Is pornography legal in the United Kingdom?

Restricted

Online pornography requires age verification under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The United Kingdom is one of 17 countries classified “Restricted” for pornography — 25% of the 69 with data.

Source

Taken from
Wikipedia: Pornography laws by region
Last checked
17 September 2026
How it was classified
Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.

Nearby countries

Netherlands
Legal The Netherlands only criminalizes pornography involving minors or animals, implying adult pornography is legal.
Austria
Restricted Austria criminalizes the production and distribution of obscene materials for profit, imposing imprisonment and fines.
Poland
Illegal Poland criminalizes the production, distribution, and possession of pornographic content for dissemination.
Iceland
Illegal Iceland prohibits the production, importation, sale, and distribution of pornography.
Hungary
Illegal Hungary criminalizes the production, sale, and distribution of pornographic material.
Lithuania
Illegal Lithuania punishes the production, acquisition, and distribution of pornographic material.

Other laws in United Kingdom

Same-Sex Marriage
Marriage legal
Same-Sex Activity
Legal
Age of Consent
16–17
Sex Work
Varies by region
Divorce
Legal
Non-Binary Recognition
Not recognized
Same-Sex Adoption
Joint adoption legal
Incest Laws
Criminal offense
Marriage Age
16–17

Every law in the United Kingdom → · Where is pornography legal? →

A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.