Published:
17 October 2024
Last updated:
2 December 2025
Please see the new timings for the Online Safety deliverables outlined here: Ofcom's approach to implementing the Online Safety Act
The Online Safety Act makes companies that operate a wide range of online services legally responsible for keeping people, especially children, safe online. If you provide an online service, there are actions you must take when duties come into force. This page explains the important milestones.
The first new duties are now in force. For more information, you can read our:
- guide for services: complying with the Online Safety Act page which explains who the rules apply to, how to check if your service is in scope, and what the new rules mean
- quick guide to illegal content codes of practice for information on the illegal content duties
- quick guide to children's safety codes for information on the children’s safety duties
- roadmap for what’s next
All dates reflect our current expected timings and this page contains the latest dates available. Some dates could change as we continue to address issues raised by stakeholders and the Government puts in place the necessary secondary legislation. To stay updated on Online Safety roadmap dates, subscribe to our online safety briefing.
Please see the new timings for the Online Safety deliverables outlined here: Ofcom's approach to implementing the Online Safety Act
What are you looking for?
The tables below contains key milestones, some are compulsory duties whilst responding to consultations is optional. The 'To note' table sets out additional milestones you may be interested in.
Duties and actions
This table sets out the main Online Safety duties and what this means in practice for your online service. If you do not meet the deadlines for compliance, Ofcom can take enforcement action against your service under the Online Safety Act 2023. Please note, all dates reflect our current expected timelines and may change.
- Start Date: The date or timeframe that this milestone will occur.
- Milestone: The main Online Safety milestones you will need to act on.
- Description/Action: The milestone and any action you must take.
- Who should act?: This outlines who the milestone is relevant to.
- All OS services: All user-to-user services and search services in scope of the Act.
- VSP services: This refers to Notified Video Sharing Platforms (all pre-existing, UK established VSPs – platforms that meet the scope and jurisdiction criteria under Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003).
- OS Categorised Services: A small proportion of services will be categorised and designated as category 1, 2A or 2B services if they meet certain thresholds set out in secondary legislation by Government. For ease of use we refer to ‘categorised services’ in the table.
- Publishers of pornographic content: This means pornography services in scope of the duties in Part 5 of the Act.
- OS Services likely to be accessed by children: All regulated user-to-user services and search services that are ‘likely to be accessed by children’ (and have to comply with duties relating to protection of children) within the meaning of the Act.
- Completion date: Deadline or end date for the milestone.
You can search for keywords such as the type of service you are (e.g ‘All OS services’), relevant legal duties (‘risk assessment’) or topics ('children').
Duties and actions
| Start Date | Milestone | Description/Action | Who should act? | Completion date | Useful links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 December 2024 | Ofcom publishes illegal content risk assessment guidance and first version of illegal harms codes of practice | Carry out illegal content risk assessment | All OS services including VSPs |
16 March 2025 |
Statement: Protecting people from illegal harms online
Time for tech firms to act: UK online safety regulation comes into force
|
| 16 January 2025 | Ofcom publishes highly effective age assurance and children’s access assessments guidance | All user-to-user and search services must complete a Children’s Access Assessment | Part 3 services |
16 April 2025 |
|
| 16 January 2025 | Ofcom publishes final guidance on age assurance for pornography providers | Part 5 services are required to take steps to implement highly effective age assurance immediately |
Publishers of pornographic content (services in scope of part 5 duties) |
Duties came into effect 17 January 2025 |
|
| 17 January 2025 | Government commences online safety duties on age assurance for publishers of pornographic content | Comply with age assurance duties. | Publishers of pornographic content (services in scope of part 5 duties) | N/A | Implementing the Online Safety Act: Protecting children from online pornography |
| January 2025 | Ofcom publishes children's access assessment guidance | Carry out children's access assessment | All OS services including VSPs |
16 April 2025 |
Quick guide to children’s access assessments |
| 17 March 2025 | Illegal content Codes of Practice comes into force | Comply with the illegal content safety duties | All OS services | N/A | Quick guide to illegal content codes of practice |
| 24 April 2025 | Ofcom publishes children's risk assessment guidance and first version of the Protection of Children Codes of Practice | Carry out children's risk assessment | OS services likely to be accessed by children, including VSPs |
24 July 2025 |
Quick guide to children’s risk assessments: protecting children online
|
| 25 July 2025 | Protection of Children Codes of Practice come into force | Comply with children safety duties | OS services likely to be accessed by children | N/A | A quick guide to Children’s Safety Codes |
| 21 July 2025 | Ofcom publishes final guidance on transparency reporting for categorised services | Services to note available guidance with a view to prepare for reporting requirements. Requirements will only apply categorised services | All OS services (transparency duties will only apply to categorised services) | N/A | Statement: transparency reporting guidance Annex A: Draft transparency guidance |
| December 2025 to April 2026 | Fees regime comes into force and the notification window for the initial 2026/7 charging year opens | Providers should notify Ofcom of their liability to pay fees | All providers which meet the Qualifying Worldwide Revenue threshold, and which are not otherwise exempt | The Notification window for the initial 2026/7 charging year will close in April 2026. | Online safety fees: what the duties are and how to comply with them |
