Laws in Hong Kong
How Hong Kong is classified on 32 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal (broad reasons) Abortion is permitted on broad grounds including economic or social reasons.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- Surrogacy
- Banned Commercial surrogacy is a criminal offense in Hong Kong, while altruistic surrogacy is unregulated.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined Crossing near designated crossings without using them is an offence.
- Drinking in Public
- Legal Public drinking is legal for adults, with regulations focusing on underage sales.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Comprehensive ban Hong Kong bans smoking in all indoor public places and workplaces, with previous exemptions removed.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
- Dog Meat
- Banned Slaughtering, selling, and consuming dog meat are all prohibited nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- Under 14 Minimum working age: 13.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal, but organized prostitution, pimping, and public solicitation are illegal.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Limited (step-child / single) Joint adoption is not open to same-sex couples; step-child or single-person adoption is.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 21.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecrating the national or regional flag is a criminal offense under local ordinances.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are restricted and issued only under license, with self-defense not being a sufficient standalone reason.
- Jury Trials
- Jury trials used Jury trials are a regular part of the criminal and some civil justice system, though subject to national security exceptions.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Illegal Cannabis is illegal for all purposes.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Illegal Psilocybin is a controlled substance; possession is a criminal offence.
- Khat
- Illegal Khat is a dangerous drug in Hong Kong, with severe penalties for trafficking.
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.