Age Verification Laws Secria

Age Verification LawsUS states

Texas age verification laws

Texas has three: HB 1181 for adult sites, upheld by the Supreme Court,1 SB 2420 for app stores, enforced while its appeal runs,2 and HB 18 for digital services, partly blocked.3

Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources.

The three laws at a glance

LawWho must checkStatusTook effect
HB 1181 (2023)Commercial sites where more than a third of the material is sexual material harmful to minorsIn force1 Sep 20234
SB 2420 (2025)App stores, and the developers of apps sold in themIn force1 Jan 2026, blocked until 28 May 20265, 2
HB 18 (2023), SCOPE ActDigital services where users can post, talk to each other or keep a profilePartly blocked1 Sep 20246, 3
 Statuses as of 28 October 2026. This page describes laws and court rulings. It is not legal advice.

HB 1181: adult sites

The law covers a commercial entity that knowingly publishes material on a website, social media platforms included, more than one-third of which is sexual material harmful to minors.4

What a site must do

Check that the visitor is 18 or older, either with a digital ID or through a commercial age verification system that uses a government ID or "public or private transactional data", such as mortgage, education or employment records.4

The site, and any company that checks ages for it, may not keep identifying information about the visitor.4

Penalties

The Attorney General can sue for up to $10,000 for each day a site runs without the checks, $10,000 each time it keeps identifying information, and up to $250,000 more if a minor reached the material because of the violation.4

Search engines, internet providers and cloud services are not liable just for carrying the content.4

  1. Signed by the governor.7
  2. A federal district court blocks it, a day before its start date.8
  3. The Fifth Circuit pauses that block. On 14 November 2023 it stays it for the rest of the appeal.8
  4. The Supreme Court upholds the law, 6 to 3, in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. It held the law "triggers, and survives, review under intermediate scrutiny because it only incidentally burdens the protected speech of adults."1

SB 2420: app stores

The App Store Accountability Act moves the check to the app store. It applies when someone in Texas creates an account with an app store on a phone or tablet.5

What the store must do

Verify each new account holder's age category: under 13, 13 to 15, 16 or 17, or adult. A minor's account must be linked to a verified parent's account, and the store may not get one blanket consent for many downloads or purchases.5

The store must collect only the personal data it needs for these checks and may not share it beyond what the law requires.5

What iPhone users see

Apple said on 3 June 2026 that new Apple Accounts in Texas are subject to the law from 4 June 2026, with age checks and a parent's consent for a minor's downloads, In-App Purchases and significant app changes. Parents can withdraw consent for an app they approved.9

  1. Signed by the governor, to take effect on 1 January 2026.10
  2. Judge Robert Pitman blocks it before it starts, finding it likely unconstitutional.11
  3. The Fifth Circuit pauses the block. On 4 June 2026 it stays the block for the rest of the appeal, so the law can be enforced.2
  4. The Supreme Court refuses to lift that stay. It did not rule on whether the law is constitutional.12
  5. The appeal is still open at the Fifth Circuit. We found no decision on the merits.11

HB 18: the SCOPE Act

The Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act says a digital service may not open an account until the person registers their age. Anyone who registers as under 18 is treated as a known minor.6

What it asks of services

Unless a verified parent decides otherwise, services must limit the personal data they collect from known minors, must not sell it or show them targeted advertising, and must have a strategy to keep minors from harmful material. Verified parents get tools to supervise the account.6

Where it stands

A federal court blocked parts of it on 30 August 2024, and the Fifth Circuit upheld that block on 24 July 2026. Texas asked the full court to rehear the case on 28 August 2026; the challengers opposed on 24 September 2026.3

Questions people ask

Is it illegal to visit a site that does not check ages in Texas?

HB 1181 puts the duty and the penalties on the commercial entity that publishes the material. Its penalties are suits brought by the Attorney General against that entity.4

Is the Texas app store age verification law in effect?

Yes, as of 28 October 2026. The Fifth Circuit stayed the injunction on 4 June 2026, and the Supreme Court declined to lift the stay on 6 July 2026. The appeal on whether the law is constitutional continues.2, 12

Does SB 2420 apply to existing Apple Accounts?

Apple's June 2026 notice describes the change for new Apple Accounts in Texas.9 The law itself speaks of an individual in Texas who creates an account with an app store.5

What did the Supreme Court decide about HB 1181?

On 27 June 2025 it upheld the law under intermediate scrutiny. Justice Thomas wrote for six justices; Justice Kagan dissented, joined by Justices Sotomayor and Jackson.1

Sources 12
  1. Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-1122, decided 27 June 2025, Supreme Court of the United States. Read 28 October 2026.
  2. Application to vacate stay, No. 25A1390, 10 June 2026 (Fifth Circuit orders of 28 May and 4 June 2026), Computer & Communications Industry Association (the challenger), filed with the Supreme Court of the United States. Read 28 October 2026.
  3. CCIA and NetChoice v. Paxton (Texas, 2024), case timeline, NetChoice (the challenger). Read 28 October 2026.
  4. HB 1181, 88th Legislature, enrolled text, Texas Legislature Online. Read 28 October 2026.
  5. SB 2420, 89th Legislature, enrolled text, Texas Legislature Online. Read 28 October 2026.
  6. HB 18, 88th Legislature, enrolled text, Texas Legislature Online. Read 28 October 2026.
  7. HB 1181, 88th Legislature, history, Texas Legislature Online. Read 28 October 2026.
  8. Response to application 23A925, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, 26 April 2024 (timeline of the district court injunction and Fifth Circuit stays), Texas Attorney General, filed with the Supreme Court of the United States. Read 28 October 2026.
  9. Update for apps distributed in Texas, 3 June 2026, Apple Developer News. Read 28 October 2026.
  10. SB 2420, 89th Legislature, history, Texas Legislature Online. Read 28 October 2026.
  11. CCIA v. Paxton (W.D. Tex.), case timeline, Computer & Communications Industry Association (the challenger). Read 28 October 2026.
  12. Docket 25A1390, Computer & Communications Industry Association v. Paxton, Supreme Court of the United States. Read 28 October 2026.

Every fact here comes from the law, the court or the regulator, checked again and dated. How we check