Age Verification LawsUS states
Ohio age verification laws
Since 30 September 2025, sites with material obscene or harmful to juveniles must verify that users in Ohio are 18 or older.1 The separate parental consent law for social media is still blocked.2
Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources.
The two laws at a glance
| Law | What it requires | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Revised Code 1349.10, from HB 96 (2025) | Age verification on sites where obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material is a significant or substantial part of the business1 | In force |
| Revised Code 1349.09, Social Media Parental Notification Act (2023) | A parent's verifiable consent before a child under 16 can sign up to a covered social site3 | Blocked |
Adult sites: Revised Code 1349.10
Enacted by House Bill 96 of the 136th General Assembly, effective 30 September 2025.1
What a site must do
Verify the age of anyone trying to reach the material, and of anyone opening an account, with a commercial system that uses photo ID or public or private transactional data. Account holders must be checked again every two years.1
Sites must also use a geofence from a licensed location provider and block people in Ohio until their age is verified.1
What a site may keep
Information gathered for the check must be deleted as soon as the check is done, except what is kept for account access and billing. That data must be deleted on the account holder's request.1
Internet providers, mobile services, cloud providers and interactive computer services are excluded.1
Questions people ask
Is Ohio's social media age law in effect?
No, as of 28 October 2026. The appeals court ruled against the block on 18 June 2026 but stayed its mandate on 17 August 2026, so the block stays for now.2
When did Ohio's age verification law start?
Revised Code 1349.10 took effect on 30 September 2025.1
What ID can Ohio sites ask for?
The law names photo identification, including government ID from another state or country, and public or private transactional data.1
Sources 3
- Ohio Revised Code section 1349.10, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Read 28 October 2026 from the Internet Archive copy of 14 July 2026 (the live site did not load for us).
- NetChoice v. Yost (Ohio), case timeline, NetChoice (the challenger). Read 28 October 2026.
- Ohio Revised Code section 1349.09, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Read 28 October 2026 from the Internet Archive copy of 2 September 2026.
Every fact here comes from the law or the court record, checked again and dated. How we check
Social media: the parental notification law
It covers sites that target children or are reasonably expected to be used by them. Consent can be given by a signed form, a card transaction, a staffed phone line or video call, or a government ID check that is deleted afterwards.3