Is prostitution legal in Malta?

Decriminalized / unregulated

Selling sex is legal, but running brothels and loitering are illegal.

Malta is one of 38 countries classified “Decriminalized / unregulated” for sex work — 17% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)

Source

Taken from
Wikipedia: Prostitution in Europe
Last checked
17 September 2026
How it was classified
Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.

Nearby countries

Tunisia
Illegal Selling sex is currently illegal following a 2022 ban.
Vatican City
Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Vatican City.
Albania
Illegal Prostitution is explicitly stated to be illegal in Albania.
Italy
Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal in Italy, though organized prostitution and brothels are prohibited.
Libya
Illegal Selling sex is illegal, with punishments based on Sharia law.
Montenegro
Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Montenegro.

Other laws in Malta

Same-Sex Marriage
Marriage legal
Same-Sex Activity
Legal
Age of Consent
16–17
Divorce
Heavily restricted
Non-Binary Recognition
Recognized
Same-Sex Adoption
Joint adoption legal
Marriage Age
18+

Every law in Malta → · Where is sex work legal? →

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.