Utah enforces age checks while VPN rule remains blocked

Utah began enforcing Senate Bill 73, the Online Age Verification Amendments, statewide on Monday, November 2. The law requires commercial websites with a substantial portion of material deemed harmful to minors to use “reasonable” methods to verify visitors are 18 or older. A federal court injunction blocks a separate provision targeting VPN and proxy users, but the state says it does not pause the law’s core age-check requirement.

Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection can issue fines of up to $2,500 per violation. The law’s 2% excise tax on covered sites has applied since October 1. The Department of Commerce says it uses specialized computing and auditing tools from enterprise technology partners to check compliance, but has not explained how they work.

Utah Code 78B-3-1002(3) treated anyone physically in the state as a Utah user, even if they used a VPN or proxy to mask their IP address. Adult site owner Aylo sued over the provision in April 2026. In September, U.S. District Judge David Barlow issued a preliminary injunction, finding that the rule effectively made sites strictly liable for locating every user with certainty and likely placed an excessive burden on interstate commerce.

Aylo has blocked Utah users since 2023, so its sites remain unavailable in the state. Other adult sites that serve Utah are expected to ask visitors to prove their age. The source reports this may involve an ID check or face scan through a third-party provider, and notes that digital rights groups such as the EFF have warned about sharing sensitive data with verification firms.