Is Pornhub blocked in Washington, DC?
It depends which side of the state line you're on. In Washington, suburban Maryland and south-central Pennsylvania, Pornhub is available. In Northern Virginia (since June 29, 2023) and West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle (since June 12, 2026), Pornhub is blocked.
Which side of the line are you on?
| Area | Pornhub | State law |
|---|---|---|
| WashingtonWashington | No law; Pornhub available | No law |
| Northern VirginiaArlington, Alexandria, Fairfax | Pornhub blocked since Jun 29, 2023 | Law in effectsince Jul 1, 2023 |
| suburban MarylandSilver Spring, Rockville, Hagerstown | No law; Pornhub available | No law |
| West Virginia's Eastern PanhandleMartinsburg, Charles Town, Shepherdstown | Pornhub blocked since Jun 12, 2026 | Law in effectsince Jun 12, 2026 |
| south-central PennsylvaniaChambersburg | Bill moving; Pornhub available | Bill moving |
Is Pornhub blocked in Washington?
No. Washington is in Washington, DC, where there is no age-verification law for porn sites, and Pornhub is available.
District of Columbia: the law, the timeline and its sources →
Is Pornhub blocked in Northern Virginia?
Yes. Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax are in Virginia, where Pornhub has been blocked since June 29, 2023, in response to Virginia law (SB 1515).
Is Pornhub blocked in suburban Maryland?
No. Silver Spring, Rockville and Hagerstown are in Maryland, where there is no age-verification law for porn sites, and Pornhub is available.
Is Pornhub blocked in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle?
Yes. Martinsburg, Charles Town and Shepherdstown are in West Virginia, where Pornhub has been blocked since June 12, 2026, in response to West Virginia law (HB 4412).
Is Pornhub blocked in south-central Pennsylvania?
No. Chambersburg is in Pennsylvania, where no age-verification law for porn sites is in effect yet, though a bill is moving, and Pornhub is available.
Why does Pornhub think I'm in Virginia?
Websites estimate where you are from your IP address, not your street address. Mobile carriers and some internet providers route traffic through regional hubs that can sit across a state line, so a phone in Washington can appear to be in Virginia.
When a site shows another state's notice, the cause is usually where your network's IP address is registered, not the law where you are.
Why does Pornhub load for some people in Northern Virginia?
Sites decide where you are from your network's IP address. A connection registered across the state line can be treated as being there, which is why the same site can behave differently for neighbours on the same street.
Virginia law (SB 1515) puts its duties on websites, not on the people who visit them.
Local coverage
- 'Why am I getting threats... seriously, your porn?': Va. state senator sparks outrage with age-verification law WTOP News, Jul 12, 2023
Backlash and threats aimed at sponsor Sen. Bill Stanley after Pornhub stopped serving Virginia; Free Speech Coalition weighing a challenge. - 'Is Pornhub down?' — Yes, if you live in Virginia WTOP News, Jul 1, 2023
Pornhub went dark for Virginia users as the age-verification law took effect; notes a spike in Virginia Google searches for VPNs. - Pornhub blocks access in Virginia Potomac Local, Jun 30, 2023
Northern Virginia local outlet reports Pornhub disabled its site in Virginia ahead of the July 1 law. - Youngkin signs law requiring stringent age verification for porn sites WTOP News, May 13, 2023
Gov. Youngkin signs SB 1515, requiring ID, biometric or software age checks on sites with a large share of adult content, effective July 1, 2023.
Local lawmakers
Sources
Each state's status comes from its own page, where every fact is sourced: District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania.
- 'Is Pornhub down?' — Yes, if you live in Virginia (WTOP News)News · Jul 1, 2023
- 'Why am I getting threats... seriously, your porn?': Va. state senator sparks outrage with age-verification law (WTOP News)News · Jul 12, 2023
- Youngkin signs law requiring stringent age verification for porn sites (WTOP News)News · May 13, 2023
- Pornhub blocks access in Virginia (Potomac Local)News · Jun 30, 2023
- J. Chapman Petersen, SB 1515 (2023) (legacylis.virginia.gov)Legislature
- Joe Funkhouser, HB 4412 (2026) (wvlegislature.gov)Legislature
- Geolocation accuracy (MaxMind (IP geolocation provider))Geolocation · 2025
- GeoIP accuracy comparison (MaxMind (IP geolocation provider))Geolocation · 2026
- IP Geolocation Databases: Unreliable? (ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review)Geolocation · Apr 1, 2011
- RFC 8805: A Format for Self-Published IP Geolocation Feeds (IETF)Geolocation · Aug 1, 2020
This page is general information, not legal advice. Last verified October 26, 2026 by the Editorial Team. See something wrong or out of date? Report a correction. How we work: methodology.