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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 262 (C. 20)
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The Online Safety Act 2023
(Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 9th March 2026
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 240(1)
and (2) of the Online Safety Act 2023(1).
Citation
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 7)
Regulations 2026.
Provisions coming into force on 7th April 2026
2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the following provisions of the Online Safety Act 2023 come
into force on 7th April 2026—
(a) section 66(1) and (2) (requirement to report CSEA content: regulated user-to-user
services);
(b) section 66(7) to (10) (requirement to report CSEA content: supplementary);
(c) section 69 (offence in relation to CSEA reporting);
(d) section 100(6)(a)(iii) (power to require information);
(e) section 104(13)(a)(xii) (reports by skilled persons);
(f) section 120(2)(a) (admissibility of statements);
(g) sections 199 to 203 (offences: supplementary and general) in respect of section 69;
(h) section 204(2) to (4) (extra-territorial application) in respect of section 69;
(i) section 205 (offences: extra-territorial application and jurisdiction) in respect of section 69;
(j) paragraph 12 of Schedule 8 (transparency reports: matters about which information may
be required).
(2) The provisions referred to in sub-paragraphs (b) to (i) of paragraph (1) come into force only
so far as they relate to regulated user-to-user services.
(1) 2023 c. 50.Document Generated: 2026-03-12
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Jess Phillips
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
9th March 2026 Home Office
2Document Generated: 2026-03-12
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are the seventh commencement regulations made under the Online Safety Act
2023 (c. 50) (“the Act”). They bring into force the duty on providers of regulated user-to-user
services to report Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (“CSEA”) content to the National Crime
Agency and the offence in relation to CSEA reporting under this duty. They also bring into force
other provisions in relation to the duty and the offence, including provision conferring functions
on the Office of Communications in relation to obtaining information and supplementary provision
about offences under the Act.
A full impact assessment has been published in relation to the Act and copies can be obtained
from the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-
act-enactment-impact-assessment or from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
at 22-26 Whitehall, London SW1A 2EG.
NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT REGULATIONS
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
The following provisions of the Online Safety Act 2023 have been brought into force by
commencement regulations made before the date of these Regulations(2).
Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
section 7 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 8 to 17 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 3 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 19 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 20 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 21 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 22 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 23 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 24 to 33 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 34 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 35 to 40 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 41 (remainder) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 49 to 51 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 52 (remainder) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
(2) The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/371 (C. 13)) (“the Regulations”) were
revoked by the Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) (Revocation) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/1064 (C. 51))
before the date on which provisions to be commenced by the Regulations would have been so commenced.
3Document Generated: 2026-03-12
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Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
section 53 (remainder) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 54 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 65 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 67 and 68 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 72 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 73 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 76 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 77 and 78 and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 8 (partially)
section 80 (partially) and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 9
section 81 17th January 2025 2024/1333
sections 83 to 89 and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 10
section 92 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 95 to 97 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 100 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 100 (partially) 17th January 2025 2024/1333
section 101 1st April 2024 2023/1420
section 102 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 102 (remainder) 1st April 2024 2023/1420
section 103 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 104 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 104 (partially) 17th January 2025 2024/1333
sections 105 to 108 and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 12
sections 109 to 113 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 114 (partially) 22nd November 2023 2023/1242
section 114 (remainder) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 118 and 119 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 120 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 121 to 128 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 130 to 135 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 136 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 136 (remainder) 17th January 2025 2024/1333
section 137 10th January 2024 2023/1420
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Provision Date of Commencement S.I. No.
section 138 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 138 (remainder) 17th January 2025 2024/1333
sections 139 to 150 and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 13
sections 152 and 153 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 154 (remainder) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 155 to 159 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 161 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 162 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 163 to 168 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 171 to 178 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 179 to 191 and 31st January 2024 2024/31
Schedule 14
section 192 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 195 to 198 and 10th January 2024 2023/1420
Schedule 15
sections 199 to 203 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 204 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 205 (partially) 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 206 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 208 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 209 and Schedule 16 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 210 25th July 2025 2025/888
section 211 and Schedule 17 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 213 10th January 2024 2023/1420
sections 215 to 218 10th January 2024 2023/1420
section 220 10th January 2024 2023/1420
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