Laws in Italy
How Italy is classified on 42 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
- Passive only Active euthanasia is illegal, but passive euthanasia is legal following a 2019 court ruling.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
- Surrogacy
- Banned All forms of surrogacy are prohibited and punishable by imprisonment and fines.
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 is only allowed if no zebra crossing is within 100m.
- Drinking in Public
- Restricted areas/times Public drinking is generally legal but prohibited by local municipal regulations in specific areas.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Italy bans smoking in all indoor public spaces but permits strictly regulated separate smoking rooms.
- Driving Age
- 16–17 Minimum age to drive a car: 17.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Banned Fur farming is banned.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Cosmetic animal testing is banned nationwide under EU regulations.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- 14–15 Minimum working age: 15.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Civil unions Same-sex couples can enter a civil union or registered partnership, but not marry.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 14–15 The age of consent is 14.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal in Italy, though organized prostitution and brothels are prohibited.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available by mutual consent without fault.
- 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 Incest between consenting adults is a criminal offence under article 564 of the penal code where it causes public scandal, punishable by two to eight years.
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Blasphemy Laws
- Fines / civil penalties Italy decriminalized blasphemy in 1999, leaving only administrative fines for public blasphemy.
- Holocaust Denial
- Criminal offense Holocaust denial is a criminal offence.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Desecration of Italian or foreign national flags is prohibited by law and punishable by fines or imprisonment.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Licensed / moderate Handguns are obtainable for home defense and sport, but concealed carry requires proof of threat, fitting moderate.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Banned Corporal punishment in Italian schools was officially banned in 1928.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Limited use / mixed courts Juries are used only for specific serious crimes in mixed courts.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Decriminalized Recreational possession is decriminalized — a fine at most, not a criminal offence.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Decriminalized / tolerated Psilocybin possession is decriminalised.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- Khat
- Illegal Khat is listed as a psychoactive drug in Italy, making possession forbidden.
- 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.