Since 1 July 2017 the Prostitute Protection Act (Prostituiertenschutzgesetz, ProstSchG) has applied in Germany. It is intended to better protect people who offer sexual services and to regulate the trade. Here are the key points – without legal jargon. This article is general information and not legal advice.
Registration requirement
Anyone offering sexual services in Germany must register with the responsible authority and receives a registration certificate. Health counselling is mandatory beforehand. Registration and counselling must be renewed regularly.
Condom requirement
Condoms are mandatory for intercourse and oral sex. Advertising unprotected services is prohibited.
Licence for businesses
Brothels, private apartments, escort agencies and other prostitution businesses need an official licence. Minimum requirements apply to premises, hygiene and the reliability of the operators.
What does this mean for guests?
For clients, visiting an adult who works voluntarily is legal. It is a criminal offence, however, to exploit the predicament of victims of human trafficking or forced prostitution. Anyone who notices signs of coercion should inform the police or a specialist counselling centre.
Current state of the debate
The law was evaluated by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony; the report was presented to the Bundestag in June 2025. Since then a commission has been discussing improvements to the protection of prostitutes, with first results expected at the end of November 2026. There is also political debate about a ban on buying sex based on the so-called “Nordic model” – no such ban has been adopted in Germany so far. We will update this article as soon as the legal situation changes.