In Germany prostitution is legal, and since 2017 there has been a protection law for the people who work in it. Before you start, health counselling and registration are compulsory. Here is how to do it, step by step.
Prostitution has been legal in Germany since 2002. Since 1 July 2017 it has been regulated by the Prostitutes Protection Act (ProstSchG): it requires you to register, attend health counselling and use condoms, and it requires venues to hold a permit.
What is still a crime:
In 2025 a government evaluation concluded that the law works, although it can be improved. Banning the purchase of sex has been debated, but it has not been passed.
You must have the right to work in Germany before you register. The immigration authority checks this.
| Your situation | Can you work? | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| EU passport or ID card | Yes | Register your address (Anmeldung) if you live there, health counselling and registration. |
| Non-EU passport with a residence permit that allows work | Yes | Your permit, health counselling and registration. |
| Non-EU passport without a permit | No | You need a residence permit to work, which is not a right and can be refused. |
| Tourist visa or tourist stay | No | You cannot work as a tourist. |
If you hold dual citizenship with an EU country such as Spain, Italy or Portugal, you are an EU citizen.
At the city's Gesundheitsamt (public health office). You get a certificate, which must be no more than 3 months old when you go to register.
With the authority of the place where you will work most. In Munich, for example, it is the KVR. There is an information talk and you can ask for an interpreter.
A valid passport or ID card, two recent photos and the counselling certificate. If you do not live in Germany, an address where you can receive post.
It is valid for 2 years (1 year if you are under 21). You can ask for a version with a stage name instead of your real name. Always carry it with you.
To renew it, you must have attended health counselling at least once a year (every 6 months if you are under 21).
Register with the tax office (Finanzamt) and get health insurance: in Germany it is compulsory.
Working without a certificate is an offence: in Munich the fine can be up to €1,000. There, issuing the certificate costs €35.
The law is the same across the country, but each state and each city organises registration and can ban areas (Sperrbezirke).
Health counselling is compulsory before you register and when you renew. It is a confidential talk about health, prevention and your rights, not a medical examination.
Condoms are compulsory by law for all sexual services, and venues must inform clients of this.
You can work independently, in licensed venues (the law requires owners to hold a permit), as an escort or on the street where it is not a restricted zone.
Erotic and tantric massage: the law covers them. Anyone who offers them must register and attend health counselling like everyone else. The courts have confirmed this, most recently the Higher Administrative Court in Münster in May 2026.
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Germany stands at 108, slightly above the European Union average (100), according to Eurostat (2025). Big cities such as Munich are more expensive than the rest.
Yes. Before you start you must attend health counselling and register in person in the city where you will work most. You get a certificate valid for 2 years (1 year if you are under 21).
Yes. You can ask for a certificate with a name of your choice instead of your real name, to protect your privacy.
Only if you have a residence permit that allows you to work. It is not a right and can be refused. You cannot work on a tourist stay.
Not always. Many cities have restricted zones. In Munich, for example, inside those zones you cannot work on the street, nor in flats or hotels.
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Last reviewed: October 2026. Rules change: always check with the city where you are going to work.