AI Platforms

ChatGPT age limit: 13+, with a parent’s permission until 18

5 min read · Updated November 5, 2026

The ChatGPT age limit is 13, or the minimum age in your country if that is higher. OpenAI’s terms also say anyone under 18 needs a parent or legal guardian’s permission. When an account looks like it belongs to someone under 18, ChatGPT switches to a version called ChatGPT for Teens, with more limits on sensitive content.

Many parents find out about the age rule after their child already has an account. The rule itself is short, but it has two parts: a minimum age and a parent’s permission. This guide sets out both, how OpenAI works out a user’s age, and what to do if your child is too young. For every other AI app, see AI chatbot age limits and parental controls in every AI app.

How old do you have to be to use ChatGPT?

At least 13. OpenAI’s Terms of Use, effective January 1, 2026, set the minimum at 13 or the age your country requires to consent to the service, whichever applies. Apple’s US App Store rates the ChatGPT app 13+ as well, which lines up with the terms.

The second part is easier to miss. The same terms say anyone under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian’s permission. OpenAI does not describe a form or a step where that permission is recorded, so a 15-year-old can have an account without a parent ever being asked.

Can a child younger than 13 use ChatGPT?

No. The terms do not allow it, even with a parent’s OK, and there is no children’s version. Using it younger breaks the terms, so OpenAI can close the account. It also means the teen protections may be missing, because the account may have been set up as an older user’s. If your child is younger than 13 and wants an AI tool, AI chatbot age limits shows which services make any allowance for that age, and there are few.

How OpenAI works out a user’s age

OpenAI uses three signals: the age given for the account, a verified age, and its own age prediction. When any of these points to someone under 18 on an eligible account, ChatGPT turns on ChatGPT for Teens automatically. OpenAI says the prediction can change over time, so an account can move into or out of the teen experience.

No age check is perfect, and in October 2026 the Texas Attorney General alleged in a lawsuit that ChatGPT’s age checks are inadequate. That is an allegation that no court has ruled on, and OpenAI says it has built protections for children. 8 states just sued OpenAI has the detail.

What changes for 13 to 17-year-olds

• ChatGPT for Teens: OpenAI says it reduces sensitive content such as graphic violence, viral challenges, sexual, romantic or violent roleplay, and extreme beauty and dieting content. ChatGPT for Teens explains it in full.
• Parental controls: a parent can link their account to their teen’s and change settings such as quiet hours, voice, memory and image generation. ChatGPT parental controls has every setting.
• What stays private: linking does not show a parent the conversations.

What to do with this as a parent

1. Check the birth date on your teen’s account. Teen protections depend on it being right, and correcting a false one can switch them on.
2. If your child is younger than 13, talk about it first, then remove the app and block the site. How to block ChatGPT on iPhone has the steps.
3. If your teen is 13 to 17 and you are happy for them to use it, say so and link your accounts. That gives the permission the terms ask for, and it is the only way to reach the settings.
4. Agree what it is for. Family AI rules has a starting point, and AI for homework covers the most common use.

An age limit tells you who is allowed in, not whether it suits your child. Is ChatGPT for Teens safe? looks at that question.

What TeenCue shows for ChatGPT

ChatGPT is one of the services TeenCue supports. When your teen uses ChatGPT in the browser on their computer, TeenCue shows you what a chat was about as a category, a topic and a concern rating, never what was typed. It works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave on a computer. It does not check anyone’s age or block ChatGPT, and your teen will know it is installed. It does not cover the ChatGPT phone app yet; the TeenCue iPhone app is coming soon. How TeenCue works has the full picture.