Prostitution in Germany

Yes. However, anyone who wants to work as a prostitute must abide by the rules.

Yes. To do so, you must be at least 18 years of age and meet the legal requirements.

If you are under 18 years of age, you are not permitted to work as a prostitute. Sexual acts with minors in exchange for money are a criminal offence in Germany (“sexual abuse”). Persuading minors to engage in such acts is also a criminal offence. 

No one should force you to sell your body for money. Forced prostitution and pimping are criminal offences.

Prostitution is a term that has been used internationally for centuries to describe the selling and performance of sexual acts in exchange for money. The term prostitution is also used in German law.

However, there are other terms to describe prostitution such as “sex work”. These terms are intended to express that the exchange of sexual acts for money is a job. These terms are also used internationally.

You are free to decide whether you prefer to call yourself a “prostitute” or a “sex worker”. 

The Prostitution Act (Prostitutionsgesetz - ProstG): It states that, as a prostitute, you have a legal entitlement to your wages. You can also sue for this in court. Your wages cannot be denied to you because of "immorality." 

The Prostitute Protection Act (Prostituiertenschutzgesetz - ProstSchG): The law stipulates the requirements you must meet to work as a prostitute. You can find more information here.

If you come from a non-EU country, you must check whether your residence status permits you to work in Germany. You can find more information here.

You need to get health counselling from a public authority and then apply for a registration certificate. You can find out exactly how to do this here. 

If you want to run a prostitution business, you need to apply for a permit. You can find out how to do that here.

You have to pay taxes. More details are available here.

You need to have health insurance. In some cases you may also need further insurances. You can find more information here.

In your work you must pay attention to hygiene and use condoms. Information on the transmission of diseases is available here.
 

Nobody is permitted to force you into prostitution, working as a prostitute is always voluntary. But if someone does put pressure on you, you must contact the police, they will help you and protect you. You can also ask us for help at any time.

You can work as a prostitute almost anywhere, with the exception of certain areas in some cities. They are called Sperrgebiete (restricted areas), prostitution is illegal there. We will be happy to help you find out if there are any such restricted areas in your city. You can also get information about this from the authority that issued your registration certificate.

You can decide for yourself how and when you want to work. If you don't want to do something that a client or brothel operator asks you to do, you can always refuse. You don't have to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or that could hurt you. You can also stop any sex work at any time right in the middle of the action if you want. 

You have a right to the agreed pay and may also demand that the client gives you the money in advance. You don't have to give the money back just because a client says you didn't do a good job.

No, if you are self-employed, the operator is not allowed to tell you how and when you have to work. Only if you are employed are they allowed to determine your working hours and place of work. If you are uncertain whether you are self-employed or employed, please contact us and we'll sort it out with you. 

Operators must never tell you which clients to accept, what sexual acts to offer, what prices to charge, or what clothes to wear. All this is up to you alone to decide. Neither may anybody demand that you work without a condom. 

You may insist that all important agreements are written down and signed, for example how much rent you have to pay for the room. Then you'll always have written proof of this. If you are uncertain whether your rent is too high, just talk to us. No one must charge too much rent from you.

You may demand that the operator provide sanitary products and condoms in your work space. However, you may have to share the costs or pay for them in full. You must agree on this with the operator beforehand.

You can insist that safety measures are taken. The operator must specify exactly what these measures are in an operating concept, which you may ask to see. You can also ask to see the concept for a prostitution event in which you are taking part. 

The operator must allow you to visit a counselling centre or a public authority even during your working hours if necessary.