This probably varies depending on the agency but I'm posing this question to both providers and hobbyists based off your past experience.

Is it 18? 21? Does the agency even care?

From what I have seen, most ladies prefer guys over 25 or 30.  FWIW.

Swim

Well I'm more interested in knowing what the minimum allowed is rather than the preferred age.

the minimum allowed is the legal age of consent.  But I won't be seeing any 16 or 18yr olds  I will see gents in their late 20's and older unless referred by a repeat client who's judgment in that area I am comfy  with.

Some states 18 others 21 just like buying cigarettes. I would be sure to see ID and no one under 25 for me.

Check any of the agencies listed on this site to see their age requirements.

Kisses Haley

ummm are we all talking about 'hobbying'  ?  which is kinda illegal all the way around.  so that makes the question moot doesnt it as far as legality goes.  in the US, hobbying period is illegal regardless of age except in a few counties in nevada.  that makes all the other answers an expression of policy or preference, not law.  or am i the one that is all wet?

If I were you, I'd stick to agencies.  A lot of independent providers have 30 (or 25 if you're lucky) as their lower age limit.  So you're pretty much SOL if you want to see an indie.  Agencies are generally concerned about getting as many clients as they can.  So they'll take an 18-year-old if he gets them the income.  While I don't agree with their high-volume business model, it'll work in your favor big time.  So research the agencies in your city, check their reviews as many times as you can stomach it, pick the provider you like, and have at it.

Make sure to write your own review of her, once you've had the time to recover from your first venture into the world of sex.  And by the way, if you'll need to smoke a cigarette afterwards, don't do it in the hotel parking lot; it'll look  too obvious, lol, especially with the big smile you're going to have on your face.

Selling sex to a 15 year old kid might be treated more harshly than simple prostitution. Maybe not, I don't know. I know the minimum for southern Nevada brothels is 21, which is amusing since the girls only have to be 18. They probably actually enforce it - not worth risking losing a license over.

I have had some of my emails ignored. Even so, the emails being ignored could be for many reasons other than age. For the most part I do not think age was a factor as to why few of my emails were ignored. It was more likely because I probably asked the wrong questions. The only ladies I see are independents and I am under 24.

I say the minimum age is 19. From my experience ladies do not care about your age, just as long as you are at the age of consent. Show the lady you are mature and you will be rewarded by being able to see her. It may be hard when you start, but I was lucky to find smart providers who think with their own brain instead of following what the community says. I have to say it was not that easy. However, it was easier than a math test. It just takes some time and patience.

In one occasion, I communicated with the provider for 1 month on and off before we met. In another, I talked with her on the phone, and she saw that I was genuine, sincere and mature. Most importantly you have to have some kind of information to give them, such as job, past reference, etc...

and an independant myself i have very few hard and fast rules about who i will or will not see, recognizing that no one person represents a whole subset of the population.  i start out each inquiry with an open mind,  however, just today, i had an exchange that confirms why most gals have the cut off.  

he asked if i would see someone 25, i said yes and directed him to my website for contact form and a page on how to construct an email properly.  he responded with a rude question about which orafices i may or may not have had large objects inserted.   LOL.  and that got him blocked and no further under any consideration.  obviously he couldnt follow instructions.

It worked with a $800 lady that I asked for 650 instead. She was the best ever!!! Of course I did a repeat visit with her for even less. Still top notch service.. I do not think I will ever forget her.

i reckon u never will know how many ignored you because of it however.  my opinion, tacky to brag about it thou, like u 'got over on her' or something.  glad that she was gracious enough to provide excellent service without regard to the price.  obviously she's the professional here.

Most women have an age limit.Young guys not wanting to pay the going rate or thinking "that I'm not some old fart so she should be happy to see me for less or even free". This attitude isn't restricted to younger men but is more prevalent in younger men. #2 reason lack of discretion IE: bragging about something you got.
So good for you 2 for 2 batting 1000

So you got a discount on an $800 lady who only charged you 650? And so you next thought is lets take the 150 I saved and try to see a $300 lady with that.
hmmmmmmmmmm That's another reason girls don't like to give discounts hoping for a loyal customer.
Also realize that an 800/hr provider has more of an ability to cut her rate than someone who's rate is already more than fair.

