Burkini Laws & Pool Policies by Country
There is no single global rule on burkinis. Restrictions exist at some pools, cities, and private venues rather than at the national level.
For example, a court overturned a local pool ban in Koblenz, Germany, in 2019, while Geneva, Switzerland, currently allows burkinis because a proposed new restriction has been provisionally suspended pending legal proceedings.
France is the clearest exception. In 2022, the Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative court, upheld restrictions on burkinis in municipal public pools. Elsewhere covered in this guide, the recent legal trend generally favors allowing burkinis because courts and public authorities have increasingly overturned, suspended, or rejected local restrictions.
Which Countries or Locations Currently Restrict Burkinis
| Location | Status | Scope | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Banned | Public/municipal pools nationally, following the Conseil d'État's 2022 Grenoble ruling . Beaches are not covered by this ruling. | 2022 |
| Flemish region, Belgium | Banned (many municipal pools) | According to a 2018 academic study , most municipal swimming pools in Flanders applied dress codes banning burkinis. This reflects a widespread municipal practice rather than a national law. The current 2026 position has not been independently reconfirmed. | Reported 2018 |
| Hainfeld, Austria | Banned | One town's public pool under a local 2016 decree. | 2016 |
| Varallo Sesia, Italy | Banned | One town's pools and riversides under a 2009 mayoral order , with a €500 fine for violations. | 2009 |
| Koblenz, Germany | Permitted | A city pool ban introduced in 2019 was overturned by a court on constitutional equal-treatment grounds . | Since June 2019 |
| Geneva, Switzerland | Permitted (provisionally) | A 2017 dress-code rule effectively banning burkinis was later amended to allow them. In 2026, voters approved new restrictions, but the measure was provisionally suspended pending legal proceedings . Burkinis therefore remain permitted while the case is before the courts. | Since 2023 |
| Vantaa, Finland | Permitted | City pools relaxed their general swimwear dress code rules. | Since January 2023 |
| Salzburg, Austria | Permitted | A 2026 court ruling held that a private hotel's burkini pool ban amounted to religious discrimination . | 2026 |
See History of the Burkini for the full France timeline, including the 2016 beach-ban controversy and the 2022 municipal pool ruling. This table focuses on current pool and beach policies rather than the broader legal history.
Who Makes Burkini Rules
| Authority | Where the Rules Apply |
|---|---|
| National government | National laws, where applicable. |
| Municipal or local government | Public swimming pools and local facilities. |
| Private businesses | Hotels, resorts, water parks, and private clubs. |
| Beach operators | Private beaches and beach clubs. |
Because different authorities can create different rules, a country's national position may not always reflect the policy of an individual swimming pool or hotel.
Are Burkini Bans Different from Face-Covering Bans
Yes. A burkini ban regulates body-covering swimwear. A face-covering ban regulates garments such as the niqab or burqa that cover the face, which is a different legal category. Burkinis do not cover the face.
The Netherlands and Denmark both prohibit face-covering burqas and niqabs in certain public settings but do not have burkini-specific bans. Austria illustrates the distinction clearly. Its national law prohibits face coverings in public, yet the Salzburg ruling confirmed that a burkini does not fall within that law because it leaves the face, hands, and feet uncovered.
Sri Lanka's 2019 face-covering ban, introduced after the Easter Sunday bombings and later lifted, applied to face coverings rather than swimwear. Morocco's 2017 restriction on the manufacture and sale of burqas was likewise directed at face-covering garments for stated security reasons, not at burkinis.
These measures are sometimes mistakenly included in online lists of "burkini bans" because they involve different garments with similar names. Checking the underlying law or policy helps distinguish face-covering restrictions from swimwear rules.
Is the Legal Trend Moving Toward Allowing or Restricting Burkinis
Overall, recent legal developments have favored allowing burkinis.
Germany's Koblenz pool ban was overturned in 2019 on constitutional equal-treatment grounds. Geneva moved from restricting burkinis to allowing them by 2023. Although Geneva voters approved new restrictions in 2026, the measure has been provisionally suspended while legal proceedings continue, so the previous rules remain in effect for now. In Austria, a court ruled in 2026 that a private hotel's burkini ban amounted to religious discrimination.
France remains the clearest exception. In 2022, the Conseil d'État upheld restrictions on burkinis in municipal public pools, making France the most prominent current example where restrictions remain in force rather than being removed or suspended.
What Should You Check Before Swimming Somewhere with a Burkini
Check the rules of the specific pool, hotel, or beach rather than relying only on the country's national law. Local authorities and private venues may adopt their own dress codes, and those rules can differ from the national legal position. The Salzburg case shows that a private venue's policy may later be challenged successfully under anti-discrimination law, while the Geneva proceedings demonstrate that local restrictions can also be suspended pending judicial review.
For destinations in the UAE, see Beach Dress Code in Dubai for guidance on what is generally expected at beaches and pools.
