Prostitution laws in MontenegroCrna Gora
In Montenegro, anyone who engages in prostitution in a public place, or acts in ways that encourage prostitution, commits a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of EUR 200–1,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment (Article 27 of the 2011 Law on Public Order and Peace). Renting or providing premises for prostitution, or otherwise mediating in it, is a separate misdemeanour with fines of up to EUR 5,000 for companies. Adult buyers are not penalised. Article 210 of the Criminal Code punishes inducing or inciting prostitution, handing a person over to another for prostitution, and propagating or advertising prostitution through public media or similar means, with three months to two years; using the sexual services of a minor carries two to ten years.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling sex is a misdemeanour only when done in a public place (Article 27 of the 2011 public order law); buying is not penalised for adults. Classified as prohibition because the seller is the target of the public order offence; private selling between adults is not itself an offence. Procuring and advertising are crimes.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: administrative offence | Engaging in prostitution in a public place, or engaging in acts that encourage prostitution, is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of EUR 200–1,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment. The offence is tied to public places; selling in private is not covered by it.[1][3] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the public order law or the Criminal Code. Using the sexual services of a minor is a crime punishable by two to ten years.[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Administrative offence | Renting or providing premises for prostitution, or otherwise mediating in it, is a misdemeanour: EUR 500–5,000 for a legal person, EUR 300–2,000 for an entrepreneur or the responsible officer, and EUR 300–1,500 or up to 30 days for an individual.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Inducing or inciting another person to prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by three months to two years; two to ten years if committed against a minor or by several people in an organised way.[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media and other similar means is a crime under the same paragraph as procuring, punishable by three months to two years. The wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.[2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution in a public place, or engaging in acts that encourage prostitution, is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of EUR 200–1,000 or up to 30 days' imprisonment. The offence is tied to public places; selling in private is not covered by it.[1][3]
Checked against the gazette text of 2011 (Službeni list CG 64/2011). The only amendment, Službeni list CG 56/2020, changed other articles (on flags and on billboard content) and left Articles 27 and 28 untouched.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Paying an adult for sex is not an offence under the public order law or the Criminal Code. Using the sexual services of a minor is a crime punishable by two to ten years.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. The Criminal Code text used is a 2021 consolidated edition; later amendments were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Renting or providing premises for prostitution, or otherwise mediating in it, is a misdemeanour: EUR 500–5,000 for a legal person, EUR 300–2,000 for an entrepreneur or the responsible officer, and EUR 300–1,500 or up to 30 days for an individual.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Inducing or inciting another person to prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by three months to two years; two to ten years if committed against a minor or by several people in an organised way.[2]
Confidence: medium. Based on a 2021 consolidated text hosted by the Ombudsman; later amendments to the Criminal Code were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media and other similar means is a crime under the same paragraph as procuring, punishable by three months to two years. The wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.[2]
Confidence: medium. Based on a 2021 consolidated text; application to websites and ad platforms was not checked against case law.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Zakon o javnom redu i miru ("Službeni list Crne Gore", br. 64/2011) Law on Public Order and Peace (2011) čl. 27 · čl. 28 | Misdemeanours of engaging in prostitution in a public place (Art. 27) and providing premises or mediating (Art. 28).[1] | 6 January 2012 |
| Krivični zakonik Crne Gore (prečišćeni tekst, Katalog propisa 2021) Criminal Code (2003, as amended) čl. 210 | Article 210 criminalises mediation in prostitution, including advertising it.[2] |
Timeline
Sources
- Zakon o javnom redu i miru ("Službeni list Crne Gore", br. 64/2011) (Law on Public Order and Peace). Službeni list Crne Gore, 29 December 2011. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Krivični zakonik Crne Gore (prečišćeni tekst, Katalog propisa 2021) (Criminal Code of Montenegro (consolidated text, 2021 edition)). Zaštitnik ljudskih prava i sloboda Crne Gore (hosting a consolidated text by Pravni ekspert). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o javnom redu i miru ("Službeni list Crne Gore", br. 56/2020) (Law amending the Law on Public Order and Peace (2020)). Službeni list Crne Gore, 15 June 2020. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026