Am I allowed to beg in Sweden?
There is no national ban on begging, and in Stockholm passive begging is allowed. A municipality may, however, adopt local bans on "passive collection of money" under the Public Order Act, in specifically designated, geographically limited areas. The Supreme Administrative Court upheld such a ban in the Vellinge case (HFD 2018:75), and about 16–19 municipalities have local bans today. The bans apply only inside the designated zones — step outside the zone and begging is lawful again. The City of Stockholm has no begging ban, but it does require a police permit for active money collection with a tin. Breach a local ban and you can get a fixed fine. A national ban was rejected by an inquiry in 2025.
📋 The rules
- No national ban on begging
- In Stockholm passive begging is allowed
- Municipalities can adopt local bans in designated areas
- Upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court (Vellinge, HFD 2018:75)
- Active collection with a tin needs a police permit
🔓 Exceptions
- Active money collection with a tin needs a police permit even where begging is allowed
- Local bans apply only within the specifically designated zones
- A national ban was rejected by an inquiry in 2025
⚠️ Penalties & fines
In Stockholm and most of Sweden, passive begging is no offence at all — there is simply no penalty to impose. Anyone in a municipality with a local ban, by contrast, risks a fixed fine, usually in the range 200–4,000 kr, but only inside the zones the ban expressly designates. Two things can still be punishable wherever you stand: aggressive behaviour can be judged as molestation, and active collection with a tin needs a police permit even where begging is allowed. The line is drawn at the passive.
📎 Official sources
- HFD 2018:75 (Vellinge) · Lagen.nu →
- Public Order Act (1993:1617) · Riksdagen →
- City of Stockholm · Local order bylaws →
❓ Frequently asked
Is begging illegal in Sweden?
No, there is no national ban, and in Stockholm passive begging is allowed. An inquiry rejected a national ban as recently as 2025, but individual municipalities can still forbid begging inside designated zones.
Can a municipality ban begging?
Yes, in specifically designated and geographically limited areas under the Public Order Act. The Supreme Administrative Court upheld such a ban in the Vellinge case, and about 16–19 municipalities have adopted one.
Does Stockholm have a begging ban?
No, the City of Stockholm has no begging ban. The city does require a permit for active money collection with a tin, so the line falls between collecting actively and sitting passively.
What happens if I breach a local ban?
You can get a fixed fine, usually in the range 200–4,000 kr. The fine can only be imposed inside the zones the municipality's ban expressly designates, not across the whole municipality.
Do I need a permit to collect money?
Active collection with a tin needs a police permit, even in a municipality such as Stockholm where passive begging is allowed. It is the form of collection, not the begging itself, that triggers the permit.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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