Age Verification Laws
59 articles
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Age Verification Laws by State (2026): All 27 States and Court Status
27 states require age verification for adult sites. See each state's law, effective date and court status, the 2026 Utah VPN ruling, and what FSC v. Paxton held.
Alabama Age Verification Law: HB 164 Requirements Explained
Alabama requires age verification for adult content under HB 164, effective October 2024, plus a separate 10% adult-content tax. Requirements and penalties.
App Store Age Verification Laws: All 4 States Compared (2026)
Utah, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama require app stores to verify age. See each state's status, the Texas SCOTUS order explained, and Apple/Google's response.
Arizona Age Verification Law: HB 2112 Requirements Explained
Arizona requires age verification for adult content under HB 2112, enacted after FSC v. Paxton and unchallenged so far. Requirements, penalties, enforcement.
Arkansas Age Verification Law: Act 612 Requirements Explained
Arkansas requires age verification for adult content under Act 612, unchallenged and distinct from the state's struck-down social media law.
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Does Alaska Have an Age Verification Law? (2026 Update)
Alaska has not enacted an age-verification law for adult websites. What HB 254 and HB 239 proposed, why both failed, and what applies today.
Does California Have an Age Verification Law for Adult Websites? (2026)
California has not enacted an age-verification law for adult content. AB 3080 failed; AB 1043 is a different, device-level law taking effect in 2027.
Does Colorado Have an Age Verification Law? (2026 Update)
Colorado has not enacted an age-verification law for adult websites. Two bills failed in 2025-2026; a device-signal law, SB26-051, takes a different path.
Does Connecticut Have an Age Verification Law? (2026 Update)
Connecticut has no age-verification law for adult content. Its 2025-2026 bills target social media, and a 2023 privacy law is a separate statute.
Does Delaware Have an Age Verification Law? (2026 Update)
Delaware has not enacted an age-verification law for adult websites. House Bill 265 passed the House in 2024 but died in the Senate without a vote.
Does Hawaii Have an Age Verification Law? (2026 Update)
Hawaii has not enacted an age-verification law for adult websites. House Bill 1212 was carried over to a second session but never got a floor vote.
Does Illinois Have an Age Verification Law for Adult Websites? (2026)
Illinois has no age-verification law for adult content. Its enacted law, Public Act 104-0664, governs social media and device age signals instead.
Does Maine Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Maine has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. LD 1873 died in committee in June 2025, days before the Supreme Court's Paxton ruling.
Does Maryland Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Maryland has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. HB 394 died in committee in 2025 without a vote, and a separate privacy-law question remains open.
Does Massachusetts Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Massachusetts has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. H.1626 was sent to a study order in March 2026, and a separate social-media bill also stalled.
Does Michigan Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Michigan has no enacted adult-content age-verification law, but two competing bills, SB 191 and HB 4429, remain active in the Legislature as of August 2026.
Does Minnesota Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Minnesota has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. HF 1434 remains stuck in committee after a recall motion failed on a 67-67 tie vote.
Does Nevada Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Nevada has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. A 2025 bill reportedly stalled, and Nevada's Legislature does not meet again until 2027.
Does New Hampshire Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
New Hampshire has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. SB 648 passed the Senate in 2026 but died in the House on an Inexpedient to Legislate vote.
Does New Jersey Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
New Jersey has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. S 1826 remains in committee, with amendments reportedly still being negotiated as of mid-2026.
Does New Mexico Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
New Mexico has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. Two 2025 bills, HB 44 and HB 313, both died in committee. What that means for New Mexico.
Does New York Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
New York has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. S.3591 has now been defeated in committee twice. What New York's SAFE for Kids Act does instead.
Does Oregon Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Oregon has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. HB 2032 died in committee in 2025. What that means for Oregon residents and adult sites.
Does Pennsylvania Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Pennsylvania has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. Three bills, SB 603, HB 1513, and HB 2215, remain in committee. Current status explained.
Does Rhode Island Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Rhode Island has no enacted adult-content age-verification law, and no 2025-2026 bill to create one was found. What exists instead.
Does the District of Columbia Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
The District of Columbia has not enacted an age-verification law. No bill on adult-content age verification was found in DC Council records.
Does Vermont Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Vermont has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. H.301 targets social media, not adult sites. Vermont's Age-Appropriate Design Code explained.
Does Washington Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Washington has no enacted adult-content age-verification law. HB 2112 died before a key committee cutoff in 2026 after heavy public opposition. Details.
Does Wisconsin Have an Age Verification Law? (2026)
Wisconsin passed AB 105, an adult-content age-verification bill, through both chambers, but Governor Evers vetoed it and a veto-override attempt failed.
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Eleventh Circuit Reverses Injunction on Florida HB3 Social Media Law
The Eleventh Circuit held Florida HB3's limits on minors' social media accounts likely survive the First Amendment, reversing part of the injunction Oct. 14.
Eleventh Circuit Vacates Georgia SB 351 Social Media Injunction
The Eleventh Circuit vacated the injunction against Georgia SB 351's under-16 social media age-verification and parental-consent rules and remanded the case.
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Fifth Circuit Grants En Banc Rehearing in Texas SCOPE Act Case
The Fifth Circuit voted October 28, 2026 to rehear the Texas HB 18 SCOPE Act challenges en banc and vacated the July 24, 2026 panel opinion. No ruling yet.
Florida Age Verification Law: Two Provisions, Two Lawsuits, One AG Crackdown
Florida's HB 3 created separate social-media and adult-content verification rules with different court outcomes, plus active AG enforcement.
