Uruguay regulates sex work under Law 17.515 of 2002. Sex work is lawful for people over 18 who are listed in the National Sex Work Register, kept by the Ministries of Public Health and the Interior, and who hold a health card issued free of charge after periodic medical checks; registered workers may not be detained for the activity alone. Sex work may be offered in zones set by each departmental government and in licensed brothels, whiskerías and similar venues, which need municipal and police authorisation and may be run only by a natural person. Breaches by workers or venue owners carry fines of 5 to 100 indexed units. Exploiting another person's prostitution for profit remains a crime under Law 8.080. A 2024 bill backed by a Chamber committee would abolish the register and the health card. Source: Prostitution Laws (prostitutionlaws.org), https://prostitutionlaws.org/countries/uruguay/, reviewed 2026-11-04, CC BY 4.0.