Prostitution Prostitution laws in Georgiaსაქართველო
In Georgia prostitution is an administrative offence: Article 172³ of the Code of Administrative Offences provides for a warning or a fine of up to half the minimum wage unit, and up to one unit for a repeat within a year, with trafficking victims and people drawn in by the crime of involvement in prostitution exempt. Buying is not expressly penalised. The Criminal Code punishes persuading a person into prostitution or other non-violent facilitation (fine or up to two years), providing a place or dwelling for prostitution (fine or two to four years) and involving a person by threats, blackmail, deceit or violence (two to twenty years depending on aggravation). On 2 April 2026 the Constitutional Court rejected a sex worker's challenge to Article 172³ brought in 2018.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Prostitution is an administrative offence under Article 172³ of the Code of Administrative Offences (warning or small fine). The provision does not define prostitution or say whether it covers the buyer; in practice it is applied to people who sell sex. Facilitating prostitution, providing premises for it and involving a person in it by threats or deceit are crimes. The Constitutional Court upheld Article 172³ on 2 April 2026.[1][2][3][4]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Prostitution is an administrative offence punished by a warning or a fine of up to half the minimum wage unit; a repeat within one year of a penalty brings a fine of half to one unit. Trafficking victims and people involved in prostitution through the crime in Article 253 of the Criminal Code are exempt. The Constitutional Court upheld the provision in April 2026.[1][3] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No provision expressly penalises paying for sex with an adult. Article 172³ does not define prostitution, so commentators note it could in principle reach the buyer, but in practice only the seller is fined.[1][4] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Providing a place or dwelling for prostitution is a crime punishable by a fine or two to four years, four to seven if committed by a group, repeatedly, against a pregnant woman or a dependant, and longer where minors are involved. Legal persons can be fined, deprived of the right to operate or liquidated.[2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Persuading a person to engage in prostitution, or any other non-violent act that facilitates a person's participation in it, carries a fine or up to two years. Involving a person in prostitution by threatening to destroy property, blackmail or deceit carries two to five years, by violence four to ten, with longer terms for aggravated forms and fifteen to twenty years or life where the offender knew the victim was a minor.[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No provision specifically banning adverts for sexual services was found. The Law on Advertising regulates 'sex-related products' (no radio or television advertising, nor on front pages and magazine covers) but does not mention prostitution. A third party placing adverts could fall under Article 254(1) of the Criminal Code as a non-violent act facilitating prostitution.[2][5] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Prostitution is an administrative offence punished by a warning or a fine of up to half the minimum wage unit; a repeat within one year of a penalty brings a fine of half to one unit. Trafficking victims and people involved in prostitution through the crime in Article 253 of the Criminal Code are exempt. The Constitutional Court upheld the provision in April 2026.[1][3]
Article 172³ (პროსტიტუცია). The Constitutional Court's second board rejected claim No. 1354 (S.M. v. Parliament of Georgia), brought by an adult sex worker who argued that the ban disproportionately restricts the right to free development of personality (Article 12 of the Constitution); the decision of 2 April 2026 cites public health and the prevention of trafficking, and carries a dissent by Judge Teimuraz Tughushi. The fine is expressed in Soviet-era 'minimum wage' units; the amount in lari was not verified.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No provision expressly penalises paying for sex with an adult. Article 172³ does not define prostitution, so commentators note it could in principle reach the buyer, but in practice only the seller is fined.[1][4]
Confidence: medium. Enforcement practice rests on an academic article (Gegelia, 2022); we found no official statistics on who is fined.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Providing a place or dwelling for prostitution is a crime punishable by a fine or two to four years, four to seven if committed by a group, repeatedly, against a pregnant woman or a dependant, and longer where minors are involved. Legal persons can be fined, deprived of the right to operate or liquidated.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Persuading a person to engage in prostitution, or any other non-violent act that facilitates a person's participation in it, carries a fine or up to two years. Involving a person in prostitution by threatening to destroy property, blackmail or deceit carries two to five years, by violence four to ten, with longer terms for aggravated forms and fifteen to twenty years or life where the offender knew the victim was a minor.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No provision specifically banning adverts for sexual services was found. The Law on Advertising regulates 'sex-related products' (no radio or television advertising, nor on front pages and magazine covers) but does not mention prostitution. A third party placing adverts could fall under Article 254(1) of the Criminal Code as a non-violent act facilitating prostitution.[2][5]
Confidence: low. Applying Article 254(1) to adverts or ad sites is our reading; no case law or enforcement practice was found. The person selling sex commits the Article 172³ offence regardless of advertising.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| საქართველოს ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსი (კონსოლიდირებული ვერსია) Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia Art. 172³ | Article 172³ makes prostitution an administrative offence.[1] | |
| საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი (კონსოლიდირებული ვერსია) Criminal Code of Georgia Art. 253 · Art. 254 | Article 253 (involving a person in prostitution by threats, deceit or violence) and Article 254 (facilitating prostitution, providing premises).[2] | |
| Law of Georgia on Advertising (consolidated English translation) Law of Georgia on Advertising Art. 8¹ | Restricts advertising of sex-related products; no prostitution-specific rule.[5] |
Timeline
- 3 October 2018A sex worker filed constitutional claim No. 1354 challenging Article 172³ of the Code of Administrative Offences.[3]
- 24 October 2019Constitutional Court admitted claim No. 1354 in part for consideration on the merits; the hearing was held on 13 November 2019.[3]
- 2 April 2026Constitutional Court (second board) rejected claim No. 1354, upholding the administrative ban on prostitution; one judge dissented.[3]
Sources
- საქართველოს ადმინისტრაციულ სამართალდარღვევათა კოდექსი (კონსოლიდირებული ვერსია) (Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia (latest consolidated version)). სსიპ "საქართველოს საკანონმდებლო მაცნე" (Legislative Herald of Georgia). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- საქართველოს სისხლის სამართლის კოდექსი (კონსოლიდირებული ვერსია) (Criminal Code of Georgia (latest consolidated version)). სსიპ "საქართველოს საკანონმდებლო მაცნე" (Legislative Herald of Georgia). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- ს.მ. საქართველოს პარლამენტის წინააღმდეგ, №2/2/1354 გადაწყვეტილება, 2026 წლის 2 აპრილი (S.M. v. Parliament of Georgia, Constitutional Court decision No. 2/2/1354 of 2 April 2026). საქართველოს საკონსტიტუციო სასამართლო (Constitutional Court of Georgia), 2 April 2026. case law · accessed 30 October 2026
- Georgian Regime of Regulation of Prostitution and its Watchdogs. Tamar Gegelia (Caucasus University), journal of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, 2022. academic · accessed 30 October 2026
- Law of Georgia on Advertising (consolidated English translation). Legislative Herald of Georgia (Matsne). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026