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Age verification laws by state: the app store and device laws
Five states now require app stores, and in California operating system providers, to collect or verify users' ages and pass an age signal to app developers. Dates and court rulings keep moving, so this page is reviewed every 30 days.
- Texas's App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) is enforceable while a First Amendment appeal continues. The Fifth Circuit stayed the district court's injunction in May and June 2026.
- California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) and Alabama's App Store Accountability Act (HB 161) both start on 1 January 2027.
- Utah moved its main obligations to 6 May 2027, and Louisiana moved its law to 1 July 2027.
- These laws bind app stores, operating system providers and app developers. They do not place duties on accountants, lawyers, real estate agents or other professional firms.
What it is
Texas, Utah, Louisiana and Alabama follow one model, the App Store Accountability Act. An app store must ask for a user's age when an account is created, verify it, sort the user into an age category, and for minors link the account to a parent and get the parent's consent before downloads and purchases. The store then shares the age category and consent status with app developers. Alabama uses four categories: under 13, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, and 18 or over (Hunton).
California takes a different path. AB 1043 puts the duty on operating system providers to show an interface at account setup where the account holder enters the user's birth date or age, and to send an age bracket signal to developers that ask for it. It relies on self-declaration and does not require age verification (Kelley Drye). A follow-up bill, AB 1856, passed the Legislature in August 2026 to exempt openly licensed operating systems. Check its final status on the California legislature site.
Texas is the live test. A federal district court blocked SB 2420 in December 2025, days before its 1 January 2026 start. The Fifth Circuit stayed that injunction on 28 May 2026 and confirmed the stay pending appeal on 5 June 2026 (Wiley via Legal 500). The Supreme Court declined an emergency application to block the law in July 2026. As at 5 November 2026 we found no Fifth Circuit decision on the merits.
Who it applies to
These laws regulate the companies that run app marketplaces and devices, and the developers who publish apps through them:
- App stores and other mobile app marketplaces serving users in Texas, Utah, Louisiana and Alabama.
- Operating system providers in California, and covered app stores under its definitions.
- App developers, who must rate their apps, use the age signal they receive and tell the store about significant changes.
Professional firms such as accountants, lawyers, conveyancers, real estate agents and financial advisers have no duties under these laws in that capacity. The relevance is indirect. A firm that publishes its own client app through an app store becomes a developer for that app. And the laws show regulators asking for proof of age, a different question from the proof of identity that AML rules require.
What you have to do
Each duty below sits with a platform or developer. None of them maps to a professional firm's client due diligence work.
- Collect and verify age at account creation
App stores in Texas, Utah, Louisiana and Alabama must request and verify a user's age category. Alabama lets the attorney general set verification methods.
App stores - Get parental consent for minors
Minor accounts must be linked to a parent account, with verifiable parental consent before app downloads and purchases, including in-app purchases.
App stores - Provide an age signal at device setup
In California from 1 January 2027, operating system providers must ask for a birth date or age at account setup and send an age bracket signal to developers on request.
Operating system providers - Rate apps and act on the signal
Developers must assign age ratings, use the age category they receive to apply age-based restrictions, and notify the store of significant changes. Louisiana's 2026 amendment lets developers rely on the store's age and consent signals.
App developers
What firms get wrong
Age assurance and identity verification are often treated as the same thing. They are different checks for different laws.
Only Texas is enforceable now, and its law is still under appeal. California and Alabama start on 1 January 2027, Utah on 6 May 2027 and Louisiana on 1 July 2027.
The duties fall on app stores, operating system providers and developers. A professional firm is covered only for an app it publishes itself.
AB 1043 asks the account holder to enter an age or birth date. It does not require photo ID or facial recognition.
What happens when
- In force
Texas Governor signs SB 2420, effective 1 January 2026 Source
- Commencing
California Governor signs AB 1043, the Digital Age Assurance Act Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Delayed
Louisiana Governor signs HB 977 (Act 185), moving the Louisiana law to 1 July 2027 Source
- In force
Fifth Circuit stays the injunction against Texas SB 2420; stay pending appeal confirmed 5 June 2026 Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- In force
Supreme Court declines emergency applications to block Texas SB 2420 Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Commencing
California AB 1043 and Alabama HB 161 take effect Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Delayed
Utah's main obligations apply after HB 498 amendments Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Delayed
Louisiana App Store Accountability Act takes effect Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Commencing
Alabama deadline to verify age and consent for app store accounts existing on 2 October 2026 Source
Confirmed by secondary sources; the regulator has not published the exact date.
- Not yet setProposed
Fifth Circuit decision on the merits of the Texas challenge Source
Not yet confirmed. We will update this when the date is set.
Also on the regulatory timeline.
Questions people ask
Which states have app store age verification laws?
Texas, Utah, Louisiana and Alabama have App Store Accountability Acts. California's Digital Age Assurance Act puts a similar age signal duty on operating system providers.
Is the Texas app store law in effect?
Yes, while the appeal continues. The Fifth Circuit stayed the district court's injunction in May and June 2026, and the Supreme Court declined to block the law in July 2026. The constitutional challenge is still open.
How are these laws enforced?
The attorney general enforces the Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and California laws. California allows civil penalties of up to $2,500 per affected child for negligent violations and $7,500 for intentional ones. Utah's amended law relies only on private actions, with statutory damages of up to $1,000 per violation.
Do these laws apply to accountants, lawyers or real estate agents?
No, not in that capacity. They apply to app stores, operating system providers and app developers. Client identity checks for AML purposes come from other rules, such as the AML/CTF Rules 2025 in Australia.
Is age assurance the same as identity verification?
No. Age assurance answers whether someone is over or under an age. Identity verification answers who someone is. See types of identity verification.
Primary sources
Checked 5 Nov 2026. We review this page every 30 days and when the rules change.
- Texas Legislature Online, SB 2420 bill history
- Louisiana Legislature, HB 977 (2026), Act 185
- Wiley Rein via Legal 500, state App Store Accountability Acts update (secondary)
- Hunton Andrews Kurth, Alabama App Store Accountability Act (secondary)
- Kelley Drye, Digital Age Assurance Act FAQs (secondary)
- McDermott via JD Supra, Utah HB 498 amendments (secondary)
- Alston & Bird, Louisiana delay to July 2027 (secondary)
- CCIA, Supreme Court declines to block Texas law (secondary, a party)
Where StackGo fits
StackGo has no role in complying with these laws. IdentityCheck is built for regulated professional firms verifying the identity of their clients. It does not do age assurance or age estimation, and it is not an app store age signal.
- Biometric identity verification for client due diligence: a photo of a government ID document plus a live selfie with liveness, covering 12,500 document types from 230+ countries and territories.
- No age assurance, age estimation or parental consent tools.
- It does not connect to app store or operating system age signal interfaces.
- No legal advice on whether your app is covered.
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