JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced on Thursday that the state of Missouri is moving forward with age verification on pornographic and sexually explicit websites.

Hanaway—who was appointed as attorney general on Sept. 8—says this decision is a “major” victory for Missouri families.

“This rule is a milestone in our effort to protect Missouri children from the devastating harms of online pornography,” Hanaway said. “We are holding powerful corporations accountable, respecting women and victims of human trafficking, and helping ensure that minors are shielded from dangerous, sexually explicit material.”

According to Hanaway, this regulation will become effective in the fall. It will be applied toward commercial websites and platforms where ⅓ or more of the content is considered pornographic or sexually explicit—all in order to protect minors from viewing the material. 

Lawmakers say that pornographic websites that do not comply with Missouri’s new age-verification protocols under the Merchandising Practices Act will be subjected to civil penalties, as well as injunctive relief. 

“If these companies want to profit off explicit material in Missouri, they will not get a free pass,” Hanaway said. “They must prove their users are adults, or they will be shut out of our state.”

The age-verification rule will become effective in Missouri on Nov. 30, 2025.