Best in Østlandet, Norway

Norway criminalises the purchase of sex, not its sale. Under § 316 of the Penal Code anyone who obtains sexual intercourse or a sexual act by giving or agreeing payment faces a fine or up to one year in prison; since 2021 this also covers paying someone to perform sexual acts on themselves. § 315 punishes promoting the prostitution of others and renting out premises for prostitution with up to six years, and an unequivocal public announcement offering, mediating or requesting prostitution with a fine or up to six months. The Penal Code Council proposed decriminalising purchases between adults in 2022; the government declined, and in 2026 the Storting rejected a proposal for a public review of the law. Source: Prostitution Laws (prostitutionlaws.org), https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/norway/, reviewed 2026-11-04, CC BY 4.0.