Prostitution Prostitution laws in LuxembourgLëtzebuerg / Luxembourg / Luxemburg
In Luxembourg, selling sex is legal, but publicly soliciting is an offence, and running a brothel, letting premises for prostitution and procuring are crimes. A 2018 law made buying sex a crime when the person is a victim of procuring or trafficking, a minor, or particularly vulnerable, for example because of an irregular or precarious immigration status; a client who reports such offences is not prosecuted. Official regulation of prostitution was abolished in 1968. There is no offence aimed specifically at advertising, but the soliciting and procuring provisions are worded broadly.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
Selling sex is legal, but keeping a brothel, letting premises for the prostitution of others and procuring are crimes (Art. 379bis Code pénal), and public soliciting is an offence (Art. 382). Since the law of 28 February 2018, buying sex is a crime only in specific cases: from a victim of procuring or trafficking, from a minor, or from a person who is particularly vulnerable. Luxembourg therefore sits between abolitionism and the Nordic model, without a general ban on buying.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex is legal. Publicly soliciting another person "by gestures, words, writings or any other means" with a view to debauchery is an offence (Art. 382 Code pénal: eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 5,000). Since 2018, a victim of procuring or trafficking is not criminally liable for soliciting (Art. 71-2, third paragraph).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Buying sex from a consenting adult is legal, with exceptions added in 2018. Soliciting, accepting or obtaining paid sex from a victim of procuring or trafficking is punished by eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000 (Art. 382-6). From a minor, or from a person whose particular vulnerability is apparent or known, it carries one to five years and a fine (Art. 382-7).[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Owning, managing, directing or operating a "maison de débauche ou de prostitution", directly or through a front, is a crime (Art. 379bis 3°: one to five years and a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000). So is letting or making premises available, or tolerating their use, knowing they serve the exploitation of the prostitution of others (Art. 379bis 4°). Courts may order a venue closed (Art. 379ter, 379septies).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring is a crime even with the adult's consent (Art. 379bis 5°: one to five years and a fine). The definition covers knowingly aiding, assisting or protecting the prostitution of others or soliciting, sharing in the proceeds or receiving support from a sex worker, hiring or maintaining a person for prostitution, acting as an intermediary between sex workers and those who exploit or pay for them, and obstructing support services.[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | No provision targets advertising sexual services as such. Public soliciting by "écrits ou par tous autres moyens" is an offence (Art. 382), and anyone who knowingly aids or assists soliciting with a view to prostitution is a procurer (Art. 379bis 5° a). Whether online advertisements, or websites carrying them, fall under these provisions was not established from any case law found.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex is legal. Publicly soliciting another person "by gestures, words, writings or any other means" with a view to debauchery is an offence (Art. 382 Code pénal: eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 5,000). Since 2018, a victim of procuring or trafficking is not criminally liable for soliciting (Art. 71-2, third paragraph).[1][2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Buying sex from a consenting adult is legal, with exceptions added in 2018. Soliciting, accepting or obtaining paid sex from a victim of procuring or trafficking is punished by eight days to six months and/or a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000 (Art. 382-6). From a minor, or from a person whose particular vulnerability is apparent or known, it carries one to five years and a fine (Art. 382-7).[1][2]
- Art. 382-7(2) lists vulnerability resulting from an illegal or precarious administrative (immigration) situation, a precarious social situation, pregnancy, illness, infirmity or physical or mental disability.
- Art. 382-8: no prosecution of a client who, heard as a witness, reveals facts that may constitute procuring or trafficking offences connected with their use of prostitution.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Owning, managing, directing or operating a "maison de débauche ou de prostitution", directly or through a front, is a crime (Art. 379bis 3°: one to five years and a fine of EUR 251 to 50,000). So is letting or making premises available, or tolerating their use, knowing they serve the exploitation of the prostitution of others (Art. 379bis 4°). Courts may order a venue closed (Art. 379ter, 379septies).[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring is a crime even with the adult's consent (Art. 379bis 5°: one to five years and a fine). The definition covers knowingly aiding, assisting or protecting the prostitution of others or soliciting, sharing in the proceeds or receiving support from a sex worker, hiring or maintaining a person for prostitution, acting as an intermediary between sex workers and those who exploit or pay for them, and obstructing support services.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No provision targets advertising sexual services as such. Public soliciting by "écrits ou par tous autres moyens" is an offence (Art. 382), and anyone who knowingly aids or assists soliciting with a view to prostitution is a procurer (Art. 379bis 5° a). Whether online advertisements, or websites carrying them, fall under these provisions was not established from any case law found.[1]
Confidence: medium. Based on the statutory text only; no court decisions or prosecution guidance on online advertising were found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Code pénal (version consolidée au 19 décembre 2025) Criminal Code (consolidated version of 19 December 2025) Art. 379bis · Art. 382 · Art. 382-6 to 382-8 | Brothel keeping, letting premises, procuring, public soliciting and the 2018 client offences.[1] | |
| Loi du 28 février 2018 renforçant la lutte contre l'exploitation de la prostitution, le proxénétisme et la traite des êtres humains à des fins sexuelles et modifiant : 1) le Code de procédure pénale 2) le Code pénal Law of 28 February 2018 strengthening the fight against the exploitation of prostitution, procuring and trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes Art. 1 · Art. 3 | Created the Comité Prostitution and the client offences, and exempted victims from liability for soliciting.[2] | |
| Loi du 1er avril 1968 ayant pour objet de supprimer la réglementation officielle de la prostitution et de renforcer la lutte contre la prostitution et le proxénétisme Law of 1 April 1968 abolishing the official regulation of prostitution | Ended the state regulation of prostitution and rewrote the procuring offences.[3] | 1968 |
Timeline
- 1 April 1968Law abolishing the official regulation of prostitution and strengthening the fight against prostitution and procuring.[3]
- 28 February 2018Law creating the Comité Prostitution and making it a crime to buy sex from victims of procuring or trafficking, minors and particularly vulnerable people; published on 9 March 2018.[2]
- 22 March 2023Grand-ducal regulation sets the composition and working of the Comité Prostitution, which monitors prostitution and the national action plan.[2][4]
Sources
- Code pénal (version consolidée au 19 décembre 2025) (Criminal Code (consolidated version of 19 December 2025)). Legilux, Journal officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Loi du 28 février 2018 renforçant la lutte contre l'exploitation de la prostitution, le proxénétisme et la traite des êtres humains à des fins sexuelles et modifiant : 1) le Code de procédure pénale 2) le Code pénal (Law of 28 February 2018 strengthening the fight against the exploitation of prostitution, procuring and trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes). Legilux, Journal officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (Mémorial A n° 170 de 2018), 9 March 2018. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Loi du 1er avril 1968 ayant pour objet de supprimer la réglementation officielle de la prostitution et de renforcer la lutte contre la prostitution et le proxénétisme (Law of 1 April 1968 abolishing the official regulation of prostitution). Legilux, Journal officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, 1968. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Règlement grand-ducal du 22 mars 2023 relatif au Comité Prostitution (Grand-ducal regulation of 22 March 2023 on the Comité Prostitution). Legilux, Journal officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, 2023. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026