Preparing for Texas Age Assurance Requirements in iOS & iPadOS
Apple is providing developers with new tools to comply with Texas age assurance laws, specifically Senate Bill 2420 (SB2420), and to prepare for similar legislation in other states and countries. These tools, available in beta versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, address requirements around obtaining and managing parental consent for users under 18.
Key Changes & APIs:
Texas law requires apps to obtain parental consent for users under 18 and to re-validate that consent following significant app changes. Parents also have the right to revoke their consent at any time. to facilitate this, Apple is introducing the following APIs:
* Declared Age Range API: This updated API (link) allows developers to determine a user’s age category as defined by Texas law: under 13, 13-15, 16-17, or over 18. For new Apple Accounts in texas created on or after January 1, 2026, this data will be shared with apps upon request. The API also indicates the method of age assurance used (e.g., credit card, government ID) and signals when consent is required due to app changes.
* Significant Change API: Developers are responsible for determining what constitutes a “significant change” to their app under the law. When a significant change occurs, the Significant Change API (within the PermissionKit framework) must be used to request renewed parental consent. This triggers a system dialog on the user’s device, and developers should restrict app access until consent is granted. A change in the app’s age rating is specifically identified by Texas law as a significant change.
* Age Rating Monitoring: developers can utilize a new StoreKit property to automatically detect when their app’s age rating has been updated on a user’s device. This allows them to promptly use the Significant Change API to request consent.
* Consent Revocation Notifications: Parents or guardians in Texas can revoke consent for an app, blocking its launch on a child’s device.Developers can configure their systems to receive server notifications from the App Store when consent is withdrawn for their app.
Testing & Implementation:
Apple provides sandbox testing for both the Declared Age range API and the Significant Change API within the iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 beta environments.
Next Steps for Developers:
- Review the provided documentation and begin implementation of the new APIs.
- Utilize Apple’s sandbox testing environment to validate correct API implementation.
- Upon release of the iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates, submit updated apps to App Store Connect.
- Developers should anticipate further updates and tools to address upcoming legal requirements in utah, Louisiana, and Brazil.
