Age Verification LawsUS states
Louisiana age verification laws
Louisiana has made adult sites check ages since 1 January 2023.1 Its social media law is blocked only for ten named companies, and its app store law starts on 1 July 2027.3, 5
Checked 1 November 2026 against the sources.
Louisiana's three laws
| Law | What it requires | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Act 440 (HB 142, 2022)Adult sites | Sites where more than a third of the material is harmful to minors must use reasonable age verification.1 | In force |
| Act 456 (SB 162, 2023)Social media | Platforms with at least five million account holders worldwide must verify ages and need a parent's consent for under-16s.2 | Partly blocked |
| Act 185 (HB 977, 2026)App stores and developers | App stores must verify the age category of new accounts, and link minors' accounts to a parent who consents to downloads and purchases.5 | Starts 1 Jul 2027 |
Adult sites: Act 440
Signed on 15 June 2022, Act 440 as enacted is enforced through lawsuits by individuals.1 It is a different law from the social media law a court blocked in 2025.
How a site can check
With a digitized ID card as defined in Louisiana law, or a commercial age verification system that uses a government ID or public or private transactional data, such as mortgage, education or employment records.1
What may be kept
No identifying information once access is granted, whether the site or a third party ran the check. A site that knowingly keeps it, or fails to check, can be sued for damages, court costs and attorney fees.1
App stores: Act 185
Signed on 15 May 2026, Act 185 repeals Act 481 of 2025, which never took effect, and replaces it.5, 6 Its main duties start on 1 July 2027.5 Every state's app store law
App stores and developers
Developers must use the store's age signal to enforce age limits. Where an app's own signal conflicts with the store's and the developer knows its own is more accurate, it must use its own or the lower age.5
Enforcement
The Attorney General, after written notice, with civil fines of up to $10,000 per violation, and up to $5,000 more per violation of a court or administrative order.5
Questions people ask
Is Louisiana's age verification law blocked?
When did Louisiana's age verification law start?
On 1 January 2023, for adult sites.1
Does the social media ruling cover every platform?
No. The injunction protects only the ten NetChoice members it names.3
When does Louisiana's app store law start?
Its main duties start on 1 July 2027. Some provisions took effect when it was signed on 15 May 2026.5
Sources 6
- Act 440 of 2022 (HB 142), text, and its history (signed 15 June 2022, effective 1 January 2023), Louisiana State Legislature. Read 1 November 2026.
- Act 456 of 2023 (SB 162), Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act, text as enacted, Louisiana State Legislature. Read 1 November 2026.
- NetChoice v. Murrill, No. 25-231-JWD-RLB, ruling and order of 15 December 2025, US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana (copy published by NetChoice). Read 1 November 2026.
- NetChoice v. Murrill (Louisiana), case timeline, NetChoice (the challenger). Read 1 November 2026 from the Internet Archive copy of 18 September 2026.
- Act 185 of 2026 (HB 977), résumé digest, Louisiana State Legislature. Read 1 November 2026.
- HB 977 (2026), history: signed by the Governor 15 May 2026, Act 185, Louisiana State Legislature. Read 1 November 2026.
Every fact here comes from the law or the court, checked again and dated. How we check
Social media: Act 456
The Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act also bars adults from messaging a minor who is not already connected to them, limits ads to age and location, and requires parental supervision tools.2 It took effect on 1 July 2025, and the state agreed not to enforce it before 19 December 2025 while the court decided.3 Other states' social media laws
What the court decided
On 15 December 2025 the federal court in Baton Rouge held that the law's requirements violate the First Amendment as applied to ten NetChoice members, and permanently barred the state from enforcing it against them.3
The ten companies
Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Nextdoor, Pinterest, Reddit, Snap, X, YouTube, Automattic (Tumblr), Discord and Amazon (Twitch).3 The order names no other platform.