Since 2020, a German federal law bans so-called conversion therapy for under-18s and for adults who consent under coercion or deception. What the law covers, what it does not, and where anonymous counselling is available (as of October 2026).
"You can change that" is a sentence heard in congregations, in families and sometimes in clinics. Since 2020, part of what stands behind it has been against the law in Germany. Knowing what the law covers and what it does not makes it easier to spot when a line has been crossed. The information is current as of October 2026 and is based on the statute itself and on the German Federal Ministry of Health.
What the law means
The Act on the Protection against Conversion Treatments was drafted by the Federal Ministry of Health. The cabinet approved the draft in December 2019, the Bundestag passed it in 2020, and it took effect the day after promulgation. A conversion treatment is any treatment of a person that aims to change or suppress sexual orientation or self-perceived gender identity. In everyday speech it often goes by other names: "reparative therapy", "healing" or simply "therapy".
Some things are expressly excluded. Treatment of medically recognised disorders of sexual preference does not count. Gender-affirming surgery and hormone treatment that match a person's self-perceived gender identity are not conversion treatment either.
Who is protected
- Under 18: Any conversion treatment is prohibited. That holds even if the parents agree.
- 18 and over: The ban applies when consent rests on a defect of will, such as coercion or deception. An adult who decides freely and with full knowledge is not covered by the ban.
For young adults especially, the line between a free choice and pressure is hard to draw. Talking to a counselling service can help you read your own situation before you sign or start anything.
What is prohibited, and the penalties
The law is aimed at those who offer or carry out these treatments.
- Anyone who carries out a conversion treatment in breach of the ban faces up to one year in prison or a fine.
- Parents and guardians are exempt from that penalty as long as they do not grossly breach their duty of care or upbringing. This does not make everything parents do acceptable. It only settles when the statute's criminal penalty applies.
- Advertising conversion treatments, offering them and arranging them are all prohibited. Advertising or offering them is an administrative offence, punishable by a fine of up to 30,000 euros.
Whether a particular case falls under the law is for the courts to decide. If you come across an offer that looks like a conversion treatment, you can report it to the police, or first ask a counselling service how to assess the situation.
Common questions about scope
People are often unsure what exactly the law covers. Three points come up again and again.
Does it apply to trans people? Yes. Besides sexual orientation, the statute names self-perceived gender identity explicitly. Medical steps that match that identity are not conversion treatment, though.
Can a club or congregation advertise "change"? Advertising, offering and arranging such treatments are banned no matter who is behind them. Whether a conversation or a pastoral service counts depends on whether it is a treatment meant to change or suppress orientation or identity, and that cannot be answered in general terms.
Can parents send their child to such a treatment? For under-18s the treatment is prohibited, even with parental consent. The exemption in the penal provision only concerns whether the parents themselves are punished.
Counselling and help
The law obliges the federal government to maintain a counselling service by telephone and online (section 4). It is open to people affected, their relatives and anyone who deals with the subject in their work or private life. It is multilingual and anonymous. Online counselling on sexual and gender diversity runs through LIEBESLEBEN, a German-language site. Current phone numbers and hours are listed there, because they change from time to time.
Local queer counselling centres often support relatives too. If you are supporting someone close to you, the best approach is to listen without judging and not to force a conversation. If pressure towards "change" builds, bring in a counsellor early.
Where the information comes from
The full statute is available at gesetze-im-internet.de, and the ministry's explanation is on the Federal Ministry of Health's page on the conversion therapy ban. Both can change when parliament amends the law. The penalties in this text match the law as checked here, so anyone passing them on should say which version they mean.
In short
- Conversion treatments are prohibited for under-18s.
- For adults, the ban applies when consent rests on coercion or deception.
- Advertising, offering and arranging are prohibited; the fine can reach 30,000 euros.
- The federal counselling service is anonymous and multilingual.
Laws get amended. The current wording is on gesetze-im-internet.de, and a legal adviser can help with a specific case.
Frequently asked questions
Last reviewed: 17. October 2026
