The paper examines the Catholics’ legal status peculiarities in Riga and Reval in the 18th century within the framework of a multi-confessional Russian Empire formation. Based on the analysis of published laws and legal acts, materials from the Russian State Historical Archive and the Archive of Foreign Policy in the Russian Empire, foreigners’ memoirs, as well as domestic and foreign historiography, the paper examines the main laws and legislative acts regulating the situation of the Catholic population in Riga and Reval and their application specifics. It shows the activities of the Catholic clergy and the local Catholic elite in organizing free Catholic worship, as well as Riga and Reval Protestants’ attitude towards it. As a result, the author came to the conclusion that the Catholics’ legal status in Riga and Reval was based on contradictory legislative acts, while in reality it largely depended on the local elite and the military administration. © 2025, Ltd "Integration: Education and Science". All rights reserved.