Is prostitution legal in Italy?
Short answer: Legal, brothels banned since 1958. The details decide — what the law says, how it is enforced, and what that means in practice.
Legal, brothels banned since 1958
18+ only. Informational; legality varies by country.
What the law says
The Legge Merlin (Law 75/1958) closed state-licensed brothels and criminalised running, profiting from and organising prostitution; selling sex itself remains legal. Later security decrees tightened rules on street soliciting. Enforcement energy goes to trafficking and exploitation; consenting adult arrangements are largely unpoliced.
Individual sex work between adults is legal; the 1958 Merlin Law banned brothels and all third-party organisation, pushing the sector to street work and private flats.
What it means in practice
No client-side offence. Street settings carry poor safety conditions; flats and escorts are the practical formats. Agree terms in advance — disputes are the main documented annoyance.
Where it happens
Street zones, private flats and escort listings.
Cities we cover
City-level specifics — prices by district, safety, current enforcement — on each city page.
Questions
Is prostitution legal in Italy?
Short answer: Legal, brothels banned since 1958. Below: what the law says, how it is enforced in practice, and what that means for visitors.
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.