Where is prostitution legal? Country by country
The legal status of every country we cover — 41 so far — in plain words: what is legal, what is grey, what is enforced. Laws change; check what the law says where you are.
18+ only. Informational; legality varies by country.
Fully legal & regulated
Licensed venues, registered workers, clear rules — the most regulated end of the spectrum.
Legal with caveats
The core activity is legal for adults, but organising, soliciting or brothel-keeping may not be — details decide.
Restricted or illegal
Criminalised in writing, sometimes tolerated in practice — enforcement risk is part of the picture.
Questions
Does “legal” mean safe?
No. Legality and safety are different questions: regulated markets still see scams and robberies, informally tolerated ones carry enforcement risk. Check what travelers report on each city page.
What about enforcement?
Written law and street-level enforcement are not the same thing: raids and local crackdowns come and go. For how the law is actually applied city by city right now, ask.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and enforcement change — check what the law says where you are before acting on anything here.