- Are you a self-employed (zzp’er) sex worker? Then you usually need a permit
- Do you work in a private home, a club, as a window prostitute or for an escort agency? In that case, your work location will take care of the permit
- Do you work at home or as an independent escort? In that case, you apply for the permit with the municipality
- The rules about permits are different in every municipality
- Check out the rules in your municipality on the municipality’s website
Do I need a permit?
Do you work independently? As an independent escort, for example? Or do you receive clients at your home? Then you usually need a permit.
You apply for such a permit with the municipality where you work. The rules about sex work are different in every municipality. The way to apply for a permit also differs per municipality.
Do you work in a private home, a club, a window brothel or for an escort agency? Then you don’t need a permit. The place you work does need a permit from the municipality. The work location must apply for the permit. You don’t have to do anything.
Applying for a permit
The way to apply for a permit differs per municipality.
You can read about the rules regarding sex work and permits in the Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, or APV (general municipal bylaw) of your municipality. You can find it on the municipality’s website. You can also phone the municipality.
In a lot of municipalities, you can’t get a permit for sex work. Sometimes, that is because there are no more permits available. And sometimes because the municipality does not issue any permits for sex work at all.
Have you tried to apply for a permit and did you have problems? Our Reporting and Advice Point may be able to help you.
Have you not received the right help?
Is an organization not treating you right because you’re a sex worker? Are you unable to resolve your issue with the organization? Let us know. Our Reporting and Advice Point can help you.
Sex Work Regulation Act
The rules about permits and other things related to sex work are maybe going to change. The government is working a new law: Wet regulering sekswerk, or WRS (Sex Work (Regulation) Act). It contains new rules for sex workers.
We don’t know when the WRS will take effect. We also don’t know exactly what the new rules will be. The government is still talking about this.
There is already a bill regarding what the new rules should be. The main points of that are:
- All sex workers must apply for a permit. This is also the case if you work in a private home, a club, as a window prostitute or for an escort agency
- You must be at least 21 to apply for a permit. And you must have a residency permit
- You will meet a municipal employee who will determine whether you are ‘sufficiently self-reliant’. That means that you can take care of yourself and are not being forced into sex work. It is not yet exactly clear what the rules will be
- Do you get a permit? In that case, your name will be added to a list of sex workers. That list is confidential. That means that other people cannot just look up whether or not you are a sex worker
- Do you work independently? If so, you also have to apply for a permit for your sex company at your local municipality’s offices. In other words, you need to apply for two permits: one for yourself and one for your company
- Are you working without a permit? If you do, you can get a fine
The Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament still have to vote on this bill. The rules will apply once they have adopted the bill.
Read more about the Wet Regulering Sekswerk (Sex Work Regulation Act)
Properly organize your work affairs
Do you want to know more about your rights and obligations as a sex worker? And what about taxes, permits and working as a self-employed person (zzp’er)? You can find the information in various languages on Prostitutie Goed Geregeld.