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State profile

Maryland age-verification & online ID laws

In effect HB 603 / SB 571 (2024) effective Oct 1, 2024

Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code (the Maryland Kids Code), signed by Gov.

Laws & bills on record

Social media

In effect
Bill / statute
HB 603 / SB 571 (2024)
Status
Active law in effect
Effective
Oct 1, 2024

Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code (the Maryland Kids Code), signed by Gov. Moore May 9, 2024 and effective Oct 1, 2024 -- the second state design code after California. It requires covered online services likely to be accessed by under-18s to complete data-protection impact assessments (first due April 1, 2026), default to high-privacy settings, and avoid data practices that are not in a child's best interests; fines run $2,500-$7,500 per child. It is an age-assurance / design-code law, not an ID gate. NetChoice sued in Feb 2025; on Nov 24, 2025 the federal court denied Maryland's motion to dismiss but did NOT enjoin the law, so it remains in effect.

Timeline
  • May 9, 2024Scheduled
  • Oct 1, 2024In effect

Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov

Adult content

Failed
Bill / statute
HB 394 (2025); HB 672 (2024)
Status
Bill introduced, then failed

Stand-alone adult-content age-verification bills (HB 672 in 2024, HB 394 in 2025) failed to pass. Maryland's enacted Kids Code (the Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code, 2024) is a design-code statute imposing default privacy and data-protection duties on services likely to be accessed by children -- not an ID-check age-verification mandate -- and it was partially enjoined in NetChoice v. Brown.

Timeline
  • Jan 10, 2024Proposed
  • Apr 7, 2025Failed

Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov

Digital ID

This state issues a mobile driver's license / state digital ID that residents can load into a phone wallet; it is on the AAMVA mDL list and TSA's digital-ID program.

Effective: Live

Source: tsa.gov

Frequently asked questions

Does Maryland require age verification to access adult websites?

No -- a bill was introduced but failed. HB 394 (2025); HB 672 (2024) is failed. Stand-alone adult-content age-verification bills (HB 672 in 2024, HB 394 in 2025) failed to pass.

Does Maryland require age checks or ID to use social media?

Yes. HB 603 / SB 571 (2024) is in effect, effective Oct 1, 2024. Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code (the Maryland Kids Code), signed by Gov.

Does Maryland have a digital ID requirement?

This state issues a mobile driver's license / state digital ID that residents can load into a phone wallet; it is on the AAMVA mDL list and TSA's digital-ID program.

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