| February 2026 | Ofcom publishes final super-complaints guidance | Eligible organisations will be able to raise a 'super-complaint' with Ofcom | Organisations eligible to bring a super-complaint | February 2026 | N/A |
| Summer 2026 | Ofcom issues draft and final transparency notices to categorised services | Categorised services respond to transparency notices | OS Categorised services | Summer 2026 | N/A |
| July 2026 | Ofcom publishes register of categorised services | The register will determine which services are categorised. Services will have the opportunity to respond to consultations about the additional duties for categorised services, and will need to prepare to comply with those duties as they come into force | OS Categorised services | TBC: Ofcom's approach to implementing the Online Safety Act contains the latest update on timings for the Register | Online service categorisation: information notices |
| Autumn 2026 | Ofcom publishes the Additional Safety Measures statement | Comply with the illegal content and children safety duties | All OS services | N/A | TBC |
Consultations
This table sets out when our upcoming consultation will be published and the deadline for submitting a response. Please note, all dates reflect our current timelines and may change.
- Start Date: The date or timeframe that this milestone will occur.
- Milestone: The main Online Safety consultations you may wish to read and respond to.
- Description/Action: Further details and suggested action for this consultation.
- Who is this most relevant to?: While our consultations are public and we accept responses from anyone, we have explained the types of services the consultation proposals are particularly relevant to, to help services understand when they are most likely to want to read the consultation and respond.
- All OS services: All user-to-user services and search services in scope of the Act.
- VSP services: This refers to Notified Video Sharing Platforms (all pre-existing, UK established VSPs – platforms that meet the scope and jurisdiction criteria under Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003).
- OS Categorised Services: A small proportion of services will be categorised and designated as category 1, 2A or 2B services if they meet certain thresholds set out in secondary legislation by Government in 2025. For ease of use we refer to ‘categorised services’ in the table.
- Publishers of pornographic content: This means pornography services in scope of the duties in Part 5 of the Act.
- OS Services likely to be accessed by children: All regulated user-to-user services and search services that are ‘likely to be accessed by children’ (and have to comply with duties relating to protection of children) within the meaning of the Act
- Completion date: Deadline or end date for the consultation response.
You can search for keywords such as the type of service you are or the topic of a consultation.
Consultations
| Start Date | Milestone | Description/Action | Who will this be of most interest to? | Completion date | Useful links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 October 2024 | Consultation on fees and penalties | Give feedback on fees consultation (optional) | All OS Services including VSPs | 9 January 2025 | Online Safety - fees and penalties |
| 16 December 2024 | Consultation: Technology Notices | Give feedback on CSEA/terrorism consultation (optional) | All OS services including VSPs, and providers of online safety technologies | 10 March 2025 (5pm) | Consultation: Technology Notices |
| 25 February 2025 | Consultation on draft Guidance: A safer life online for women and girls | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | All OS services including VSPs, excluding publishers of pornographic content (services in scope of part 5 duties) | 23 May 2025 | Consultation on draft Guidance: A safer life online for women and girls |
| June 2025 | Consultation on additional measures for Codes of Practice (illegal harms and protection of children) | Give feedback on additional measures consultation (optional) | All OS services including VSPs | 20 October 2025 | Consultation: Online Safety - Additional Safety Measures |
| 18 July 2025 | Consultation on draft Guidance: Qualifying Worldwide Revenue (online safety fees and penalties) | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | All OS services including VSPs with expected qualifying worldwide revenue above £250m | 10 September 2025 (5pm) | Consultation on draft Guidance: Qualifying Worldwide Revenue |
| 1 September 2025 | Consultation on draft Notification Guidance (online safety fees) | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | All OS services including VSPs with expected qualifying worldwide revenue above £250m | 1 October 2025 (5pm) | Consultation: Online safety fees – Notification Guidance |
| 8 September 2025 | Consultation: Draft guidance for super-complaints under the Online Safety Act 2023 | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | All OS Services | 3 November 2025 | Consultation: Draft guidance for super-complaints under the Online Safety Act 2023 |
| 15 September 2025 | Consultation on recommendations for how to promote Media Literacy | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | Online platforms, broadcasters and streaming services | 8 December | How to promote Media Literacy: Consultation on recommendations for online platforms, broadcasters and services |
| October 2025 to March 2026 | Consultation on additional duties on categorised services | Categorised services to give feedback on additional duties' consultation (optional) | OS Categorised services | TBC | Implementing the Online Safety Act: Additional duties for ‘categorised’ online services |
| December 2025 | Consultation on draft guidance for categorised services concerning disclosure of information about a deceased child’s use of their platform | Give feedback on consultation (optional) | All OS services | TBC | TBC |
To note
This table sets out dates of other Online Safety milestones you may wish to note. Please note, all dates reflect our current timelines and may change.