Florida Attorney General Sues Discord Over Child Safety Claims
Florida sued Discord Inc. on October 15, 2026 under FDUTPA and Fla. Stat. 501.1735, alleging false child safety marketing. What the complaint actually pleads.
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Georgia Age Verification Law: One Bill, Two Very Different Statutes
Georgia's SB 351 created two age-verification regimes: an enforced adult-content rule and a social-media rule blocked in court. Here's how to tell them apart.
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Idaho Age Verification Law: HB 498 Requirements Explained
Idaho requires age verification for adult content under HB 498, enforced through a private right of action with $10,000+ statutory damages per violation.
Indiana Age Verification Law: SB 17 Requirements Explained
Indiana's SB 17 age-verification law survived a First Amendment challenge, but a new AG enforcement suit against Pornhub's parent company is ongoing.
Iowa Age Verification Law: HF 864 Requirements Explained
Iowa's HF 864 requires age verification for adult content starting July 1, 2026, enforced exclusively by the Attorney General. Requirements explained.
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Judge Blocks Utah's VPN Age-Verification Clause, Not the Law
A federal judge preliminarily enjoined Utah Code 78B-3-1002(3), the VPN 'actually located' clause, on September 24, 2026. The age-verification duty stands.
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Kansas Age Verification Law: SB 394 Requirements Explained
Kansas's SB 394 age-verification law survives heavy litigation over jurisdiction, not constitutionality. Correct citation, penalties, and enforcement explained.
Kentucky Age Verification Law: HB 278 and KRS 436 Explained
Kentucky requires age verification for adult content under KRS 436.001 to 436.009 (HB 278, 2024). Enforcement is private-lawsuit only; the state cannot sue.
KOSA and COPPA 2.0: Federal Age-Verification Legislation (2026)
Neither KOSA nor COPPA 2.0 is law. As of November 4, 2026, four federal bills are pending. Each bill's status, what it would require and the FTC's role.
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Louisiana Age Verification Law: Act 440 and LA Wallet Explained
Louisiana's Act 440, the nation's first adult-content age-verification law, is enforced and unchallenged. Requirements, the LA Wallet exception, penalties.
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Mississippi Age Verification Law: SB 2346 and HB 1126 Explained
Mississippi has two age-verification laws: SB 2346 (adult content, unchallenged) and HB 1126 (social media), enforced pending appeal, never enjoined.
Missouri Age Verification Law (HB 1839): Rule vs. Statute
Missouri has enforced age verification for adult sites by AG rule since December 2025. HB 1839 codifies it, effective August 28, 2026.
Montana Age Verification Law: SB 544 and the 2025 Amendment Explained
Montana's age-verification law (Mont. Code Ann. §30-14-159) is now enforceable only by private damages suits after a 2025 amendment stripped AG authority.
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Nebraska Age Verification Law: LB 1092 Explained
Nebraska's LB 1092 requires age verification for adult sites, enforced only through private lawsuits. It is separate from LB 383, Nebraska's social media law.
North Carolina Age Verification Law: The PAVE Act Explained
North Carolina's PAVE Act (HB 8) requires age verification for adult content and took effect January 1, 2024, not July 1, 2024 as some sources report.
North Dakota Age Verification Law: NDCC 51-07-32 Explained
North Dakota's age-verification law, NDCC 51-07-32, took effect August 1, 2025 and is enforced only by private lawsuits. A separate app-store bill also exists.
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Ohio Age Verification Law: The Loophole Keeping Major Sites Open
Ohio has required age verification for adult sites since September 2025, but a drafting gap has reportedly let most major platforms keep operating without it.
Oklahoma Age Verification Law: SB 1959 Requirements Explained
Oklahoma's SB 1959 (15 Okla. Stat. §§791-791.4) requires age verification for adult sites, effective November 1, 2024, with both AG and private enforcement.
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South Carolina Age Verification Law: Child Online Safety Act Explained
South Carolina's Child Online Safety Act requires age verification for adult content, enforced by private damages suits and AG injunctions. Key dates explained.
South Dakota Age Verification Law: SDCL 22-24-69 Explained
South Dakota requires age verification for adult content under SDCL 22-24-69 to 22-24-72, with dual criminal and AG-only civil penalties. Details here.
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Tennessee Age Verification Law: Protect Tennessee Minors Act Explained
Tennessee's Protect Tennessee Minors Act requires age verification for adult content. The 6th Circuit stayed an injunction against it in January 2025, not 2026.
Texas Age Verification Law: Chapter 129B and FSC v. Paxton Explained
Texas requires age verification for adult sites under Ch. 129B, upheld by the Supreme Court in FSC v. Paxton. Requirements, penalties, and the App Store Act.
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Utah Age Verification Law: SB 287, SB 73, and the App Store Act
Utah's 2023 age-verification law is in force; a federal challenge was dismissed, and a 2026 VPN location rule is preliminarily enjoined. Rules explained.
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Virginia Age Verification Law: Two Separate Statutes, One Lobbying Push
Virginia has two age-verification laws: an enforced 2023 adult-content statute and a 2025 social-media law blocked for NetChoice members, plus a repeal push.
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West Virginia Age Verification Law: HB 4412 Requirements Explained
West Virginia's HB 4412 requires age verification for adult content, effective June 12, 2026. One of the newest state age-verification laws. Details here.
Wyoming Age Verification Law: W.S. 14-3-501 Requirements Explained
Wyoming's House Bill 43 requires age verification for adult content, with $5,000-per-instance private damages. Requirements, dates, and enforcement here.