Prostitution laws in North MacedoniaСеверна Македонија
North Macedonia treats selling sex as a public order misdemeanour: according to the text quoted by the women's rights organisation ESE, Article 19 of the 2007 Law on Misdemeanours against Public Order and Peace fines anyone who engages in prostitution, or rents out or provides premises for it, EUR 600–800 in denar equivalent. Buying sex from an adult is not penalised, except where the buyer knew or should have known the person was a trafficking victim (six months to five years). Article 191 of the Criminal Code punishes recruiting, inducing or luring a person into prostitution (five to ten years in the consolidated text), enabling another person to use sexual services for gain (three to five years) and organising these acts (at least ten years). No specific offence of advertising sexual services was found.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling sex is a misdemeanour under Article 19 of the 2007 Law on Misdemeanours against Public Order and Peace; buying from an adult who is not a trafficking victim is not an offence. Mediation in prostitution, including enabling others to use sexual services for gain, is a crime under Article 191 of the Criminal Code.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Engaging in prostitution is a misdemeanour under Article 19 of the 2007 Law on Misdemeanours against Public Order and Peace, punishable by a fine of EUR 600–800 in denar equivalent. Before 2007, the misdemeanour also covered mediation; that conduct has been a crime since 1996.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Using, or enabling another to use, sexual services of a person whom one knew or should have known to be a trafficking victim is punishable by six months to five years.[1][2] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Renting out or providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (EUR 600–800). Enabling another person to use sexual services for gain is a crime punishable by three to five years, and organising such acts by at least ten years; legal persons can be fined.[1][2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Recruiting, inducing, inciting or luring a person into prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by five to ten years in the consolidated text (six months to five years in the original 1996 code). Forcing or deceiving a person into providing sexual services for gain carries at least eight years.[2][3] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted | No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the Criminal Code text checked. Advertising for a third party could fall under the broadly worded mediation offence, and an adult advertising their own services would be evidence of the selling misdemeanour.[2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution is a misdemeanour under Article 19 of the 2007 Law on Misdemeanours against Public Order and Peace, punishable by a fine of EUR 600–800 in denar equivalent. Before 2007, the misdemeanour also covered mediation; that conduct has been a crime since 1996.[1]
Confidence: medium. The official text of the 2007 law (amended in 2015) could not be retrieved; wording and fine are taken from a 2017 NGO analysis that quotes it. Later amendments were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Paying an adult for sex is not an offence. Using, or enabling another to use, sexual services of a person whom one knew or should have known to be a trafficking victim is punishable by six months to five years.[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Based on an unofficial consolidated text (amendments up to about 2013–2014); later amendments were not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Renting out or providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (EUR 600–800). Enabling another person to use sexual services for gain is a crime punishable by three to five years, and organising such acts by at least ten years; legal persons can be fined.[1][2]
Confidence: medium.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Recruiting, inducing, inciting or luring a person into prostitution, or taking part in handing a person over to another for prostitution, is punishable by five to ten years in the consolidated text (six months to five years in the original 1996 code). Forcing or deceiving a person into providing sexual services for gain carries at least eight years.[2][3]
Confidence: medium. The consolidated text is unofficial and may not include amendments after about 2014.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence specifically targeting the advertising of sexual services was found in the Criminal Code text checked. Advertising for a third party could fall under the broadly worded mediation offence, and an adult advertising their own services would be evidence of the selling misdemeanour.[2]
Confidence: low. Inference from the absence of a specific provision; media, advertising and electronic communications laws were not reviewed.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Кривичен законик (Неофицијален пречистен текст) Criminal Code (1996, as amended) чл. 191 · чл. 418-а | Article 191 criminalises mediation in prostitution; Article 418-a(3) criminalises using the services of trafficking victims.[2] |
Timeline
- 29 July 1996New Criminal Code published, making mediation in prostitution a crime (Article 191).[3]
Sources
- Анализа на законска рамка и институционален одговор кон насилството врз жените (Analysis of the legal framework and institutional response to violence against women). Здружение за еманципација, солидарност и еднаквост на жените (ЕСЕ), 2017. ngo · accessed 30 October 2026
- Кривичен законик (Неофицијален пречистен текст) (Criminal Code (unofficial consolidated text, Public Prosecutor's Office)). Јавно обвинителство на Република Северна Македонија. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Кривичен законик („Службен весник на Република Македонија“ бр. 37/1996) (Criminal Code (original 1996 text, Official Gazette 37/1996)). Службен весник на Република Македонија, 29 July 1996. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026