- Start Date: The date or timeframe that this milestone will occur.
- Milestone: The main Online Safety milestones to note.
- Description/Action: Further details and suggested action.
- Who should take note?: We have explained the types of services the milestones or proposals are particularly relevant to.
- All OS services: All user-to-user services and search services in scope of the Act.
- VSP services: This refers to Notified Video Sharing Platforms (all pre-existing, UK established VSPs – platforms that meet the scope and jurisdiction criteria under Part 4B of the Communications Act 2003).
- OS Categorised Services: A small proportion of services will be categorised and designated as category 1, 2A or 2B services if they meet certain thresholds set out in secondary legislation by Government. For ease of use we refer to ‘categorised services’ in the table.
- Publishers of pornographic content: This means pornography services in scope of the duties in Part 5 of the Act.
- OS Services likely to be accessed by children: All regulated user-to-user services and search services that are ‘likely to be accessed by children’ (and have to comply with duties relating to protection of children) within the meaning of the Act.
- Completion date: Deadline or end date for the milestone.
You can search for keywords such as the type of service you are, type of publication or topic.
To note
| Start Date | Milestone | Description/Action | Who should take note? | Completion date | Useful links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June to July 2025 | Ofcom publishes Researcher Access report | Services to note Researcher Access report (optional) | All OS services including VSPs | N/A | Call for evidence: Researchers’ access to information from regulated online services - Ofcom |
| Spring 2026 | Ofcom publishes Media Literacy Statement | Services to note Media Literacy Statement (optional) | All OS services including VSPs | N/A |
Read more about our media literacy work here |
| 25 July 2025 | Repeal of the VSP regime | VSPs to become fully subject to the OS Act | VSPs | N/A | Repeal of the VSP regime: what you need to know - Ofcom |
| December 2025 | Ofcom updates Online Safety Information Powers Guidance regarding Data Preservation Notices and Coroner Information Notices | Review the guidance and understand how to comply with Data Preservation Notices and Coroner Information Notices | All OS services | N/A | TBC |
| February 2026 | Ofcom publishes final super-complaints guidance | Eligible organisations will be to raise super-complaints with Ofcom | Eligible organisations | February 2026 | TBC |
| April 2026 | Ofcom publishes final Technology Notices guidance | Ofcom’s Online Safety Technology Notice guidance will set out how we propose to exercise our technology notice function | All OS services | April 2026 | TBC |
| July 2026 | Ofcom publishes age assurance statuary report | This report will assess how services have used age assurance and how effective it has been for the purpose of complying with their duties under the Act | All OS services | July 2026 | TBC |
| October 2026 | Ofcom publishes content harmful to children statutory report | This report will summarise our findings on the incidence and severity of content harmful to children | All OS services | October 2026 | TBC |
| November 2026 | Ofcom publishes Online Information Advisory Committee report | Ofcom’s Online Information Advisory Committee will publish its first statutory report | All OS services | 1 November 2026 | TBC |
| January 2027 | Ofcom publishes app stores statutory report | This report will assess the role app stores play in children encountering harmful content and evaluate the use and effectiveness of age assurance by app store providers | All OS services | January 2027 | TBC |
Resources
- Ofcom's approach to implementing the Online Safety Act - Ofcom
- New rules for online services: what you need to know - Ofcom
- Ofcom Regulation Checker
- Repeal of the VSP regime - what you need to know.
- Adults only - what to do if your online service allows pornography
- Implementing the Online Safety Act: Additional duties for ‘categorised’ online services - Ofcom