Is Sex Work Legal in Switzerland? (2026)

01The short answer

Yes. Paid sex between adults is legal in Switzerland. Street and window work is allowed only in marked city zones, at set hours (StGB Art. 199; PGVO Art. 7).

02Federal law: what the Criminal Code allows and forbids

Federal law lets the cantons, and through them the cities, make rules on the place, time and manner of sex work. Breaking those rules is a fine (StGB Art. 199).

Federal law punishes exploitation. It is a crime to lead a person into sex work through dependence or for gain, to restrict a worker's freedom by supervising them or fixing place, time or extent of the work, or to hold a person in sex work. The penalty is up to 10 years (StGB Art. 195 lit. b to d).

03Minimum age: 18, always

The minimum age for paid sex is 18. A client who pays a person under 18 for sexual acts commits a crime: up to 3 years in prison or a monetary penalty (StGB Art. 196). The general age of consent of 16 (StGB Art. 187) does not cover paid acts.

04Zurich: a city ordinance, not a cantonal act

The canton of Zurich has no prostitution act of its own. The City of Zurich sets the rules in its Prostitutionsgewerbeverordnung (PGVO, Amtliche Sammlung 551.140). The current text has been in force since 1 July 2017. The PGVO rests on StGB Art. 199 and the cantonal Gemeindegesetz.

Under the PGVO, sex work is a service, and it creates valid contracts within higher law (PGVO Art. 2).

05Zones and hours for street and window work

This section states the law, not our advice: we do not recommend the street.

Street and window work means work on public ground, or work that people can see from public ground (PGVO Art. 6). The city council names the areas and the hours (PGVO Art. 7). Today there are three zones:

• Niederdorf: street work 22:00 to 02:00, window work 19:00 to 05:00
• Allmendstrasse, from Brunau to Sihlcity: 19:00 to 05:00
• Depotweg Strichplatz: Sunday to Thursday 18:30 to 02:00, Friday and Saturday 19:30 to 03:00

Langstrasse is not a legal zone. In January 2025 the city parliament passed a postulate that asks for one. On 3 October 2026 the city had not yet created it.

06What a client can be fined for

A client who asks for or uses street services outside a zone, or outside its hours, is fined (PGVO Art. 17 Abs. 1 lit. a). In light cases a reprimand can replace the fine (PGVO Art. 17 Abs. 2). The PGVO sets no amount.

07Permits: what they mean for you as a visitor

A brothel needs a city salon permit (PGVO Art. 11). A place with up to two rooms and at most one further worker is exempt (PGVO Art. 11 Abs. 2). The operator must make sure that only persons with capacity to act work there (PGVO Art. 13 Abs. 4), and must give out free prevention material (PGVO Art. 13 Abs. 3).

A street worker needs a personal city permit. It requires the right to work in Switzerland and health insurance (PGVO Art. 8 and 9).

The city police inspect every licensed venue at least once a year^{† (one source checked)}.

08Coming from Germany: what is different

• In Germany, buying sexual services is lawful. No provision bans the purchase as such (ProstG § 1).
• In Germany each worker must register in person before starting (ProstSchG § 3 Abs. 1). A client carries no liability for an unregistered worker.
• German restricted-area rules bind the worker (StGB § 184f). Zurich's PGVO fines the client too (PGVO Art. 17).

09Where to get help

• Emergency: police 117, ambulance 144. The European number 112 also works^{† (112: one source checked)}.
• Die Dargebotene Hand, crisis line at any hour: 143
• Opferhilfe Schweiz, help for victims of a crime: 142^{† (one source checked)}
• Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Frauenmigration in Zurich: advice on trafficking and for migrant women
• ACT212, the national hotline to report suspected trafficking, anonymously if you want^{† (one source checked)}