Is prostitution legal in Sri Lanka?
Illegal
Prostitution and related activities are illegal in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is one of 101 countries classified “Illegal” for sex work — 46% of the 219 with data. (Also searched as prostitution.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Prostitution in Asia
- 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
- Maldives
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal under Islamic sharia law in the Maldives.
- India
- Varies by region Prostitution is legal only in private residences, while related activities like brothel management are crimes.
- Bangladesh
- Legal & regulated Prostitution is legal and regulated, requiring registration and affidavits from workers.
- Myanmar
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Myanmar.
- Thailand
- Decriminalized / unregulated Selling sex is legal in Thailand, but solicitation and pimping are illegal.
- Nepal
- Illegal Prostitution is illegal in Nepal and criminalized under the Human Trafficking Act.
Other laws in Sri Lanka
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized
- Same-Sex Activity
- Illegal
- Age of Consent
- 16–17
- Pornography
- Illegal
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Not permitted
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+
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.