Laws in Sri Lanka
How Sri Lanka is classified on 30 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Illegal (with exceptions) Abortion is prohibited except to save the pregnant person's life.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- No specific ban There is no specific legal ban on FGM.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 21+ Minimum age to gamble: 21.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Sri Lanka restricts smoking in many indoor public spaces but permits it in designated areas of hotels and restaurants.
- Driving Age
- 16–17 Minimum age to drive a car: 17.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
- 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.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Illegal Same-sex sexual activity is a criminal offence.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Illegal Prostitution and related activities are illegal in Sri Lanka.
- Pornography
- Illegal Selling, distributing, or importing obscene materials is punishable by imprisonment or fines.
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted Divorce is legal but restricted to fault-based grounds without no-fault options.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Not permitted Same-sex couples cannot adopt.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban Sri Lanka has no ban on conversion therapy, as the proposed bill was not enacted.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Not used in practice Retained in law, but not used for at least ten years.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal (Medical) Cannabis is legal for medical use only; recreational use remains prohibited.
- Drinking Age
- 21+ Minimum age to buy alcohol: 21.
- Smoking Age
- 19+ Minimum age to buy tobacco: 21.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Illegal Psilocybin is a controlled substance; possession is a criminal offence.
- E-Cigarettes
- Sales banned E-cigarette sales are prohibited.
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.