Laws in Belgium
How Belgium is classified on 43 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Euthanasia
- Euthanasia legal Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002, with cases occurring regularly since then.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
- Surrogacy
- Altruistic only Only altruistic surrogacy is permitted, with parents paying only pregnancy-related expenses.
- Organ Donor Consent
- Opt-out (presumed consent) Belgium operates under an opt-out system for organ donation.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined Pedestrians must use marked crossings within 20 metres on faster roads.
- Drinking in Public
- Restricted areas/times Public drinking is legal generally but banned in specific areas of certain cities.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban Belgium bans smoking in all bars, restaurants, and casinos following a 2011 Constitutional Court ruling.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal with conditions Homeschooling is legal only under conditions such as approval, registration or inspection.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Banned Fur farming is banned.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Belgium is subject to the EU ban on animal-tested cosmetics.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Compulsory (not enforced) Belgium retains compulsory voting laws but sanctions are no longer applied in practice.
- Minimum Working Age
- 14–15 Minimum working age: 15.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Decriminalized / unregulated Prostitution is decriminalized in Belgium as of June 2022, while pimping remains prohibited.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available by mutual consent without fault.
- Non-Binary Recognition
- Limited recognition Belgium removes gender from identity cards but retains assigned gender in the National Registry.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Same-sex couples can jointly petition to adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Legal between adults
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Apostasy Laws
- Legal There are no legal penalties for apostasy in Belgium, despite social stigma and threats.
- Holocaust Denial
- Criminal offense Holocaust denial is a criminal offence.
- Flag Desecration
- Legal / protected speech Flag desecration is not illegal in Belgium.
- Conversion Therapy
- Banned Belgium enacted a nationwide law in 2023 banning conversion practices with criminal penalties.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Limited use / mixed courts Belgium uses juries only for specific serious crimes, political crimes, and press delicts via the Court of Assize.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Decriminalized Recreational possession is decriminalized — a fine at most, not a criminal offence.
- Drinking Age
- 16–17 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 16.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Illegal Psilocybin is a controlled substance; possession is a criminal offence.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- Khat
- Illegal Khat has been illegal in Belgium since 2006.
- E-Cigarettes
- Regulated E-cigarettes are legal but nicotine strength is capped by law.
Nearby countries
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.