What state banned VPNs?

What state banned VPNs? Utah's SB 73 Explained

Many internet users rely on digital privacy tools for daily security, but recent state regulations create new legal complexities regarding their use. Understanding these restrictions is vital to avoid potential liability when accessing specific content online. Learn the details of What state banned VPNs? to navigate these emerging legal requirements effectively.

Is There a State That Banned VPNs?

As of May 2026, Utah is the only U.S. state to enact a law that specifically targets Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). ^[1] While it is not a total ban on the technology itself, the states Online Age Verification Amendments (SB 73) make it illegal to use a VPN for the purpose of bypassing age-verification requirements on adult-oriented websites. The law effectively treats using a VPN to hide your location from these age gates as a violation, placing significant legal pressure on both users and service providers.

The situation is complex because of a recent legal pause. While the law officially took effect on May 6, 2026, enforcement of the specific provisions regarding VPNs has been delayed until September 3, 2026,^[2] due to ongoing lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the mandate. This means that while the law is technically on the books, Utah residents currently have a short grace period before the state begins active enforcement.

Understanding the Utah VPN Law (SB 73)

The core of the Utah legislation focuses on geofencing and liability. Under SB 73, any website that hosts a substantial portion of content deemed harmful to minors must implement rigorous age verification for users physically located in Utah. If a user utilizes a VPN to appear as if they are in another state, the law holds the website liable for failing to block that user. This creates a scenario where websites may choose to block all known Utah adult site age check VPN traffic from Utah just to avoid the risk of heavy fines.

VPN adoption reached 23% among global internet users by early 2026, reflecting how mainstream these tools have become for privacy and security.^[3] However, Utahs approach is the first of its kind in the United States to treat these privacy tools as a loophole to be closed.

I remember talking to a colleague in Salt Lake City who was genuinely worried - they use a VPN 24/7 for remote work security. They werent trying to break any laws, but suddenly, their daily security routine felt like a legal gray area. It is this overlap between legitimate privacy and specific content restriction that makes the law so controversial.

What the Law Prohibits

The law doesnt just target the act of using a VPN; it also restricts information. Commercial entities are prohibited from: Providing instructions on how to use a VPN to bypass state age checks. Facilitating or encouraging the use of circumvention tools for Utah residents. Helping users navigate around geofencing technologies designed to identify Utah IP addresses.

Other States Considering VPN Restrictions

Utah is the pioneer, but it isnt the only state that has flirted with these restrictions. Lawmakers in Wisconsin and Michigan have both introduced bills that mirrored Utahs intent. In Wisconsin, the original proposal would have required adult sites to block all VPN users entirely. However, following intense pushback from digital rights advocates, Wisconsin lawmakers removed the VPN-specific ban from their age-verification bill in February 2026.^[4] This highlights a growing national tension: states want to protect minors, but doing so often requires breaking the very tools that protect everyones privacy.

In my experience watching these bills move through state houses, there is a recurring pattern of technical whack-a-mole. Legislators often view VPNs simply as a way to cheat the system, ignoring that millions use them for data encryption on public Wi-Fi or to prevent advertiser tracking. Michigans bill, for instance, sought to ban the sale of circumvention tools altogether - a move so broad it would have impacted enterprise-level security software. For now, those bills have either been watered down or stalled, leaving Utah as the sole state moving forward with active Utah SB 73 VPN law mandates.

Is it Illegal to Use a VPN in the U.S.?

Outside of the specific use case in Utah, VPNs remain 100% legal across the United States. They are recognized as essential tools for digital security, remote work, and personal privacy. In fact, global internet freedom reports in 2026 still rank the U.S. as a region with high VPN availability, scoring it 64 out of 100 on the freedom scale -^[5] comparable to Japan and Australia. The ban in Utah is a narrow usage restriction, not a prohibition of the software. If you are concerned about your digital rights, it is worth asking: is it illegal to use a VPN in Utah? or in other US states regulating VPN use?

VPN Regulation Status by State

Utah (SB 73) ⭐

- Most restrictive in U.S.; targets both users and platforms

- Law enacted; enforcement of VPN provisions paused until Sept 2026

- Illegal to use VPN to bypass age gates; websites liable for VPN access

Wisconsin

- Requires age checks but allows VPN use for general privacy

- Age verification bill passed without VPN restrictions

- VPN ban provision was removed in Feb 2026 following backlash

Michigan

- High potential impact, but currently no active law

- Proposed legislation; currently stalled in committee

- Proposed ban on sale/promotion of circumvention tools

The Compliance Struggle of a Small Content Provider

Minh, a developer for a small independent educational site that hosts some mature artistic content, faced a major dilemma when Utah's SB 73 was signed. He wanted to keep his site open but feared the 'liability trap' of accidentally serving Utah minors who might use a VPN to mask their location.

Initially, Minh tried to implement a basic IP-blocking service to filter out all known VPN addresses. But the first attempt backfired - the list wasn't exhaustive, and his site accidentally blocked several legitimate paying subscribers who were using VPNs for work security in neighboring Nevada.

He realized that chasing every VPN IP was a losing game. The breakthrough came when he shifted from simple blocking to a 'reasonable efforts' approach, implementing a pop-up that explicitly detects VPN signatures and requires a second layer of confirmation for those users.

By June 2026, Minh's site managed to maintain compliance with zero reported violations. While the solution cost an extra $400 a month in third-party verification fees, it prevented the total site shutdown he had originally feared.