Apple today provided an update to its age verification tools for developers in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Utah, and Louisiana. Developers in these areas will face new obligations to ensure age and parental consent, and Apple’s APIs will help them meet these upcoming requirements.
Since February 24, Apple has blocked users in Australia, Brazil and Singapore from downloading 18+-rated apps unless they have been verified as adults through the App Store’s age verification process, which uses “reasonable methods.” Age verification is done automatically through the App Store, but developers may also need to independently verify that their users are adults using the Declared Age API.
In Brazil, apps that have loot boxes will have their age rating adjusted to 18+ in the Brazilian store, as new Brazilian app store laws prevent apps from offering loot boxes to children. Developers can see a user’s age group when the user or a user’s parent chooses to share it, with Apple adding a new signal about the age assurance method.
In Utah and Louisiana, regulations are being drafted to require developers to determine a user’s age using the Declared Age Range API to prevent children from downloading age-appropriate apps. Apple has updated the API to help developers determine whether a user is subject to age-related regulatory requirements and whether a user is required to share an age group. There is also a new warning if an app is required to obtain parent or guardian permission for major app updates for an app downloaded by a child.
In some cases, developers are required to notify parents when an app receives a major update with new features, and parents must give their child permission to use the app, even if permission was previously granted.
Utah’s App Store state liability law requirement begins on May 6, 2026, while Louisiana’s Act 570 begins on July 1, 2026, and both laws apply only to new Apple accounts.
Several countries and US states have begun implementing strict child protection laws, some of which require app store operators like Apple to verify a user’s age and obtain parental consent before minors can download apps.
Developers may face fines for not complying with age assurance requirements. In Utah, for example, parents can receive damages of up to $1,000 per violation, while Louisiana can fine developers up to $10,000 per violation after a 45-day grace period.
Apple could also be fined millions of dollars for non-compliance in Brazil, Australia and Singapore, where platform-level requirements now apply.
Apple has fought platform-level legislation due to privacy concerns raised by the age verification process. Apple doesn’t want to verify age using methods like ID submission due to concerns about data collection, and the company also doesn’t want to share each user’s age information with developers.
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