potential problems. One courtesan recalled being asked to examine another woman’s customer after something unusual was noticed. She explained her concerns discreetly and encouraged him to consult a physician.
By the early 2000s, DCs were already part of the routines at the establishments described in these reports. Neither account establishes when or where the practice began.
Are Dick Checks Required by Nevada Law?
No. Although Nevada imposes strict health requirements on licensed courtesans, the state’s regulations do not require them to perform dick checks on customers. NAC 441A.800 establishes mandatory STI testing for courtesans, while NAC 441A.805 specifies the use of condoms and other protective barriers during sexual activity. Neither regulation requires customers to undergo laboratory testing or a visual genital inspection.
Dick checks are conducted according to individual brothel procedures and the judgment of the courtesans themselves. An establishment may incorporate the practice into its house rules, and a courtesan who notices what she perceives as a potential health concern can decline to proceed with an encounter. These decisions are separate from the state’s mandatory medical testing program, which applies to licensed sex workers rather than their customers.
What Should Customers Expect?
Customers don’t need to make any special medical arrangements before visiting a Nevada brothel. At establishments where DCs are part of the routine, the brief inspection generally takes place privately before sexual activity and requires no advance preparation from the customer. Procedures can vary, so visitors who are unfamiliar with the practice can ask their courtesan what to expect or inquire about the establishment’s policies when arranging a visit.
Although a dick check might sound unusual to someone visiting a brothel for the first time, courtesans have long described it as a routine procedure, generally handled with discretion and respect for the customer.
Photo Attribution
Featured photograph: Lab technician putting on protective rubber gloves by Nenad Stojković, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0).
Additional photograph: Kelsey in underwear by Tiffany Dawn Nicholson (TDNphoto), via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0).
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