Seen men of various ages I prefer to see  men 40 and up I do get a lot of requests for men between 25-30 something ,some of them I see mostly I stay with the age I find myself most comfortable which would be  40 and up . I do have one of my favies who happens to be in his early 30's he is the youngest I currently see.I do not hold anything against the younger guys just a personal preference . I really like middle aged men , A LOT lol . Kendall

I will only see gentlemen in late 20's (i.e- 28, 29) I also do screening like checking ID's. Im willing to show mine as well. Brothels and Bordeau's in major cities also follow this procedure, and i find it weeds out the hobbyists with bad intentions.

I am just trying to show that some ladies do not get mad about it. As for me... I never ask the ladies that specifically say in their websites, "My rate are not negotiable." If I do not see that statement, then I will ask sometimes.

You are correct rdhii. The loyalty factor is a risk. I would never ask a lady to cut her rate if she has a fair price.

As for your "save the $150 and go to a $300 lady" idea, well for me that is not the case. I am sure other guys would do that. I actually save $150 and go to the $800 lady for a second time for $500. So in all she makes $650(1st visit) + $500(second visit) = $1150 instead of making $800 if I had just seen her for the original price because since she cut her price for me, I was able to see her twice. Both the client and the provider benefit. You guys think this is wrong?

sorry for starting a shit storm.  i gotta learn how to put my smiling toofers on these posts or just stop posting.  the situation worked out for you and apparently for the provider because she saw u again and was comfortable negotiating her rate each time.  the two of you are all that matters.  both of u walk away satisfied.  'nuff said.  

for me, and thats all i can speak for, it is a struggle to come up with the right price point to begin with.  alot tied up in ego and what will motivate me, and self worth and how to pay my bills and not feeling cheap myself .... etc etc etc .... so it irks me for someone to want to negotiate from the drop.  

(i think i think about it too much)  

you are looking at it from only your perspective. a youthful error IMO.

if i were her i would look it this way: i see you twice for $1150 instead of having the opportunity to make two other bookings at $1600.

therefore she is incurring a lost opportunity cost of $450 by booking you.

now maybe times are tough for her for some reason. maybe a frequent regular of hers has dropped off the charts because of the economy.

but if i were her i would think that as soon as my bookings improved you'd be kicked to the curb in a hearteat.

that's _your_ lost opportunity cost for being cheap. short term gain, long term loss. good luck with that.

As texcat says; for her she lost money but if she pays someone to screen and book 1st appointments then I can see her being OK with this on second visits but not so much on a 1st. It is safer to see a known than an unknown and I know girls who drop the rate a little after 1st meeting which they will tell you about. I never ask but hey if you don't mind possibly offending someone you want to see, have at it. Me, I never contact someone unless I really want to see them and can foot the bill.
As for your math as I've said elsewhere you paid 1150 for 2 visits and if a third were to happen at 500 that's 1650 which is 50 more than her reg rate for 2 visits. Well maybe I should contact her and ask for a 50 visit everytime she gets 2 other guys to pay full rate. HMMM yeah I guess that would be TACKY just trying for reduced rates from the start is.
 Last thing, was it seemed to me that you had tried to get a discount from Houstonsmartgal who's rate is fair. Sorry if I was wrong but your posts made it seem that way.

If a lady's rate is shown clearly on her web site, be prepared to pay or move on.

to ask the lady to negotiate with you.  Oh yes, you got what you wanted.  However, if someone asks me that they will never get a date with me.

There are 2 rules in this hobby.  #1 never discuss rates and #2 don't discuss sex or anything graphic.  You broke the #1 rule.  

All I can see you were very lucky, most other ladies, myself included would have blasted you---politely of course.....

Sadly, it is not about age either.  I have had older men try and negotiate with me.  I have had others try and get away with "freebies".  Sorry not this lady...I fell for that once when I was new and gave something away..To this day, I still find him disrespectful and will never forget this happened.

Bella

i was just throwing in my two cents worth into the conversation.  i do my very best not to take the business part of this personally, and i try to have a thick skin.  most days i do ok.  but sometimes, sometimes, even the suggestion of a freebie or a discount or negotiation, pisses me off, and the least it can do is make me a little uncomfortable.  i know lots of fellows think its fair game because i think in general they dont take hobbying very seriously.  (half the fellows i ever talk to say that if they were a woman, they'd never get off their backs LOL).  but in truth if u get what is between our legs, u get what is between our ears too (unless u are one of the surgically altered gals).  and frankly then you'd be just as screwed up and inconsistent about some of the things you think just like the rest of us.   and lets not even talk about auntie flo .....  thanks for the support, i think its a fair rate too although, many have others have disparaged.  i usally tell them to kiss my shiney hiney, but they wont pay the fee for that either.   LOL.  now i'm just being silly so i sign off