Is Pornhub blocked in North Carolina?
Yes. Pornhub has blocked North Carolina since January 1, 2024. North Carolina law (HB 8) took effect January 1, 2024.
Since January 1, 2024, North Carolina lets parents sue porn sites with more than a third adult content that don't verify visitors are 18 or older. Pornhub has blocked the state since then. A separate 2025 law also requires sites to verify the age and consent of everyone shown in porn they publish.
The law
| Status | Law in effect |
|---|---|
| Law | HB 8: HB 8 (Part: Pornography Age Verification Enforcement Act, 'PAVE Act') (text) |
| Citation | N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 66-500 to 66-501 (S.L. 2023-132, s. 3.20) |
| Signed | September 29, 2023 |
| In effect | January 1, 2024 |
| Who it covers | Commercial entities that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on the internet from a website where more than one-third of total material is harmful to minors. News and public-interest content is exempt; internet service providers, search engines and cloud service providers are not liable merely for providing access. |
| Accepted ID methods | commercially available database regularly used by businesses or government for age and identity verification; other commercially reasonable method of age and identity verification |
| Data rules | The site, or a third party verifying for it, may not retain identifying information after access is granted (G.S. 66-501(b)). |
| Enforcement | Private right of action only: a parent or guardian whose minor was allowed access, or a person whose identifying information was retained; no state agency enforcement. |
| Penalties | Injunctions, compensatory and punitive damages, and all costs and attorney fees, with legal interest on judgments; no fixed statutory fine. |
Why is Pornhub blocked in North Carolina?
Aylo blocked Pornhub in North Carolina when the PAVE Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2024 (WUNC). Axios Raleigh reported in August 2026 that Pornhub remained blocked and had written to Gov. Josh Stein and lawmakers asking them to reconsider the law; Stein's office did not commit to revisiting it.
When did Pornhub block North Carolina?
Pornhub stopped serving North Carolina on January 1, 2024. North Carolina law (HB 8) took effect January 1, 2024.
Is porn banned in North Carolina?
No. North Carolina doesn't ban porn. North Carolina law (HB 8) sets age-verification rules for adult sites, and Pornhub chose to block North Carolina rather than follow them.
What does HB 8 require?
Commercial entities that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on the internet from a website where more than one-third of total material is harmful to minors. News and public-interest content is exempt; internet service providers, search engines and cloud service providers are not liable merely for providing access.
Enforcement: Private right of action only: a parent or guardian whose minor was allowed access, or a person whose identifying information was retained; no state agency enforcement.
Is it illegal to watch porn in North Carolina?
No. North Carolina law (HB 8) puts its duties on websites, not on the people who visit them. Watching legal adult content is not a crime under it.
Separate state and federal laws on obscenity and child sexual abuse material apply everywhere, whatever a state's age-verification rules.
How do I verify my age for adult sites in North Carolina?
North Carolina law (HB 8) accepts these methods: commercially available database regularly used by businesses or government for age and identity verification; other commercially reasonable method of age and identity verification. Each site chooses which ones to offer.
Can porn sites keep my ID in North Carolina?
The site, or a third party verifying for it, may not retain identifying information after access is granted (G.S. 66-501(b)).
Is it illegal to use a VPN in North Carolina?
North Carolina law (HB 8) sets duties for websites. It does not create a penalty for people who use a VPN.
Why does Pornhub think I'm in North Carolina?
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 Georgia can appear to be in North Carolina.
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.
Timeline
Bills to watch
- HB 301 (Social Media & AI Safety). Would bar under-14s from social media and require parental consent for 14-15 year olds, with platform age-verification duties. House failed to concur in the Senate committee substitute on 2026-06-23; conference committee appointed 2026-06-24, with no action since.
- SB 1007 (Human Trafficking Omnibus). Includes a 10% excise tax on the gross receipts of retailers that sell material harmful to minors at physical stores in the state, with proceeds going partly to the Human Trafficking Commission. Filed 2026-04-30; referred to Senate Judiciary, Finance, and Rules committees (last action 2026-06-02).
Related laws
- HB 805, Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act (S.L. 2025-84) (effective Dec 1, 2025). Sites and apps that publish pornographic images must verify that everyone depicted was 18+ and gave written consent, remove images within 72 hours on request, and block re-uploads; AG and private enforcement (up to $10,000 per day per image). in effect (enacted over Gov. Stein's veto 2025-07-29)
Sources
- House Bill 8 / S.L. 2023-132 (2023-2024 Session), North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- G.S. 66-500 Short title; definitions (North Carolina General Statutes) (ncleg.gov) Statute · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- G.S. 66-501 Age verification requirements; civil liability (North Carolina General Statutes) (ncleg.gov) Statute · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Bill Summary for H 8 (2023-2024), S.L. 2023-132 (UNC School of Government LRS) (lrs.sog.unc.edu) Government · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- H805 - Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors (SL 2025-84) summary, NC General Assembly (ncleg.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- House Bill 805 / S.L. 2025-84, North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- House Bill 301 (2025-2026 Session), North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Senate Bill 1007 (2025-2026 Session), North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Pornhub blocked in North Carolina as PAVE Act takes effect (WUNC) (wunc.org) News · Jan 2, 2024
- Pornhub plots return to North Carolina browsers (Axios Raleigh) (axios.com) News · Aug 6, 2026
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.