Is Pornhub blocked in Montana?
Yes. Pornhub has blocked Montana since January 1, 2024. Montana law (SB 544) took effect January 1, 2024.
Since January 1, 2024, websites with more than a third adult content must verify that Montana visitors are 18 or older, and they can be sued by people harmed if they don't; since 2025 only private lawsuits can enforce the law. Pornhub and other Aylo sites have blocked Montana since the law took effect rather than collect IDs. The legislature next meets in 2027.
The law
| Status | Law in effect |
|---|---|
| Law | SB 544 (text) |
| Citation | Mont. Code Ann. § 30-14-159 (En. Sec. 1, Ch. 700, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 199, L. 2025) |
| Signed | May 19, 2023 |
| In effect | January 1, 2024 |
| Who it covers | Commercial entities that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on a website where more than 33 1/3 percent of total material is harmful to minors. Bona fide news and public-interest content is exempt; internet service providers, search engines and cloud providers are not liable merely for providing access. |
| Accepted ID methods | digital ID; government-issued ID; commercially reasonable method using public or private transactional data |
| Data rules | The entity or third-party verifier may not retain identifying information about the individual after access has been granted; knowing retention makes it liable to the individual for damages. |
| Enforcement | Private right of action only: the statute says it may only be enforced by individuals claiming damages. SB 488 (2025) removed the Attorney General's enforcement authority. |
| Penalties | Civil liability to an individual for damages resulting from a minor's access (or from retained identifying data), plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. No criminal liability and no fixed statutory fine. |
Why is Pornhub blocked in Montana?
Aylo blocked Pornhub and its other sites for Montana visitors when the law took effect (reported Jan. 3, 2024); PCMag still listed Montana as blocked in June 2026.
When did Pornhub block Montana?
Pornhub stopped serving Montana on January 1, 2024. Montana law (SB 544) took effect January 1, 2024.
Is porn banned in Montana?
No. Montana doesn't ban porn. Montana law (SB 544) sets age-verification rules for adult sites, and Pornhub chose to block Montana rather than follow them.
What does SB 544 require?
Commercial entities that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on a website where more than 33 1/3 percent of total material is harmful to minors. Bona fide news and public-interest content is exempt; internet service providers, search engines and cloud providers are not liable merely for providing access.
Enforcement: Private right of action only: the statute says it may only be enforced by individuals claiming damages. SB 488 (2025) removed the Attorney General's enforcement authority.
Is it illegal to watch porn in Montana?
No. Montana law (SB 544) 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 Montana?
Montana law (SB 544) accepts these methods: digital ID; government-issued ID; commercially reasonable method using public or private transactional data. Each site chooses which ones to offer.
Can porn sites keep my ID in Montana?
The entity or third-party verifier may not retain identifying information about the individual after access has been granted; knowing retention makes it liable to the individual for damages.
Is it illegal to use a VPN in Montana?
Montana law (SB 544) sets duties for websites. It does not create a penalty for people who use a VPN.
Why does Pornhub think I'm in Montana?
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 Idaho can appear to be in Montana.
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
- SB 544 signed into law. [2]
- SB 544 takes effect. [2]
- Pornhub blocks visitors in Montana. [6]
- SB 488 (Ch. 199, L. 2025) is signed, amending the law so that only individuals claiming damages can enforce it and removing the Attorney General's role. [7]
- Court dismisses Free Speech Coalition's challenge and enters judgment for the State; Bloomberg Law reported the dismissal was for lack of standing after state enforcement was removed. The law remains in effect. [3]
Courts and enforcement
- Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Knudsen, No. 9:24-cv-00067-DWM (U.S. District Court, D. Mont. (Judge Donald W. Molloy), Aug 6, 2025). An October 2024 order let First Amendment claims proceed under strict scrutiny and dismissed a dormant Commerce Clause count. On August 6, 2025 the court dismissed the case (Order, Doc. 49; judgment for the State, Doc. 50), reported as for lack of standing after SB 488 removed state enforcement. The law stayed in effect throughout. Source
Related laws
- SB 488 (2025), Laws 2025 ch. 199 (effective Apr 17, 2025). Consumer-protection revision that left the age-verification duty unchanged but made it enforceable only through private lawsuits (removed Attorney General enforcement). in effect
Sources
- Mont. Code Ann. § 30-14-159 (MCA 2025), Montana Legislature (mca.legmt.gov) Statute · 2025
- Joint Statement of Stipulated Facts, Free Speech Coalition v. Knudsen (D. Mont.), describing SB 544's passage and signing (storage.courtlistener.com) Court · Jan 16, 2025
- Free Speech Coalition v. Knudsen, No. 9:24-cv-00067-DWM, Judgment in a Civil Case (D. Mont. Aug. 6, 2025), via CourtListener (storage.courtlistener.com) Court · Aug 6, 2025
- Free Speech Coalition v. Knudsen, No. 9:24-cv-00067-DWM, Order (D. Mont. Aug. 6, 2025, Doc. 49), via CourtListener (storage.courtlistener.com) Court · Aug 6, 2025
- Montana's Online Age Verification Law Survives Free Speech Suit (Bloomberg Law) (news.bloomberglaw.com) News · Aug 8, 2025
- Pornhub blocks North Carolina, Montana over new age verification laws (BleepingComputer) (bleepingcomputer.com) News · Jan 3, 2024
- MT SB 488 (2025) bill status (policyrisk.com) Tracker · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Sorry, No Pornhub Access in 24 States and 3 Countries (PCMag, via Yahoo Tech) (tech.yahoo.com) News · Jun 12, 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.