Is prostitution legal in Sri Lanka?
Illegal
Prostitution is illegal in Sri Lanka, with related activities like soliciting and brothels also outlawed.
Sri Lanka is one of 105 countries classified “Illegal” for sex work — 48% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Prostitution in Asia
- Last checked
- 7 July 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Maldives
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in the Maldives under Islamic sharia law, despite small-scale occurrence and government efforts to close related spas.
- India
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal except in private residences, with many brothels operating illegally.
- Bangladesh
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal and regulated with registration required, and brothel villages exist.
- Myanmar
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Myanmar, with significant trafficking affecting women and children both domestically and internationally.
- Thailand
- Decriminalized / unregulated Sexual services exchange is legal in Thailand, but activities like solicitation and pimping are illegal, with no nationwide prohibition on prostitution.
- Nepal
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Nepal under the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2064, criminalizing it as part of human trafficking.
Other laws in Sri Lanka
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized
- Same-Sex Activity
- Illegal
- Age of Consent
- 16–17
- Pornography
- Illegal
- Divorce
- Not possible
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Not permitted
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.