Prostitution laws in SerbiaСрбија / Srbija
Serbia punishes both sides of a commercial sexual transaction. Article 16 of the 2016 Law on Public Order and Peace fines anyone who engages in prostitution, uses prostitution services or provides premises for it RSD 50,000–150,000, or imposes 30 to 60 days' imprisonment; the earlier law penalised only the seller. The law defines prostitution as providing sexual services for money or other value. Article 184 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 six months to five years. In December 2024 the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality asked again for Articles 3 and 16 to be amended, and in December 2025 the Ombudsman published a draft that would extend the offence to conduct on social networks.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Since the 2016 Law on Public Order and Peace, selling sex, buying it and providing premises for it are all misdemeanours carrying the same penalty (Article 16). Inducing, procuring and advertising prostitution are crimes under Article 184 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 punishable by a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Prostitution is defined as providing sexual services for money or other value.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Using prostitution services is a misdemeanour carrying the same penalty as selling: a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Buyers were first made liable by the 2016 law.[1][3] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Administrative offence | Providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days); providing premises to a minor for prostitution carries 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Inducing others into prostitution, or handing a person over to another for it, is a separate crime under Article 184 of the Criminal Code.[1][2] |
| 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 six months to five years and a fine; one to ten years where a minor is involved.[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Criminal offence | Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media or other similar means is a crime under the same article as procuring, punishable by six months to five years and a fine. Unlike in Croatia, the wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.[2] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Prostitution is defined as providing sexual services for money or other value.[1]
Note. The Equality Commissioner, citing research, states that sellers are penalised in practice far more often than buyers; no official statistics were checked for this overview.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Using prostitution services is a misdemeanour carrying the same penalty as selling: a fine of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Buyers were first made liable by the 2016 law.[1][3]
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Providing premises for prostitution is a misdemeanour (RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days); providing premises to a minor for prostitution carries 30 to 60 days' imprisonment. Inducing others into prostitution, or handing a person over to another for it, is a separate crime under Article 184 of the Criminal Code.[1][2]
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 six months to five years and a fine; one to ten years where a minor is involved.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
Propagating or advertising prostitution through public media or other similar means is a crime under the same article as procuring, punishable by six months to five years and a fine. Unlike in Croatia, the wording is not limited to another person's prostitution.[2]
Note. How courts apply "other similar means" to websites and online ad platforms was not checked against case law for this overview.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Закон о јавном реду и миру ("Службени гласник РС", бр. 6/2016 и 24/2018) Law on Public Order and Peace (2016) чл. 3 · чл. 16 | Article 16 makes selling, buying and providing premises for prostitution misdemeanours.[1] | |
| Кривични законик ("Службени гласник РС", бр. 85/2005 … 94/2024, 63/2026) Criminal Code (2005, as amended) чл. 184 | Article 184 criminalises mediation in prostitution, including advertising it.[2] |
Pending and under review
Proposed · updated 26 December 2025
Ombudsman's draft amendments to the Law on Public Order and Peace
A draft prepared by the office of the Protector of Citizens (Ombudsman) would extend public order offences to conduct on social networks. Under the draft, engaging in prostitution, using prostitution services or providing premises for it "in a public place or on a social network" would carry the existing penalty of RSD 50,000–150,000 or 30 to 60 days.[4]
Proposed · updated 6 December 2024
Equality Commissioner's initiative to amend Articles 3 and 16
The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality renewed an earlier initiative to amend the definition of prostitution (Article 3(1)(15)) and the offence in Article 16, arguing that sellers are penalised far more often than buyers. The law had not been amended accordingly at the time.[3]
Timeline
- 28 January 2016Law on Public Order and Peace published; buyers of sexual services become liable alongside sellers.[1]
- 6 December 2024Equality Commissioner resubmits initiative to amend the prostitution provisions of the public order law.[3]
- 26 December 2025Ombudsman's draft would extend the prostitution misdemeanour to social networks.[4]
Sources
- Закон о јавном реду и миру ("Службени гласник РС", бр. 6/2016 и 24/2018) (Law on Public Order and Peace). Правно-информациони систем Републике Србије (Службени гласник), 28 January 2016. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Кривични законик ("Службени гласник РС", бр. 85/2005 … 94/2024, 63/2026) (Criminal Code). Правно-информациони систем Републике Србије (Службени гласник). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- ZAKON O JAVNOM REDU I MIRU: Inicijativa Poverenice za izmene i dopune Zakona (Law on Public Order and Peace: Equality Commissioner's initiative for amendments). Paragraf Lex, 6 December 2024. news · accessed 30 October 2026
- Zaštitnik građana: Zakon o javnom redu i miru odnosiće se i na društvene mreže (Ombudsman: Law on Public Order and Peace to apply to social networks too). Vreme, 26 December 2025. news · accessed 30 October 2026